𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄'𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐊𝐄 // 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐘

CHAPTER 25, fool's card

There wasn't much left. We are going to storm the Vought tower. Both Noir, the only person left on Ben's list of revenge, and Homelander himself were there.

It was nighttime when the group arrived at The Legend's mansion. They didn't have to endure that place for long now, with the group going through with their plan the next day. Ben isolated himself right after their arrival, sitting in the basement, alone. Butcher and Hughie just stared at him, dumbfounded. When they asked Vi about the situation, she refused to reply. It was enough if Ben knew about it, who knows where they would end up if Butcher got hold of the same information. Ben was seemingly affected by the revelation, but Vi knew him well enough to know that Ben won't let this stop him, because Butcher's offer in the deal was almost finished, and Ben had enough loyalty in himself to not give up. Deal's a deal.

Butcher wasn't in his best mood, either. Whatever Mindstorm made him see, it had to be a terrible part of his life.

"Hey," Vi quietly greets Butcher, leaning against the pool table. She wasn't planning on asking what exactly Mindstorm made him see. "I'm sorry on behalf of Mindstorm."

Butcher keeps observing the ground, averting eye contact from Vi. This was probably the first time that Vi saw William Butcher vulnerable.

"Don't," he replies plainly.
"He can make the people in your dream say things they wouldn't in real life. Now, I have no idea what you saw, but you don't need to believe every word. Just saying," she melancholically says, not looking at Butcher. She knew Mindstorm and his abilities, and how awful they could be. Why she was comforting Butcher, or at least attempting to, she didn't know. He was so obviously on the edge of tears, even sniffing once. The phone in his pocket came to life with a buzz, somebody calling him. With a sigh, he picks it up.

"Hello?" He questioned. "Oh, Starlight, how delightful. He's just popped out for a bit. Bit hard to keep the phone when you're teleporting all day, innit, love? How can I help?"

Vi couldn't hear what Starlight said on the other end, she just tried to piece the conversation together from Butcher's lines.

"Well, it's gonna have to join the queue," Butcher says into the phone. Starlight says something on the other end, Butcher's expression slightly changing. "Just a couple. Yeah yeah, I will, I promise," he promises, breaking up the call right after.

"What'd she say?" Vi quietly questions.

"Just had a message for Hughie. He's lost his phone," he replies. Vi hums in response. Just then, the aforementioned Hughie steps through the door.

"Hi," he greets the two. "Only thing open was Long John Silvers, so, I guess that's kind of fish n' chips, right?"

"Yeah. Nice one," Butcher speaks.

"Everything all right?" Hughie suspiciously asks. For a few moments, Butcher stays quiet.

"It's uh..." he begins. "It's the Temp V."

"What about it?"

"We got to swing by the office and get some more," Butcher replies finally after a lengthy silence. "And then you, me, Ghostie, and granny fucker are gonna finish this fucking job."

"Yeah, fuck yeah," Hughie chuckles. Vi had a feeling that there was something Butcher wasn't telling them, and knowing him, it might be some crucial information he's withholding.

Ben exits his personal prison, regrouping with the rest of his team.

"Oi," Butcher begins, "mind telling us what's going on?"

Ben comes to a halt, first looking at the ground, then at Vi and Butcher. With a sigh, he finally spits it out.

"Homelander's my son," he blurts out. Hughie lightly jerks his head back in surprise, pretty much expecting anything except this.