"You're live-streaming this?" Homelander asked, genuinely curious.
"Y-yes, Mr. Homelander."
The streamer Belmont was sweating bullets. He could barely get the words out.
"Relax. I like your guts. Mind if I say hi to the people in your chat?"
Belmont hadn't expected Homelander to be this friendly. His locked-up limbs finally started working again. "Of course, Mr. Homelander. Honestly, I'm a huge fan. Getting this close to you… I'm sorry, I don't even know how to put into words how excited I am."
"Happy to meet you too. You got a pen?"
"Y-yes." Belmont fumbled a ballpoint out of his pocket and handed it over with shaking hands.
"Ease up." Hearing the guy was a fan instantly improved Homelander's mood. He smiled, took the pen, and signed his name right on the collar of Belmont's shirt in full view of the camera.
Belmont's face went bright red.
"Mr. Homelander, being your fan is… it's such an honor. I'm going to pass this shirt down to my son, and then to my grandson. I swear I'll take good care of it. I swear to God!"
"No need to swear to God. Next time you want a signature, just come find me at Vought."
Homelander's down-to-earth act played perfectly for everyone watching the stream. Gifts and greetings flooded the chat.
@Homie_Landeller: I love you, Homelander!
@MrBreasts: The way you just took out that super terrorist was badass!
@Captain69: So cool! I had to say hi!
@IncestIsWincest: Homelander, leave Vought already, you deserve better!
"Hey guys, good to see you all." Reading the comments, Homelander felt that old rush of being worshipped by the masses again. It hit almost as hard as the time Stormfront had helped him get off. His smile turned brilliant.
...
Meanwhile.
Edgar had taken Homelander's seat. His tone was anything but friendly.
"Your work ethic has gone downhill hard lately. The assignment I gave you is only just now getting attention. You need to focus on running this company instead of building your own little clique.
Vought will be yours eventually. I'm planning to announce my retirement at next year's shareholder meeting. But right now, how am I supposed to hand the company over to you with any confidence? Don't forget—products are still products. I created one Homelander. I can create a second, a third, as many as I need."
Ivan stayed silent under the warning.
Killing Edgar right now would bring him nothing useful. His blood could control a body, but it couldn't control thoughts and it couldn't pull memories. Taking over Vought at this moment would be a disaster. The pile of messes would just waste his time and energy.
Better to let Edgar keep carrying the pain.
Ivan's complete silence made Edgar wonder if he'd pushed too hard.
Truth was, if Ivan shaped up quickly and made his position clear, Edgar really didn't want to lose such a capable subordinate.
The retirement talk wasn't empty bait either. If Madelyn were still alive, he would already have stepped back.
As time dragged on, Edgar's patience with the endless messes the superheroes kept creating had finally hit its limit. He urgently needed someone to take over as CEO.
Ashley was too soft. She could handle most of the company, but she would never control the Seven—especially not Homelander. The second she took the top seat she would become nothing more than a puppet with his hand up her back.
There were almost no good candidates left inside the company, and the few that existed were unsuitable for one reason or another.
The only person Edgar actually respected was Ivan.
"You're young. I have high hopes for you. Don't disappoint me."
While he was speaking, a call from Stormfront came in. Edgar answered and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Their voices were low, but to Ivan's enhanced senses every word came through crystal clear.
"Edgar, there's been an incident at Sage Grove. Someone broke into the hospital late last night. Twelve nurses and nine guards are dead. Three patient bodies were found on site. The rest of the patients escaped. Trackers are embedded in all of them. According to the signals, some went home, others are trying to flee the country."
"How are your injuries?" Edgar asked, voice flat.
"Mostly healed. The missing arm still won't grow back. Looks like I'll have to go with a prosthetic."
"Don't worry about that. I'll have the best prosthetic made for you and adjust your suit so no one can tell anything's wrong with the left arm."
Stormfront's recovery was slower than Ivan had expected.
Probably because the damage had been severe. She'd been completely wrapped in the blazing wings. If Homelander hadn't pulled her out in time she would already be a pile of charcoal or ash.
"That's only temporary. I want the lab to develop a Compound V variant for this. I want my real arm back, not some goddamn machine!" Stormfront's voice rose, the lost arm clearly still a raw nerve.
"I'll have the lab look into your request. Right now I need you to eliminate the ones who got away. Finish it within three days. I do not want a single one of them showing up at the hearing next Monday."
Just as Edgar was about to hang up, Stormfront added, "Guess what I found on the security footage? A bright flash of white light."
"You're saying… Starlight was there?"
"I didn't say that. I never got a clear look at her face. Could be someone else with the same power. It happens. I suggest you pull Starlight's movements from that night and see exactly where she went."
"Anything else?"
Edgar ended the call.
He returned to Homelander's seat and looked at Ivan. "Go to the Crime Analysis Department. Pull Starlight's movement data from last night and bring it to me."
"Understood, Mr. Edgar."
Five minutes later Ivan walked into the Crime Analysis Department.
"Monsieur Greevs, good morning. Welcome to Crime Analysis. Can I get you a coffee?" Annika said with a smile.
"Thanks. A little milk, please."
____
[]~(￣▽￣)~*
Read 12 Advance Chapters—P@t- Captain69