Butterflies Volume II

Chapter 34

"There's enough here to bring down a bull elephant," Billy said, picking up the bag of powder Kessler had handed him.

Violet leaned her elbows on the surface beside him, paying attention, but also glancing at the TV. Homelander had introduced Firecracker and Sage as two new members of The Seven, and it was all beginning to click into place. Sage was at the convention as Homelanders mouthpiece, the smartest person alive was so clearly being used for information. After all, she could probably give the best advice, having the greatest understanding of the world around them. It made sense, but Violet wondered how long it would take for Homelander to no longer value her.

They had invited Kessler over, giving in to his plans. Violet was uncomfortable in his presence, refusing to trust him. He was the same as Billy was in the beginning, but she had less of a patience for the same charm he paraded around. His methods were just as brutal and he was just as calculating, but all of the qualities she fell for in Billy seemed to be nonexistent in him. Suppose she should be thankful, as she shouldn't like someone like him, who was suggesting to drug a child. He fitted the role they gave him.

She kept mostly silent, refusing to give her opinion as she knew it could stir an argument. Drugging a child, and a Supe no less, required the worst of the worst. Their plans had suddenly accelerated, and they were suddenly going to take Ryan as he was, betray his trust entirely. The devil on Billy's shoulder, Kessler, reasoned with violence. Violet never remembered Billy being just as cruel as he was being.

"Ten bull elephants," Kessler corrected, smirking, "I'm not taking any chances. How you two gonna get close enough to use it?"

"If I can get Ryan here, we can dose him," Billy said, "you just be ready."

"He's not gonna be real happy with us when he wakes up," Kessler joked.

Violet glared at him, but he either was pretending she wasn't there or was enjoying it a bit too much for her liking. Who even was he again? One of Billy's old friends? When she told Lola about the man, she misconstrued Violet's descriptions as a rant, joking that she sounded jealous. "Some ex boyfriend and you're going crazy" she said to be exact, and Violet rebutted how he couldn't possibly be an ex as Billy was already married to Becca. But that wasn't exactly what Lola meant, it didn't matter. Violet was creating reasons to hate him.

"Grace built the Hazlet Safe House," Billy replied, "with the specific intention of hot-boxing Supes. It'll hold Ryan."

"Not for long," Kessler said.

"Then we better work fast. Like when we deprogrammed them two ISIL lads eh?"

"And if he doesn't listen to us?"

They were distracted by Ryan's name being introduced on the TV, Homelander walking him on stage hand in hand. The boy appeared nervous, uncomfortable with the stage and cameras all on him. He wasn't made for it, Violet wasn't sure they needed drugs to convince him to leave.

"Then we keep him high on Halothane till he does," Billy answered Kessler, "Now listen here Joe, we get Ryan's head clear and that's it, all right?"

"What about Homelander?"

Violet spoke up, "that's for us, not you."

Billy lightly patted her back like a warning, rounding the table to where Kessler stood. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked down at Violet with a certain appearance that had her clenching her jaw. As though he wasn't afraid of her, and he was pushing, playing, trying to get riled up. Did he have any clue of what she could do? Or did he just not care?

"So you've said," he replied, snidely.

"We mean it," she said, cutting over Billy as he took a breath, "it'll be me and him, and Ryan will have nothing to do with it, as will you."