Chương 36

Hughie held the vial of Compound V up. A-Train stared at it, then forced a laugh.

"You think I need that?" Hughie's hand shook, but he did not lower the vial.

"Then I guess you do not care if it breaks." He let it fall. A-Train moved before the vial hit the floor. He caught it and appeared in front of Hughie again. His smile was gone.

"Try anything smart," A-Train said, "and I will kill your father so fast you will not even know it happened." Hughie swallowed. He looked past A-Train and called out, "Dad, go. Now." Hugh Campbell Sr. came out from the hall with fear on his face. Hughie did not explain. He only pushed him toward the door.

"Hughie--""Go," Hughie said. His father left, and Hughie turned back. A-Train held the vial near his chest.

"I killed Robin by accident," he said.

"But you killed Popclaw on purpose." Hughie's fear cracked.

"No. You killed Popclaw. You are the reason she is dead. Do not put that on me." A-Train's jaw tightened. Hughie kept talking because he had to keep A-Train looking at him.

"You ran through Robin. Then you lied. Vought lied. You all just moved on." A-Train stepped closer.

"Shut up." Hughie saw his anger rise and kept pushing. Every second A-Train spent talking was one more second for Kimiko to get close. Behind him, Kimiko came out of the side hall. Hughie saw the movement but kept his eyes on A-Train.

"You want someone to blame? Blame yourself." Kimiko jumped. She hit A-Train's leg with both hands and slammed him sideways. A sharp crack filled the room. A-Train screamed and fell hard, gripping his broken leg. For a second, Hughie could only stare. Kimiko grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door. Hughie ran after her. His father was already outside, shaking near the stairs. Hughie caught him and pulled him away from the apartment. This story originates from a different website.

Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. At another place, M. M. reached the location he had given Monique. Monique was waiting with Janine. The moment she saw him, she stood.

"Tell me what this is," she said. M. M. looked at Janine, then back at Monique.

"I cannot tell you everything here. I need you both safe first."

"You said that the last time too," Monique said.

"You said it would be over." M. M. lowered his voice.

"I know. I messed up. But this is not only about me now. They froze our account. They know who we are." Monique's anger did not disappear, but fear entered her eyes. Janine held her mother's hand tighter, and M. M. looked away because that hurt more than Monique's words. The scene shifted to a train station. Adam walked beside Butcher through the crowd. Butcher had not spoken for several minutes. Then he said, "I still do not buy that Starlight had nothing to do with this." Adam looked at him.

"Why do you refuse to trust me? Is it still because of what Homelander did to you?" Butcher stopped and grabbed Adam's collar.

"You have any idea what happened to me? Any idea what he took?" Adam caught Butcher's wrist and pulled it off his collar.

"I know everything. Do not think I came to you without knowing who you were. I came because I thought you wanted revenge like me. I did not know you had become this blind." Butcher's eyes sharpened. Adam continued, "You put the whole team in danger because Raynor refused to go after Homelander. You think I do not know that?" Butcher went still.

"Did you bug me?"

"No," Adam said.

"Think of it as an extension of my power." Butcher clearly did not believe him. Adam stepped closer.

"Understand this, Butcher. I am not your enemy. I am your friend. I told you that already." They reached the platform. Mesmer was trying to board a train. He turned and found Butcher standing in front of him. Mesmer stumbled back, then hit someone behind him. He looked over his shoulder and saw Adam. Adam's eyes were glowing red. Mesmer's face went pale. Butcher took him into the station bathroom. Adam stayed near the door. Inside, Butcher beat Mesmer until he could barely stand.

Then Butcher forced Mesmer's hand against his own.

"Go on," Butcher said.

"Have a look." Mesmer saw Becca. He saw Homelander. He saw the wound Butcher had carried for years. Mesmer pulled back, shaking. Butcher smiled.

"How was it?" Then he grabbed Mesmer's head and smashed it into the sink again and again until Mesmer stopped moving. Later, Butcher and Adam returned to the safe place. As soon as Butcher entered, Monique walked up and slapped him hard. Adam made a sound before he could stop himself.

"Oof. That one was loud. You two know each other, I guess." Butcher touched his jaw, glanced back at Adam, then looked at Monique.

"Good to see you again, Monique." M. M. came to them. His face was tight.

"You need to save us," M. M. said.

"Whatever it takes. My family is in this now." The scene shifted again. Homelander kept digging through Vought records until Billy Butcher's name led him to Becca Butcher. She had worked for Vought. He remembered her then, and the memory stayed in his mind like a thorn. He went to Jonah Vogelbaum. The old doctor looked afraid as soon as he saw him. Homelander asked about Becca. Vogelbaum tried to avoid the answer, but Homelander did not let him. At last, the doctor said, "She was pregnant." Homelander became still.

Vogelbaum continued, "But she died during delivery. The baby died too." For a moment, Homelander said nothing. Then he stood and walked away. His face was calm, but his mind was not. If a Supe could have a child, then that child could be powerful. If it was his child, then maybe it could be stronger than him. Stronger than Adam too. That thought stayed with him as he left.