…
Inside the Estate
Leon and Mother's Milk had barely stepped through the doors when Butcher and the others gathered around them. They knew Leon was punctual—so they had assembled in advance.
Without a word—
M.M. unleashed a pair of Mini Chest Blasts, vaporizing the heads of a Supe couple still entangled together, too drugged out to notice anything was wrong.
"What the fuck?!" Butcher blinked. "M.M., what the hell was that?"
"Total madness."
A crooked grin—eerily reminiscent of Butcher's own—spread across M.M.'s face.
Leon watched, amused.
Now this was entertainment.
Just then—
Across the courtyard, at a second-floor window, a nearly naked figure clutching an octopus in a plastic bag attempted to escape.
Boom!
Leon casually fired a concentrated Repulsor Beam—blasting the man, the window, and half the surrounding wall outward.
He glanced at Hughie.
Hughie immediately understood and teleported outside to retrieve the body.
"Leon," Starlight asked boldly, "why do you have my powers?"
The others looked surprised but kept silent.
Leon smiled and stepped close, wrapping an arm around her slender waist with practiced ease.
"My dear," he murmured near her ear, "I can do far more than you imagine."
"If you're curious… come to my room tonight. I'll show you how to push your abilities further."
As he spoke, he raised his palm toward a corner of the hall—
Where Termite, shrunken down to ant-size, trembled in hiding.
This time, instead of a wide dispersal shockwave, Leon condensed the energy into a narrow, blazing Golden Palm Cannon.
One shot.
Termite was reduced to ash.
A molten hole, barely a few inches wide, smoldered in the wall.
Just then—
Flash!
Hughie teleported back into the hall, dragging The Deep and his octopus "girlfriend," Timothy, along with him.
Seeing this, Starlight quickly pushed Leon away before Hughie could turn around.
When Hughie looked back, he only saw Starlight's neck faintly flushed.
No one said anything.
Hughie didn't dwell on it. Instead, he proudly dropped the half-conscious Deep at Leon's feet—like a cat presenting a dead mouse.
"So, Leon," Hughie asked eagerly, "what are we doing with him?"
Leon turned to Starlight.
"Annie. Your call."
Of everyone present, she had the most right to decide.
Memories of her early days in The Seven surfaced—the humiliation, the coercion. Though Maeve had ultimately stopped The Deep from going further, the resentment never vanished.
Without hesitation—
Starlight kicked The Deep hard, crippling him permanently.
"That's what he deserves," she said firmly. "But he doesn't deserve to die. He's just an idiot."
"Let him go."
She looked at Leon with a hint of pleading.
Leon bent gracefully, lifted her hand, and kissed the back of it.
"As you wish, America's Sweetheart."
That alone made her smile faintly.
Hughie felt the same. Castration was punishment enough.
But—
Leon straightened.
"However."
"Don't let momentary mercy make you betray yourself."
"If you truly want something—within reason—you should take it."
Before anyone could react—
CRACK.
Leon smashed The Deep's skull in with his shield.
The brutality stunned Hughie into silence.
Starlight turned away, unable to watch—but deep down, she felt something close.
Closure.
The man who had tried to exploit her was gone.
Perhaps now she could move forward.
…
"Oi. Your targets are in here."
Butcher beckoned from a doorway.
Leon walked past the others without a glance.
Caring about their feelings?
They weren't worth that much.
It was all theater.
Whoever took it seriously was a fool.
…
Inside the Room
The TNT Twins were bound tightly.
The moment Leon entered, terror flooded their faces.
"Hey, kids. I'm back."
He removed the gags like an old friend greeting them warmly.
"L-Leon…"
They burst into tears instantly.
"Nicaragua wasn't our fault! We swear to God!"
"Oh, that's lovely."
Leon smiled mockingly.
"You've just convinced me—God is a lying bitch."
[Daily Sign-In available.]
"System. You're my only God."
[Sign-In complete. Reward: 'Endless Party Snaps.']
"…Fuck."
More useless junk.
He was really at war with Payback's karma today.
"P-please! It wasn't us!"
"Then whose fault was it?" Leon asked pleasantly.
"Tell me."
"And I'll spare your lives."
His smile widened.
"Black Noir!"
"Yes! It was Black Noir!"
"He betrayed you to the Russians!"
"Please, Leon! We were teammates!"
"Black Noir?"
Leon tilted his head.
The twins nodded desperately.
Leon laughed coldly.
"Without Vought backing him, Black Noir wouldn't dare whisper in my presence."
"But."
"You spoke."
"And I keep my word."
He turned toward the door and gave Butcher a subtle look.
"You know what to do."
"Thank you!"
"You're a good man, Leon!"
The TNT Twins sobbed with relief.
"Untie us!" they barked at Butcher. "He said we're free!"
Butcher sauntered over.
"He spared you."
"I didn't."
Twin beams of Heat Vision flared—
Silencing them forever.
"Idiots," Butcher muttered.
No awareness whatsoever.
At this rate, Soldier Boy might've been the only sane one in Payback.
If Mindstorm turned out to be unhinged too…
Maybe Mallory's intel wasn't as solid as he'd believed.
…
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