Back in the basement, everyone was either sat or pacing back and forth anticipating Athena and Butchers arrival, the trial fast approaching. Annies mother had been less than happy with the conditions but after a stern look from her daughter she quickly shut up, the basement being a better option than a cell in Vought Tower.
"Where on earth are those two?" Mallory asked, continuously ringing Butchers cellphone, but with no success, as she all she was met with was the tone on the other end. "I believe Monsieur and Madam charcuter have taken the 'honeymoon phase' a little too literal eh?" Frenchie tried to lighten the mood but it didn't work, the air of stress between the group so thick you could almost cut it. Donna looked at her other daughter for confirmation on the French mans comment, "Athena and the angry British guy?" she furrowed her brows, not seeing the pairing in her mind, "I wouldn't of thought-" Annie cut her off, "Mom don't think- you don't know her- mother or not, you don't" the older January woman felt a pain in her chest at her daughters words, more bothered about the disrespect in her voice rather than the fact she was right.
Footsteps started to descend into the basement creating a small echo, Butcher and Athena coming into view, looking freshly washed and replenished from a good nights sleep. "Daddy's home" Butcher smirked, arms outstretched to greet the group. Athena watched him like he was a piece of meat when he said that. "I'm here too." she composed herself, rolling her eyes at his theatrical entrance. "Ma Deesse!" Frenchie exclaimed, himself and Kimiko getting up to embrace the woman, they shared a few words before Athena clocked onto the fact that Annie was there, and beside herm her birth mother, standing next to the couch awkwardly. Athena couldn't move fast enough to hold her sister, glad that she was out of Voughts grasp, "What the hell happened? How did you get caught? How did you get out?" Annie only nodded towards Hughie, who gave the supe a small wave, "Hughie you son of a bitch." The young man was caught off guard by Athena practically picking him up to hug him, if she squeezed any harder he wouldn't be surprised if she broke a rib. "How did you do it?" she quizzed, "Well It wasn't easy...sacrifices had to be made-"
"Sacrifices like our star witness." Mallory piped up, "This little shit got Lamplighter killed." Athena looked back at Hughie, a look of surprise on her face, but all he could do is shrug his shoulders sadly. "I mean he was a dick anyway, one less dickhead supe I say." She tried to alleviate Hughie guilt, and it looked like it worked . "Don't get your knickers in a twist Colonel, we've got you something better." Billy glanced at Athena from where he was standing with Marvin with a wink that she returned with a smile, but it quickly faded as her questions were unanswered, "You didn't tell me how you got caught." Athena followed Annies eye-line to their mother and she wasted no time in trying to defend herself, "I didn't realise she was so undercover, I only went to Ashley-" Athena cut her off, marching over to her, briefly hearing an "Oh shit" come from Marvins lips. "You mean to tell me you got your own daughter fucking captured? She could've been tortured, she could've been killed!" Donna could only cower as the Supe scolded her "You already lost one child, do you want to lose another!" those words stung, the rest of the group looking anywhere in the room but at the pair, scared that if Athena made eye contact with any of them they'd be next as they noticed the glowing orb of energy appearing in her hand, her subconscious generating it through her anger
Her chest heaved up and down as she looked down at her 'Mother' who said nothing, who could only look down in guilt. "As soon as this trials over." she lowered her tone, making Donna look right at her, "You are gone until this whole shit storm blows over, I will not let you risk my sisters life, again. Do you understand." the energy faded from her hand as she calmed.
Donna nodded, stepping away from Athena and to Annie, who placed a hand on her shoulder before sitting back down on the sofa with her. Annie didn't entirely agree with how Athena had handled things, but she was entitled to her emotions, no matter how out of hand they were sometimes. There was silence for a few minutes, everyone in their own conversations until Annie shouted from the couch "Its starting!" the trial had finally began. Butcher stood beside Athena as she leaned against a wall, wrapping his arm around her so she could lay her head on his shoulder. They anxiously waited to see if their plan had worked, there was no reason for it not too. "The chair calls former CSO of Vought, Dr. Jonah Vogelbaum."
The courtroom and the basement erupted in a wave of gasps as the man rolled into the courtroom on his chair. "You didn't..." Mallory turned to the pair who stood with smug looks on their faces, "Oh but we did." Billy squeezed Athenas shoulder, maybe now Vought were going to be held responsible for all of their actions, after all these Years. "You have five minutes to make your opening..." but that hope was short lived as Jonahs head exploded on live TV, blood splattering across the Jurys face, Athenas brows furrowed as she stepped out of Butchers arms and closer to the TV, resting her hand on the back of the sofa as she watched the panic spread through the court, multiple peoples heads had started exploding now. And Athena knew exactly who was behind it.
It was Victoria.
She was in that courtroom, being ushered out as if she was a victim in the vicious attack, but she wasn't. Athena knew her powers and this was her work all over, and as much as she would like to share that information, she couldn't, she was still sworn to secrecy, and if she said anything, even muttered a word about her being a Supe, she would be another person getting their heads blown off. The broadcast eventually got cut off, leaving everyone to speculate and panic with what was going on. "That's exactly what happened to Raynor!" Marvin pointed out, referring to a high member of the CIA who's death was caused in an almost identical way to this. "We need to find out whoever the fuck is blowing peoples heads off." Butcher nodded at his friend, and then turned to Athena, who played the part of the clueless Supe far too well. Her acting skills really did come in handy sometimes didn't they?
Annie escorted her mother upstairs, the plan to send her somewhere safe being executed while the boys-mainly Frenchie- started scrambling around for weapons, fear and determination to catch this mind blowing supe driving them, and naturally they assumed this supe was Stormfront. "I'm gonna go take a piss." Athena shook her head at them and retreated into the bathroom, sitting on the filthy toilet seat and resting her head in her hands, "Why Vic...Why" she mumbled quietly to herself. Memories came flooding back of Victoria and her as teenagers, practicing their powers in one of Edgars many estates, Victoria blowing the heads off small animals, while Athena blew up dolls. They would never have guessed that one of them would end up a murdering senator, and the other a murdering fugitive.
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QUANTUM~Billy Butcher
Fanfiction"Well, don't you look absolutely breathtaking, love." "I know you're not planning to take me out, so what are you doing stalking me down a dark alley, Mr Butcher?"
