[The 88th Floor of the Seven Tower]
Inside Vought's CEO office—
Wearing reading glasses, Edgar looked at the email on his computer screen, sent by the organizers.
In the email, the organizers pointed out that Homelander had selected two superhumans and personally designated them as new members joining the Super Seven.
At the same time, Homelander had personally eliminated an unknown girl.
"Annie."
"Codename 'Starlight,' from the Midwest."
Edgar twirled his pen, "Why would he eliminate such an inexperienced little girl? Does this girl pose a threat to him?"
"Or does this girl hold some kind of leverage over him?"
Edgar picked up the receiver and called his secretary, "Have them bring Miss Annie 'Starlight' here under the name of a special recruitment. The meeting time is..."
After giving these instructions, Edgar put down the receiver. At that moment, a video call request popped up on the computer.
The next second, a window appeared on the screen. Inside was a laboratory scene. A man wearing a white lab coat and glasses, with brownish-yellow beard stubble and chubby cheeks, appeared in the center of the frame.
["Good evening, Mr. Edgar."]
Edgar nodded slightly, "Good evening, Mr. David."
"Any new progress on our 'Saint Project'?"
David coughed awkwardly and said, ["I'm very sorry, sir."]
["It's still the same."]
["Although we successfully cloned Homelander's cells, the 'Saints' we cultivated are just like other superhumans, possessing only a single ability, at most two."]
["They're unable to have multiple different talents like Homelander."]
["I believe superhumans with composite talents are extremely difficult to replicate."]
["Homelander should be an accident. Even if we use the same formula—"], At this point, David shook his head, making the fat on his face wobble like a rattle drum.
Edgar sighed, "Homelander is already starting to lose control. He killed Madelyn. I might be next."
"The reason he hasn't acted yet is because he feels the timing isn't ripe."
"He's selecting new members for the Seven. It's very possible that the original members will be replaced one by one."
"Do you know what that means?"
"Homelander wants to build a superhuman force that answers only to him!"
"Once that force takes shape, there will be nothing left that can stop him."
"So before that, I need an ace."
"An ace that can control Homelander, that can put a leash on this beast. Do you understand?"
David bit his thick lips, then said, ["Actually, I've had an idea these past couple of days."]
["Instead of creating a superhuman similar to Homelander, why not change our way of thinking?"]
["After all, even if we could breed another Homelander, at best it would only be able to fight him to a draw."]
["But if we change our approach, for example, stripping Homelander of his abilities. In that case, once he becomes an ordinary person, even someone like The Deep could defeat him."]
Edgar raised his eyebrows, "Is that possible?"
["Yes."]
["As long as we can suppress Homelander's superpower factors, or lower their activity levels, we can turn Homelander into an ordinary human, or into a slightly special superhuman like The Deep."]
Edgar nodded, "That's a good idea. Start researching it immediately. I'll provide you with a research budget through other channels."
Not going through Vought's internal channels was to avoid being discovered by Homelander.
David nodded, ["Then I'll get to work right away."]
"Go."
———
[Inside an Electronics Store]
Hughie was organizing merchandise when he heard the bell at the door ring. He turned around and saw a bearded man walk in.
"Are you interested in a nanny cam?"
"Cause we're actually running a special on that."
"Um, it's a pretty popular bear. There's cameras in the eyes."
Seeing the bearded man pick up a teddy bear, he said this.
The bearded man shook the teddy bear, "Tell me..."
"How many nannies shake their babies?"
Hughie was confused, "I'm sorry?"
The bearded man shook the teddy bear hard, "You know, a good, hard shake. Like... Like trying to get ketchup out of a bottle?"
"One percent or less?
Hughie frowned, "I... I don't really know."
The bearded man continued, "Funny that, they sell a million dollar worth of that shit worldwide."
"Goes to show you, doesn't it? The bollocks people will believe if you get them sacred enough."
Hughie shook his head, "Um... Is there anything I can help you with today? Or..."
"I am not piss you about Hughie," The bearded man curled his lips into a smile, "I heard what happened to Robin."
"I-I am sorry, who are you?", Hughie asked warily.
"She wasn't in the street. She was one step off the fackin' curb. And you didn't take the pay-off. Respect that."
The bearded man took out an ID, "FBI agent, Butcher's the name. People call me Billy. I was thinkin' we could have a bit of a chat?"
"I want to talk to you about Robin."
"Don't you want to do something for your girlfriend?"
Hughie took two steps back, "Listen, agent, this is already over."
"A-Train has received the punishment he deserved. It's over, okay?"
"Is it really over?"
The bearded man Butcher shook his head, spinning a finger in a circle above it, "Do you really think that guy flying around in the sky is going to protect us?"
"That's just a performance, a show, my dear Hughie."
"Do you know how many people die every year because of supes?"
[T/N: Supes mean Superhumans.]
"Robin is definitely not the first, and she won't be the last."
"Do you want to see more Robins die?"
Hughie shook his head, "I don't know. I don't know these things, agent."
"But I do know that day, Homelander upheld justice, and it was he who punished A-Train."
"What he did, I saw it with my own eyes."
"What you're talking about, sorry, I've never heard of it."
"If you're not here to buy anything, could you please leave."
"Please don't disturb my life."
Butcher was about to say something else when the bell at the door rang again. Then someone chuckled and said, "I think he's right, agent."
"If you're not here to buy anything, then you should leave."
Hughie's eyes immediately lit up, and a smile appeared on his face.
The bearded man's eyes widened in shock, then turned fierce. After that, a roguish grin hung at the corner of his mouth as he twisted his waist and turned around.
He looked at the blond man standing in front of a shelf, wearing a blue suit and draped in the Stars and Stripes, picking out merchandise.
"And you, are you here to buy somethin' sir?", Butcher said with a smile. [T/N: I expect you all to read it in a British accent so I used somthin' instead of something.]
"Of course."
Picking up a teddy bear, Alex shook it, "I think this one's pretty good."
Then he placed it on the counter, "Please wrap it up. It's a gift."
Hughie nodded repeatedly, "Sure, please wait a moment, Homelander."
Alex smiled, turned around, and looked at Butcher, "Care to have a chat, agent?"
"I'd love to, but no. At least not right now."
Butcher shook out his coat and walked toward the door, "Next time, Mr. Homelander."
Alex said indifferently, "Is that so? I thought you might be interested in 'Becca.'"
Butcher froze at the doorway.
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