Heralding Heroism

S03xE03 Judge

Homelander just told the camera that he and Starlight were a couple when an echoing clapping interrupted the shooting of the scene.

"Bra-vo! What a show! Now, you not only force a woman to work with her rapist, no, but you also try to force her to play your girlfriend when she already has a boyfriend." A woman stepped into the light, her features among them a pregnant belly, now clearly visible.
"You really are a different brand of a human, but now that I think about it, you're nothing much except a brand, a sub-category of Vought."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Starlight asked the stranger, who shared a hair colour with the blond superhero.
"Oh, that's why I'm here: to introduce myself."

"Sorry, but our team is already full with me coming back, you're a bit too late." The Deep condescendingly told the woman.

"Oh, not here for that. I'm pretty certain you have already heard of me or at least my position. I just think every person should have the right to know their judge, to get a chance to plead for mercy. Considering, I'm the one who could send your executioner."

Homelander laughed disbelieving. "Judge? Who you? Ridiculous. Also, there isn't any known way to kill me."

"Well, one step out of the line of the law and we will see about that, won't we?" The woman smiled at the team, though the piercing gaze of her eyes belied her smile.

"Who the fuck are you and with what authority do you threaten Vaught's employees?" The red-haired Ashley screamed at her.
"My name is Annabeth Chase-Jackson. As director of the NSA, I act with the authority that - if congress or the president say so - I can and will order for all of your heroes to be put down. To stay in the analogy, the president or congress are the Jury, I'm the judge, and let's see about that executioner. Oh, and I also have permission to eliminate you, if you go after my family. Again." At the last word, she looked at Homelander. "So don't even try it."
"So this is a personal vendetta? Get in line, woman."

Annabeth snorted and condescendingly explained:
"If it were personal, you'd already be dead."
"Nobody can kill me."
"Well, then it's good that my nickname is Nobody. For now, I can't really do anything, but as soon as I get the say-so, I will bury this company, so take this as what it is: a warning. My still idealistic husband convinced me, that everyone should have a chance to change. I hope y'all will do better and be better persons. Otherwise, I have to get rid of you as threats to national security. This visit was just a courtesy that you can have that chance to change yourself before it's too late. Good day!"

And the director left them all standing there in silence.

AN: Yes, I made Annabeth Director of the NSA,'cause the Boys already had connections to the CIA, and the FBI was too boring, so NSA for Annabeth, it is. (She knows more than anyone else thanks to her laptop from Daedalus, which she had a backup in her cabin, that she built with the help of Nico summoning Daedalus.) The way I see it, she was hired to construct a new building or reconstruction and the NSA people, who worked with her, noticed how smart she was and recruited her with the promise of being a part-time NSA employee and part-time architect, but often to design Top Secret facilities. Yeah, that's it for that scene. Next may take a bit longer because of a change of plans, but maybe this will result in this story having two more chapters than initially planned, so let's see.ext.