Chương 39

The hideout was quiet for once. Butcher sat near Hughie, and Adam stayed close to the wall. M. M. stood with Frenchie while Kimiko waited near them. No one joked or planned loudly. After everything that had happened, even Frenchie looked like he was waiting for the next hit. Adam knew this silence would not last much longer. Butcher's phone rang. Everyone looked at him. Butcher checked the screen, then answered.

"What is it?" Susan Raynor's voice came through the phone, and even before she finished her first breath, Adam understood the tone. It was not the voice of someone who had won. Butcher leaned forward.

"So? How did the interrogation go?" Raynor did not waste time.

"The U. S. government made a secret deal with Vought." Butcher's face changed.

"What?"

"The Seven are going to work with the military," Raynor said.

"Stillwell got what she wanted." Butcher stood up slowly.

"What about the evidence? What about Compound V?" Raynor's voice became heavier.

"There are Supes with the terrorists now. Vought already got Compound V into their hands. Because of that, the government wants Vought's help instead of destroying them." Butcher looked like he wanted to crush the phone in his hand.

"So what happens to us?" he asked. Raynor was quiet for one second. Then she said, "You become the sacrifice." Hughie stopped shifting in his chair. Butcher said nothing. He had tried to protect M. M.' s family with that deal. Now even that promise looked useless. Raynor continued, "Listen to me. The government and Vought are both after you now. I did what I could. My advice? Disappear and go underground as fast as you can." Butcher's jaw worked once. No insult came out. Raynor had lost too.

The call ended, leaving the room silent. Butcher kept the phone near his ear for another second, like he wanted to hear a different answer. Then he lowered it. Adam did not need to ask what had happened. He already knew. Butcher had thought he could give up one path and at least drag Vought into the mud. Now even that had been taken from him. His face showed how much he hated it. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The evidence was real, but fear had won for now. M. M. came closer.

"What happened?" Butcher looked at him. This time, he did not smile right away.

"We got turned into the bloody scapegoats," Butcher said.

"Government made a deal with Vought. The Seven are going military." M. M.'s face tightened. The first thing that came to his mind was not himself. It was Monique and Janine. He had brought them into this because the deal was supposed to protect them. Frenchie looked at Butcher.

"So the deal is gone?"

"Gone?" Butcher gave a short laugh.

"Worse than gone. Now both sides want us buried." Frenchie rubbed his mouth with one hand. Hughie looked toward the door as if the soldiers were already outside. Kimiko watched their faces and understood enough from the tension alone. Hughie swallowed. His eyes went to Kimiko, then back to Butcher.

"So what do we do?" Butcher smiled, though it looked forced.

"Don't worry," he said.

"I still have one trump card." He looked at Hughie.

"Come with me." Hughie stood, nervous about the way Butcher said it. Adam watched them. He knew where this was going. Soldiers would come here soon, and this place would not stay safe. But there was one more thing he had to do. Annie. By now, she would have spoken to her mother. Or maybe she was about to. Either way, the truth about Compound V would be breaking her from inside. Adam had already pushed her toward that truth, and now he could not just leave her alone with it.

If she hated him after this, he could accept that. Leaving her without any answer was different. He stood too. M. M. noticed.

"Where are you going?" Adam looked toward the door.

"Annie will be broken right now. She did not know the truth. I need to meet her before it gets worse." M. M. stared at him for a second. M. M. wanted to argue. Then he remembered that forcing Adam to stay would not work.

"Be quick," M. M. said. Adam nodded and left. Only a short time passed after Adam left. Then the noise came, starting outside as boots hit the floor and men shouted orders. Frenchie moved toward the window and looked out. His face changed.

"Merde," he whispered. M. M. picked up his gun.

"How many?"

"Too many," Frenchie said, backing away from the window. Kimiko rose from her place. Her body lowered slightly, ready to move. M. M. looked at her and shook his head.

"No. Do not start a fight here." The door burst open. Armed soldiers rushed in, guns raised. Red dots moved over Frenchie and M. M. before Kimiko was covered from both sides. Frenchie lifted his hands slowly. M. M. raised his hands too.

"Easy," he said twice. Kimiko did not. One soldier shouted, "Down!" Kimiko stepped forward. Before she could jump, a shot hit her from the side. It was not a normal bullet. A dart struck her neck. Kimiko grabbed it, but her strength slipped before she could attack. Her eyes were still open, and for a second it looked like she might force herself back up. Frenchie shouted her name. Another dart hit her. Kimiko collapsed. M. M. glared at the soldiers but kept his hands up. Frenchie looked ready to move, but M. M.

snapped at him.

"Frenchie. Don't." Frenchie froze. The soldiers moved in. They forced M. M. and Frenchie down. Their hands were tied before Kimiko was dragged up from the floor. One of the soldiers looked around the room.

"Only three," he said.

"Where are the others?" The captain entered behind them and scanned the hideout. The room showed signs of a larger group.

"Keep watch here," the captain said. The soldier looked at him. The captain's voice stayed firm.

"They will come back."