Chương 50

The boat cut across the water while Adam stood near the rear and watched the wake spread behind them. The others were busy with Kenji, but Adam kept thinking about the moment Annie had delivered the Compound V. She had met him near an empty loading area after leaving Vought Tower. Adam smiled at the vial and moved forward to hug her.

"Don't," Annie snapped. Adam stopped with his arms half raised.

"Do you know what I had to do for this?" she asked.

"A-Train caught me with the sample. I had to threaten him with what happened to Popclaw. Then I had to blackmail Gecko, someone I've known since childhood. I did all that because you asked for this." She had expected him to understand how much the request had cost her. She wanted comfort, or at least an apology. Instead, Adam looked at the vial and smiled.

"You were made for this game," he said.

"A-Train did not stop you, and neither did Vought. The sample is here because you completed the job." Annie stared at him. Then she threw the vial at his chest. Adam caught it before it fell.

"What? That was a compliment."

"Learn how compliments Annie said, and walked away. Adam studied the vial he had caught.

"I was trying to say you did something none of us could have done."

"Then you should have said that," Annie replied. Her pace did not change.

"I needed you to understand what it felt like."

"Can I get one hug before you go?" She kept walking without looking back. M. M. had been waiting nearby. He came over and touched Adam's shoulder.

"Brother, you still have a lot to learn." Back on the boat, Adam rubbed the back of his neck. He had only meant to tease her, but he had pushed it too far. Butcher came to stand beside him. He kept his attention on the water.

"Suppose a man had one thing left in this world," Butcher said.

"Suppose getting it back meant he had to work with people he didn't trust. You reckon that man ought to forget why he started?" If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Adam glanced at him.

"If this is about Becca, stop speaking in riddles. If you want to apologize, apologize directly." Butcher turned toward him, but his phone rang before he could answer. Adam saw the name on the screen and recognized Grace Mallory. He stepped away and gave Butcher room.

"What is it?" Butcher asked after taking the call.

"Bring the Supe terrorist to the location I'm sending you," Mallory said.

"My people will take him from there." Butcher looked toward the cabin where Kenji was being held.

"Fine. Send me the location."

"One more thing. Have you heard of Liberty?"

"No. Should I have?"

"Then listen before you decide this has nothing to do with you," Mallory said.

"Liberty was an old Supe identity." Butcher's brow tightened.

"And you're telling me this now because?"

"Because old names come with old bodies, and people remember what Vought pays to bury. Bring Kenji first. Then we'll discuss Liberty." The call ended before Butcher could ask another question. At Vought Tower, the members of the Seven sat through a movie presentation without Homelander. A producer spoke about action scenes and heroic sacrifices while Ashley watched from the side. Her phone vibrated. She read the message, and the color left her expression. Ashley excused herself and hurried to Stan Edgar's office.

She placed the phone on his desk. A news alert filled the screen. The report claimed that superheroes were not chosen by God. Vought had created them by giving children Compound V. Edgar read in silence. When he looked up, his attention had changed.

"Do not tell Homelander," he said. Ashley swallowed.

"He ordered me to report anything that could affect the Seven."

"Homelander will know when I want him to know." Ashley took the phone back. Defying Edgar could end her career. Hiding the leak from Homelander could end far more than that. Homelander learned anyway. He was having breakfast with Becca and Ryan when the report appeared on television. The anchor explained that Compound V had been used on children and that Vought had built the superhero industry around a lie. Ryan looked at the screen. Becca watched Homelander instead.

His spoon stopped above the bowl as the words continued. Elsewhere, the same report reached the rest of the Seven. During a therapy session, the Deep heard that his powers had been given to him through a drug. He bent forward and began to sob while the therapist tried to calm him. Black Noir sat alone in a Vought hallway. He lowered the phone. Tears ran down his cheeks without a sound. On the boat, Hughie raised both arms when the news spread through the cabin.

"We did it," he said.

"People finally know." M. M. smiled while Frenchie laughed. Even Kimiko understood enough from their reactions to know that Vought had been hurt. Hughie turned up the volume as another reporter repeated the claim. He had spent months feeling helpless against Vought. Hearing its secret spoken on every channel made him believe their work had reached beyond the room for once. Adam did not join the celebration. The leak would hurt Vought, but the company would remain in control.

The Supes would still live above everyone else, and the company would find a way to survive. Butcher also remained apart from the cheering. Exposing Vought was not the same as getting Becca back. Butcher watched the screen until the report changed, then returned his attention to the route ahead. Adam saw that Butcher did not react. Frenchie carried a bag of chips toward Kenji. He sat where Kenji could see him and offered him the bag.

"You understand English?" Frenchie asked. Kenji looked at him.

"Some." Frenchie leaned closer and pointed toward Kimiko.

"Then teach me sign language, so I can speak to your sister."