THE HEROS OF GODOLKIN | GEN V AND THE BOYS FIC |

16

A few hours after Homelander had a private meltdown with The Seven, he quietly left to meet someone in disguise. It wasn't unusual for him to go off the grid like that, but when he later called for The Seven to meet him at Planet Vought-a place decked out like a tacky birthday party venue with life-size cutouts of Vought's heroes-things started feeling off. A-Train, The Deep, Black Noir, and Claire stood around the room, waiting in uneasy silence. Soon, three unfamiliar men walked in, followed closely by Sister Sage, who carried a large bag.

"Sage. It's good to see you again," A-Train said, offering a polite greeting before lowering his voice. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He threw her a suspicious glance as she placed the bag on the floor.

"Homelander's tired of being surrounded by morons," Sage replied, her voice cold as she took a seat.

"Excuse me?" Claire's voice was sharp, a defensive edge creeping in. She was ready to snap.

Sage looked at her, unbothered. "Oh, right. He said, except for you."

Claire's irritation flickered into something like pride, but she still kept a wary eye on Sage.

The room grew tense as Homelander walked in. "Hello, everyone," he greeted, his presence immediately commanding the room. One of the men-Todd, from the looks of it-lit up like a starstruck fanboy.

"Homelander! Wow, I just want to say, it's a huge honor to be here with you," Todd said, practically vibrating with excitement.

Homelander nodded, but his eyes flicked to the bag. "Right. Now, I can't stay long, but I've heard you're some of my most loyal supporters-standing by me when others turned their backs. So, I wanted to personally thank you for your devotion... and your sacrifice." His words hung in the air, the meaning not quite sinking in for the three men.

Todd, still eager, began to speak. "Well, really, it's you who gives so much to-"

"You people are more than just fans," Homelander interrupted, his tone sharper. "You're martyrs to the greatest cause on Earth." He looked to The Deep, signaling to open the bag.

"You got it," The Deep said, fumbling with the zipper before pulling out four baseball bats. He handed them out-to A-Train, Black Noir, Claire, and finally, himself.

"Bats?" Claire asked, her brow furrowing as she looked between the weapon and Homelander.

"I want you to take these bats," Homelander said, his voice low, "and beat these gentlemen to death."

A heavy silence fell over the room. The three men looked around in panic, realizing too late the danger they were in.

Without hesitation, Claire swung the bat, smashing it into the back of one man's head. He collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from the wound.

"Holy fuck!" one of the others screamed in terror.

The Deep, at first, laughed nervously. "Oh, I get it-it's like one of those tests, right? You want us to say no, and Claire... failed?" He turned to Homelander, grinning awkwardly.

Homelander smiled, his gaze icy. "No, Deep. This is not a test." He nodded approvingly at Claire. "Claire, sit down. The rest of you, do what you were told."

Claire sat down next to Sage, a smug smile playing on her lips. Watching the carnage unfold was amusing to her. "Chop chop," she taunted, waving her bat lazily.

The two remaining men bolted for the exit, but The Deep and Black Noir were on them in an instant, swinging their bats with brutal efficiency. A-Train stood frozen, horrified by the scene.

As the beating continued, Homelander left the room, leaving Claire and Sage to watch in silence. Sage remained emotionless, but Claire's interest only grew with each swing of the bat. She liked watching the life drain from their eyes, liked knowing she'd done exactly what Homelander wanted.