Hunted by Secrets ~The Boys

6~ Under the surface

I took the bus home. I felt so stupid. Getting off a few blocks from the tower made me feel like a teenager making her mom drop her off far away from the school.

As I'm walking down the sidewalk I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, and take it out. I don't usually get calls, and when I do, it's almost always Ashley. It's an unknown number.

"Yeah?" I answer the call.

"Scarlet? It's Maeve."

"Oh, hey," I say, only a few feet from the tower entrance. "I'm just getting back to the tower."

"Good," she sighs, "We need you up here. Homelander's starting to think Translucent is actually missing."

Translucent had been gone for a few days and was missing meetings. I learned from the others that this isn't unlike him. That he pulls shit like that all the time.

I sigh, "Alright, I'll be up in a few."

I think about stopping by my room to change into my super suit, but remembering the urgency in Maeve's voice holds me back.

I enter the room and instantly pick up on the tension. You wouldn't need superpowers to see just how stressed everyone is.

"What does this mean?" I hear Deep saying. "Is that even possible?"

"Is what possible?" I ask, walking up to the table.

Maeve steps closer to me. "We think maybe Translucent was kidnapped, or worse."

Her eyes meet mine, and I can see her fear, can almost feel it rubbing off on me.

I can tell they don't actually care all that much about Translucent. They care that there's someone or something out there that can kidnap and possibly kill us. And they're scared.

"You can find him, right?" Deep nods, "Find his energy or whatever you do?"

I shake my head, "I can't just pinpoint his location. I'd need to be close to where he is."

"I told you she'd be useless," A-Train mutters.

A-Train. I really can't figure him out. I know he doesn't like me, but it doesn't seem as though he likes anyone.

I don't say anything, just glance at A-Train before looking back at Maeve.

"I can try talking to him though," I shrug, "I've done it before. As long as I know the person I'm communicating with and I've been in their mind before, it usually works."

I try not to think of the last time I had to do it, but it surfaces in my memory anyways. I had been fighting some asshole with powers. He was trying to get into Vought and steal some kind of drug that would make him more powerful or something, I didn't really listen to the mission briefing. It was before my training had been complete and I was weak. He had bested me, almost killing me. Using the last bit of my powers, I had told Stilwell what was happening. Next thing I know, I'd been saved, but also scolded. I made sure to work even harder in training after that.

"Do it," Homelander speaks up. I hadn't even noticed him, he's standing by the windows, staring at me.

I nod, closing my eyes.

I search for him, and it only takes a few seconds before I find him. He's in some sort of cage. I can't see anything else, just what's immediately around him. He's afraid, naked, and... he really needs to pee.

'Translucent,' I speak into his mind, 'Where are you?'

I see him jump, 'What the fuck? Am I going insane?' He thinks.