𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄'𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐄 // 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘

CHAPTER 16, a legend at the legend

1983

Secrecy was key. That's why Vi made sure that nobody, not even Ben gets caught up in her little private investigation.

She's been after every Payback member as discreetly as possible, because if only one of them caught wind of her plans, they would've already been at the feet of Vought. Vi was looking for anything and everything, just a tiny clue on what might be going on in the background. To her dismay, there was no solid evidence of anybody trying to cross Ben. So, she had to approach the situation from a different angle: Vought workers outside of Payback.

The problem was that she wasn't allowed on those levels of the building. She might be called Ghost, but she wasn't as invisible as one. And who knows what would happen to her if somebody saw her there, and there was no way she'd let them remove her from the team, from Ben. As much as she hated to admit it, somebody had to be reeled into her private investigation.

"Madelyn," she happily exclaims, sauntering over to the woman in the hallway. "How nice to see you here!"

"Good morning," Madelyn greets her meekly. Unlike Vi, she was allowed on all levels of the building.

"You know, I was thinking we could talk in private, if you wouldn't mind," Vi continues. Madelyn's eyes slightly widen, unsure about her reply. After her silence, Vi speaks again. "It's important," she whispers, leaning a tad bit closer to her. Madelyn, still a bit stressed, nods in agreement.

Vi makes her way inside a tiny storage room, almost squeezed inside with Madelyn. After a quick glance around the room in search of cameras, she begins.

"Something's going on. At first I thought it was somebody in Payback, maybe it is, but there was no solid lead. So, I figured that it wouldn't hurt to look around on the higher levels. But I'm not allowed there, at least not alone, not without a reason. You are, though."

"What exactly are you looking for? I'm not so sure about this."

"Anything on Soldier Boy lately. Something is going on with him, and if my theory is correct, Vought is behind it. Don't ask why, I just feel it. You've gotta trust me on this one. I want you to sniff around the higher-ups, while I stay around Payback and look around there. Oh, and don't forget that if anybody else gets a wind of this, I'm going to phase right through you. Deal?"

Madelyn keeps quiet for a few seconds, processing all the sudden information just dumped on her. What Vi just asked her could lead her to possibly lose her job. But that only happens if she isn't stealthy and tricky enough. This was her chance to go higher. At this point, Vi did not know that this is the same Madelyn Stillwell who will later on become Vought's Vice President of Hero Management, and who will breastfeed Homelander.

2022

MM sternly knocks at the apartment's door. It surprised Vi that The Legend didn't have his own big mansion, because money was definitely not a problem. Still, he was living in a corner apartment, the stuff he hoarded up from various supes probably rotting away in a box inside a closet.

"Just leave it," The Legend's muffled voice sounds from the other side of the door.

"Hey, uh," Hughie whispers to Vi, "am I like... allowed around here? I mean, Soldier Boy knows this guy, you do too, is he like famous or something?"

"For fuck's sake Hughie, is meeting a celebrity really the worst you've been through? You're working with Butcher. Trust me, this is better than being covered in blood and guts," Vi replies confidently. Even if The Legend tried to do anything against them, he wouldn't stand much of a chance.