The morning had not been particularly pleasant for Madelyn Stillwell, especially after everything that had happened the previous day.
Her heels clicked steadily against the polished floor as she nervously pressed her lips together, wondering how the recent events would affect the company, as well as her own position within it.
First, there was Homelander’s reckless stunt, which had exploded into an internet scandal of truly unbelievable proportions.
Then there was Starlight, a girl who was supposed to do nothing more than read her lines from the teleprompter and quietly leave the stage.
Instead, she had suddenly launched into a speech about religion.
Who the hell cares about any of that?
That little bitch.
Stillwell tried to calm herself down, but controlling her emotions had become increasingly difficult lately.
Far too much had been dumped on her shoulders in such a short period of time.
“You certainly took your time.”
That was the first thing Homelander said when the steel doors opened for her.
Once again, it was the same scene.
She had been summoned as though she were not the person in charge, but the person answering to them.
It infuriated her, no matter how hard she tried to distance herself from it.
Everyone was already gathered, staring at her expectantly as though they were waiting for the show to begin.
Even Black Noir, who had always been firmly on the company’s side, had apparently chosen to stand with that blond bastard this time.
“Why did you call me?” Stillwell asked, barely managing to keep herself from shouting.
“Oh, nothing important. I’d like you to approve Deep’s idea.” Homelander pointed toward the man sitting silently nearby, doing his best not to attract attention.
“And what exactly is this idea?” Madelyn sighed, deciding to at least hear him out.
She had little choice anyway.
That bastard had made it painfully clear what would happen to her child if she refused.
“The dolphins at Ocean Land… They’re being treated very badly,” Deep stammered under her piercing gaze before falling silent.
“They’re being underfed and living in terrible conditions. We need to bring it to the attention of the press,” Homelander continued for him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Ocean Land is an important advertiser, and they generate a considerable amount of revenue for us through Deep’s brand. We’re not going to turn against them over a bunch of stupid fish…”
“Madelyn, you do realize dolphins are considerably more intelligent than that, don’t you?” Homelander interrupted, raising a hand.
“And I support Deep’s efforts. It’s a good cause, and it will help improve the corporation’s reputation.”
“Could you remind me who is responsible for that reputation problem in the first place?” Madelyn replied coldly, staring directly at him.
“Are you angry with me?” Homelander asked, genuinely surprised.
“You have absolutely no idea how angry I am.”
Stillwell practically growled the words, glaring at the blond man as though she could burn a hole straight through him.
“Well, my sincerest apologies,” he replied in a completely indifferent tone, paying no attention to her anger.
“Now, back to the aquarium.”
“That isn’t happening. You’re going to apologize to everyone and say you lost your temper. And we’re dropping the aquarium issue. We are not going against them!”
For the first time in all her years working for Vought, Madelyn lost her composure and shouted at someone.
Even Homelander looked surprised.
Everyone else looked downright stunned.
“I’m not apologizing, and the aquarium issue isn’t going away,” Homelander replied with the same detached calmness.
Everyone in the room shrank back in their chairs, except Noir and Maeve.
“I understand that you don’t want to take back what you said, but the aquarium…” Madelyn clenched her teeth.
“Why the hell do you even care about it? That spineless idiot can’t even stand up for himself, let alone defend those filthy fish.”
“I…”
Deep raised his hand like an obedient student.
“Shut your mouth.”
Deep’s hand immediately disappeared beneath the table.
Madelyn turned her attention back to Homelander.
“You don’t get to talk to me like that. I created you. I came up with Homelander and made him a reality! You’re America’s symbol because of me!”
“Really?” Homelander scoffed.
“Then make Blue Hawk America’s symbol. After all, that would be your accomplishment too. Why not do it again?”
He looked at her with open condescension.
“What? Nothing to say?”
Silence answered him.
Homelander snorted and calmly walked toward her until he was standing directly in front of her, towering over her.
“Let’s be honest. When they created my image, they based it primarily on Soldier Boy. The eagle on my shoulders, the blue costume… even the cape was my idea. I was the one who suggested styling it after the American flag.”
He smiled.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Madelyn. You were only my handler once upon a time. I’m the one who advanced your career, not your abilities. And if I decide I want you gone, you’ll leave your position just as easily.”
His smile disappeared.
“So don’t test my patience.”
“If I do what you’re asking, it will damage people’s trust in me. I could be fired.” Stillwell forced a strained smile as she finally regained control of herself.
“You won’t be fired. Just do what needs to be done. You already know how this works. I don’t need to teach you.”
“And the scandal involving Starlight and… you?” Madelyn asked expectantly.
“Spin it in a positive light. Present it as a sign of our… humanity. Our independence from the corporation. Our willingness to stand on our own.”
Homelander waved his hand, having already lost interest in the conversation.
“Now, you can leave.”
Madelyn clenched her teeth to keep herself from saying anything she would regret and silently walked out.
Now she had to clean up the enormous pile of shit they had created.
Then again, it wasn’t exactly the first time.
The rest of the meeting ended remarkably quickly since there were no other matters worth discussing.
There was one issue that still needed to be addressed, though.
One that was better discussed without any unnecessary ears around.
The men, Black Noir, Deep, and A-Train, remained behind.
The black speedster had been fidgeting throughout the entire meeting, unable to sit still.
Even now, he was sweating and doing his best not to look me in the eyes.
“Black Noir. Deep.”
I called out to the two heroes, and without a word, they stood behind A-Train.
“What’s going on, guys?” A-Train asked nervously, his anxiety growing by the second.
“Is this about the recent raid, Homelander? I’ll find that Asian woman, I swear!”
“There’s no need to get so nervous, Reggie. I already know where she is, and I don’t need your help with that.”
I smiled gently at him while once again using my X-ray vision to scan his body.
“There’s another matter, though. Have you been taking Compound V?”
“I… uh… only a little. It won’t happen again!”
“Shortness of breath in the fastest speedster in the world…”
I shook my head.
“That’s not a good sign.”
A-Train’s expression became increasingly panicked as Noir and Deep placed their hands on his shoulders, making him even more nervous.
“Guys, what are you doing?” A-Train asked, staring fearfully at his teammates.
“You need treatment,” Deep said sympathetically, keeping a firm grip on him so he couldn’t get up.
Black Noir silently nodded, clearly agreeing with the aquatic hero.
“And then what?” Reggie pressed his lips together, already realizing that they intended to force him into treatment.
“You’ll be placed in a cell on the lower floors, and we’ll hire specialists who can help with your condition,” I explained.
“Claw and your brother will be allowed to visit you.”
“No. I don’t want them to see me like this.”
The speedster protested, looking at me pleadingly.
“Even if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for them. You need to stop taking that garbage. And this will serve as a good reminder of who you’re fighting to get better for.”
I turned toward Noir.
“Noir, if you would.”
The silent hero suddenly struck A-Train sharply in the neck.
The speedster stared at him in confusion.
“That fucking hurts…”
He never finished the sentence.
His body went limp, and he collapsed sideways, losing consciousness.
“Whoa! I didn’t know you could do that,” Deep exclaimed in surprise.
Noir merely shrugged beneath his mask.
His smile was particularly terrifying, considering the battle scars covering the face of the black hero with such an ironically cheerful name.
Fortunately, that did nothing to change the fact that Black Noir genuinely sympathized with A-Train and wanted to help him.
And that meant I had one less problem to worry about.
Now I knew exactly whose side he was on.
“Well, you know where to take him. All that’s left is to inform Claw and his brother. I’ll leave that to you, Deep.”
The young man nodded firmly, clearly ready to carry out the task.
“Black Noir, make sure our friend doesn’t escape. It’s for his own good.”
Noir nodded in response.
He and Deep carried the unconscious speedster toward the elevator so they could take him down to the lower floors.
As for me, I decided to return to my apartment.
I already had a guest waiting for me.
Maeve was sitting in an armchair with one leg crossed over the other when I walked inside.
“You know, I’ve never seen Stillwell lose her temper with anyone before. Not even with me, after that incident with the broken arm that kept me from participating in the group photoshoot.”
Maeve smiled as she remembered the incident, one she clearly didn’t regret in the slightest.
“Is that why you came here? To reminisce about the past?”
I smiled at her.
I could see something that was normally hidden from men’s eyes.
Excitement.
“Don’t play dumb,” the redheaded temptress scoffed.
She rose from the chair and walked straight toward me until there was barely any distance between us.
She stared directly into my eyes.
Then her hand grabbed me where it mattered most, and I couldn’t suppress a sharp gasp.
Her full lips curled into an eager smile.
“You already know. What I saw got me so worked up I was practically dripping. And to thank you, I’m going to suck you so damn well… so sweetly that you’ll never forget it.”
Her sensual, husky voice and those words left me completely speechless.
All I could do was watch as the fiery woman slowly lowered herself, never breaking eye contact.
Not a bad way to continue the day, if I say so myself.
The next day, I was standing outside a psychotherapist’s office.
Apparently, the session had been scheduled for this exact time.
Either way, this was too serious a problem to simply ignore.
I pushed the door open and confidently walked inside.
“Sorry I’m late.”
I flashed my trademark smile.
The man sitting behind his desk stared at me in confusion, clearly shocked by my appearance.
Understandable, considering I hadn’t actually made an appointment with him.
I looked over.
Deep was sitting there.
“Hey, Kevin.”
I nodded at him before taking a seat in the armchair and adjusting my cape so it wouldn’t get in the way.
A remarkably inconvenient piece of clothing, honestly.
The cape had far more disadvantages than the infamous Edna Mode ever mentioned.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Homelander, but outsiders aren’t supposed to be present during therapy,” the psychotherapist said with a strained smile.
“That’s true. But I’m definitely not an outsider, especially in this particular case.”
I looked toward Kevin.
“Right, Kevin?”
“Of course, sir,” Deep obediently agreed.
“In that case, I’d like to sit in on at least one session. I can pay extra for the inconvenience.”
“I’m afraid there are some things money can’t simply buy.”
“Will four hundred thousand dollars do?”
I smiled as his eyes widened at the sheer amount.
Sometimes being a multimillionaire had its advantages.
“Well?”
“All right. Let’s begin the session, Kevin. You can start by telling us what you did.”
“I…”
“Wait a second.”
I suddenly interrupted him and looked toward the psychotherapist.
“What kind of problem are you treating?”
“We’re trying to restore Kevin’s confidence. We want him to understand that he’s important as both a hero and a member of the Seven,” the man explained.
“But that’s not the real problem.”
I looked directly into Kevin’s eyes.
“Or are you not being completely honest with the person who’s trying to help you, Kevin?”
He swallowed.
He could barely meet my gaze, constantly looking away.
“You shouldn’t pressure him like that,” the psychotherapist said nervously.
“It could cause him to withdraw further.”
“I think I’m doing exactly what needs to be done.”
I frowned and looked at Deep, who seemed to shrink into himself.
“You have no idea how deep the roots of his psychological problems go. And he won’t show you all his cards because he doesn’t even acknowledge them himself.”
I looked at Kevin.
“Show him.”
“Sir, I…”
“Show him.”
My voice became considerably harsher.
“Okay.”
Kevin exhaled and slowly unzipped the front of his suit.
The psychotherapist stared in shock as Deep revealed the gills on his chest, the organs that allowed him to breathe underwater.
“That’s where his real psychological problems come from,” I said with a sigh.
I stood up and walked behind Kevin.
“He’s an excellent hero. He’s no worse than the others, and in some cases, he’s even more effective. But his insecurity about being a complete person is holding him back.”
I gestured toward his gills.
“His ability to communicate with fish as equals, and even his sexual attraction to them, is the real problem. Deal with it before someone accuses him of zoophilia. That would be extremely undesirable.”
“Kevin, if you’d just told me…” the man muttered in astonishment.
“I’m sorry…”
“Well, I won’t get in your way any longer. Kevin, I really hope this helps you.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder.
“The first step toward solving a problem is admitting that you have one. Don’t be ashamed to talk about your problems. I’ll always listen.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And one more thing.”
I pointed toward his gills with a smile.
“They’re much more attractive than you think. You don’t need to be ashamed of them.”
After all, he was hardly to blame for having them.
“Thank you, Mr. Homelander. Your assistance will be extremely helpful in resolving Kevin’s problems.”
The psychotherapist extended his hand.
“Anything for his own good.”
I smiled and shook it.
“Payment will arrive shortly. For now, I’m afraid I have to be going.”
“Goodbye, Mr. Homelander.”
“You can just call me Homelander.”
With that, I walked out of the room.
Once I was outside, I quietly sighed before continuing on my way.
At least I’d done everything I could under the circumstances.
What happened next was up to Kevin.