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Anthony watched Frigga's retreating figure.
He said nothing more, just picked up the golden apple he had bitten, lost in thought.
"Fate is sealed..." he murmured, repeating the Queen's words.
As a Star actor in his previous life, he had read too many scripts. He knew that some characters were meant to survive until the end, while others were meant to die a fitting death.
Frigga, the most powerful sorceress in the Nine Realms, if she didn't want to die, the Dark Elves wouldn't even be able to touch her clothes.
She had seen through the future and her own end.
In Asgardian tradition, only souls who die heroically in battle are worthy to enter Valhalla and drink with their ancestors.
For a Queen, dying in bed or of old age might be the greatest disgrace.
She chose her own way to exit.
Respecting the destiny of others is a basic quality of an adult.
Especially when that "other" is a god who has lived for thousands of years... Earth, London.
It was raining incessantly, and a chilling wind pierced to the bone.
In the open space of the abandoned factory, the huge charred rune was still emitting wisps of heat.
Jessica Jones sat in the muddy water, looking disheveled.
She clutched her chest; this damn thing seemed to have a life of its own, restlessly moving through her veins with every heartbeat, bringing waves of burning pain and a strange sense of power.
"That bastard..."
Jessica looked at the empty ground, gritting her teeth, "What about the promised vacation? What about the promised two million pounds? Just leaving me alone in this godforsaken place?"
"Um..."
Beside her, Darcy Lewis cautiously leaned over.
"Jane and Homelander... they were sucked away by a rainbow like in 'The Wizard of Oz'?"
"Shut up." Jessica forced two words through gritted teeth, suppressing her discomfort.
"Alright." Darcy shrank her neck.
"But shouldn't we... call S.H.I.E.L.D.? After all, that was Homelander, and Thor... You can tell me the number, I'll call..."
"I said shut up!"
Jessica suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with an eerie dark red.
"CRACK—!"
A forklift beside her was inexplicably twisted and compressed by an invisible force, finally turning into a ball of scrap metal.
Darcy was so frightened that she plopped down in the mud, tightly covering her mouth.
Jessica gasped for breath, forcefully suppressing the restless energy within her.
Outside the abandoned factory, Police sirens finally belatedly cut into this battlefield.
Scotland Yard Police officers, like a flock of startled penguins, cautiously surrounded the area.
"Hands up! This is the Metropolitan Police!"
The voice from the megaphone carried typical British restraint, but everyone could hear the tremor in it.
After all, this place had just experienced lightning strikes and colorful light pillars; even a blind person would know that gods were fighting.
"fuck..."
Jessica cursed under her breath, trying to stand up, but her knees buckled, and she almost fell again.
Darcy and the young intern named Ian were already terrified, cowering and trembling.
"Madam! Please maintain your posture! Do not move!"
Two Police officers in reflective vests approached timidly, holding tasers.
"Don't touch me."
Jessica suddenly looked up, her pupils once again erupting with an eerie dark red.
"I don't want to hurt you, but if you stick that damn taser on me..." Jessica gritted her teeth, enduring the turmoil within her, "I'll shove that thing up your asses."
The Police officer was startled by the red glow in her eyes and instinctively took half a step back.
"We... we need your cooperation with the investigation, Madam," the officer swallowed, speaking timidly.
Jessica began to breathe deeply, trying hard to control herself.
Calm down.
That blond bastard was gone.
Now, no one was there to back her up.
She reached for her waist.
"Don't move!!" The Police were on edge.
"Relax! You idiots! I'm getting my phone!"
Jessica rolled her eyes, pulling out the satellite phone Anthony had left with her, since Homelander's bodysuit had no pockets.
"Beep... beep..."
"Hello? Sir?" Ashley's respectful voice came from the other end.
"Your signal is a bit unstable, do you have any instructions?"
"He's not here." Jessica's voice was stiff. "It's Jessica."
"Ms. Jones?" Ashley's tone instantly changed from fawning over her boss to a business-like manner with an employee.
"According to the schedule, you should be attending... uh, are you two on a date right now?"
"A date my ass." Jessica cursed.
"He was taken away by a rainbow. A literal rainbow. Along with that female scientist named Jane Foster, and that blond muscular guy with a hammer."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a full five seconds.
"Rainbow?... Hammer?... Alright..." Ashley's voice quickly regained its composure, showing her professionalism.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Anyway, he's gone."
"Now, I'm surrounded by a bunch of London Police, and they want to handcuff me. I suggest you sort this out before those Brits piss me off."
...Vought's efficiency, lubricated by money, was astonishingly fast.
Ten minutes later, the London Police received an urgent retreat order from their superiors.
Half an hour later, a sleek black Gulfstream G650ER private jet landed on the private runway at Heathrow Airport.
A huge "V" logo was printed on the fuselage.
Jessica threw herself into the leather seat, refusing the champagne offered by the flight attendant.
"Whiskey, a whole bottle, please."
Her body now needed alcohol to numb the burning sensation.
The plane took off smoothly, soaring into the clouds.
Ashley sat opposite her, holding a thick black leather folder.
"You just said," Jessica swirled her glass, looking at the clouds outside the window, "he had some kind of contingency plan? Does this guy think he could kick the bucket at any time?"
"No, Mr. Homelander never believes he will lose." Ashley pushed up her glasses.
"But he is a highly forward-thinking perfectionist. He must ensure that even if he is absent, the Vought machine can operate according to his will."
"He anticipated various situations. Including but not limited to: getting lost in outer space, being trapped in an alternate dimension, or... undergoing a physical mutation and needing to sunbathe on the surface of the Sun for a few years."
"..." Jessica's mouth twitched. "What exactly goes on in that man's head?"
Ashley then pulled out a thick document and handed it to Jessica.
"What is this?" Jessica frowned.
"According to Mr. Homelander's contingency plan, once he is confirmed missing, leaves Earth, or is unable to perform his duties due to force majeure for an estimated period exceeding 24 hours..."
Ashley paused, pointing to the name on the document.
"...the position of interim CEO of Vought International will be assumed by you."
"Pfft—!"
Jessica spat a mouthful of whiskey all over Ashley's expensive Chanel suit.