𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄'𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐄 // 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘

CHAPTER 7, привет из России / greetings from russia

2022

The land of artists, thinkers, bears, and vodka. As cold as ever, much to Vi's dismay. Took them about nine hours with that plane, or private jet or whatever the exact term for that is, and during those nine hours, Butcher didn't bother saying anything about his plan to his team. It was as if the whole team was falling apart. She's seen it happen before, and also saw the outcome of it. The Boys were spiraling down the same path as Payback once was.

"Where the fuck did you bring us?" She asks in a laid-back tone, the question aimed at Butcher. It was a fucking gas station, and she was convinced that they didn't just stop to refuel the suspicious-looking white van.

"You really thought I'd let you all sleep on the side of the street? How dare you think so lowly of me?" Butcher speaks with his signature smirk. Yes, she did think of him so lowly. She knew about some things that he put his team through, this would definitely not be beyond him.

Hours had passed. Butcher disappeared almost right after their arrival. Nobody knew where he went, or how long he would be gone. Vi was just left with the group of strangers. Technically, they weren't strangers, she was always caught up with the latest news, not to mention her contacts at the CIA. Therefore, she had minimal knowledge of everybody there.

"Can we switch channels?" One of them asks from the ground. His accent was a heavy French, and if somebody doesn't get him a stylist, Vi knew that she will take matters into her own hands.

"Um, sure," the boy sitting closest to the TV replies, leaning forward to get the remote. His hair strands were curly, and looked older than he likely was in actuality. He flips to the next channel. That TV was the only thing keeping the soul of the group's members in themselves. Not like they understood much, their knowledge of Russian was limited.

It was a news channel, and not even a minute in, the same boy's face appeared. He is so visibly frustrated. He had his good reason, from the context, and silly sound effects and editing, it was clear that the news was making fun of him. Nobody understood a single word, but the graphics gave away that he was being parodied after Homelander and Starlight announced their romance. Vi had a guess that this was merely for the cameras and attention, it was such a Vought thing to do.

With a groan, the boy stands up, and with a swift pull, he unplugs the television. No more entertainment for The Boys.

"Good news," Butcher steps through the door almost immediately after. "Nina's had a word with her Kremlin piss boys, and she's located in a lab." That weirdly unsettling smile of his sat on his face while he talked, and even after he finished talking.

"That's great. Where is it?" The same boy that shut the TV off asks. Hughie Campbell.

"Before she tells us that, we just got to do a little job for her."

This was off to a bad start. Vi never met this Nina, and didn't plan on doing so, but if she was affiliated with Butcher, in Russia, then it was no good.

"Ain't nothing," he continues, "just some local oligarch who got in her bad books."

The displeasure was too visible on everybody's faces for Butcher to not notice. The Frenchman stood up, shutting his eyes in frustration.

"Non. I don't do this anymore," he says, raising his hands up by his sides in defense. "Definitely not for Nina."

"Well, that's a good job then, innit?" Butcher retorts, grinning. "Cause you're not the one doing it. She is."

His finger points in the direction of the black haired girl sitting behind him. Her confusion is visible, and she likely had just as much spirit to get the job done as everybody else that resided in that room.

"Sorry love, victim of your own success. Now, Nina's got you in. You'll be a wanker's pro girl for the night. You just get in there, give the cunt a good noose, and get the fuck out. Easy Peasy."

"You're seriously going to send a mute girl in there? Look, I don't doubt that she's strong, but really?" Vi cuts in. The black haired girl was pretty, yes, but Butcher was basically selling her off to Nina with this. As a prostitute, really?

"I'd just love to send your ass in there, but you appearing there would be like we're sending that cunt Homelander to their doorstep. Now, don't be a blighter, and stay where you are. She's going in."

The mute girl whips out her phone, typing at godless speed, while the french man leans closer to Butcher.

"I'm begging you, no," he pleads, but to no avail. Butcher's mind was set.

"Look, Frenchie, it was this or Cherie's head," he explains.

Vi took notice of the fact that MM and Hughie stayed out of the conversation. They kept quiet, standing near the unplugged TV. Yes, that plan was decent, but Butcher was an asshole for not even asking them about what he had in mind.

With Frenchie and Kimiko gone on Nina's mission, the rest of the group stayed to wait for their return. Now she was stuck with MM, Hughie, and in a far corner was Butcher. MM wasn't even in the same room as her, he was having some pep talk with the group's leader. Clearing his throat, Hughie breaks the silence between the two of them.

"So uh... Do you have any name I could call you by? I mean we have Annie, her hero name's Starlight, but y'know we call her Annie, so I was wondering if you had any other name besides Ghost. I mean you obviously do, but..." he fumbles with his words.

"Ghost," she plainly replies.

"Yeah, but I was thinking of a more casual name. Something less... threatening."

"My name is personal. If somebody reaches a certain level of my trust, they can call me that. I'm still building that up with you."

Hughie purses his lips, nodding along as he tries his best to avert Vi's gaze.