We landed in front of the house. What was left of it that is.
"Oh my god!" Annie said as I put her down.
It was horrifying, massive destruction, people bleeding, burning, screaming.
I unclasped my cape from my shoulders and gave it to her.
"Here use this to bandage people up. I'm going in. He's still here. Try to get the people as far away as possible." I said and walked in.
Hopefully she'll do the smart thing and stay away.
I ventured deeper into the torn house, down the stair, round the corner and instantly rage swelled up from deep within.
'Kill them both! Kill them now!'
We need a cool head to deal with this Echo! I don't want to accidentally get killed by Soldier Boy's death beam.
As much as I was playing it cool and restricting Homelander's impulses it was a blend of his memories, ego and future knowledge that allowed me to even be in this situation.
I was a fairly normal guy before. The most death and destruction that I'd seen before was on TV. This was the real deal with real danger. People were about to try to kill me.
So cooler heads were needed.
"William Butcher and Soldier Boy! You are behind this, this whole thing really is about me. Huh, I had a big fight with Maeve about it. She called me crazy." I said slyly. "But it really is all about me."
"William, we made a deal to fight to the death, you and me. This is cheating. Deal's off."
This here is the part where Homelander would laser Butcher casually. Butcher would take it like a champ and Homelander would be stuck fighting two opponents.
I could see Butcher was tense ready for me to make a move. So I decided to throw a curve ball his way.
"William Butcher, by the power invested in me by the United States Government I am placing you under arrest for accessory to murder, manslaughter, property destruction, terrorism."
"You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future."
I paused and took a breath as they both looked at me confused. "You have the right…well you get the point William."
"Surrender yourself peacefully and you will not be hurt." I said cheerfully.
"You off your rocker mate! There's only one way this ends."
Well no one could say I didn't try the peaceful way.
At the first sign of his eyes turning yellow I made my move.
I ducked low and launched myself at super speed to him. His laser beam hit air. He wasn't prepared for me to go that low nor was he prepared when I yanked him by his feet.
I twisted my body to avoid smacking into the wall head first. Being prepared for it I ignored the pain, Homelander was pretty dam invulnerable but he still felt pain, and burst through the rubble straight up carrying him with me by the ankles.
I violently crashed through the upstairs floors and ceiling. The instant we were outside I spun him around gathering momentum and chucked him at super speed hopefully halfway across the state.
If he's lucky he will fall in a field and not on someone killing them.
It didn't really matter in less than a second and a half he was out of the fight. By the time he lands and makes his way back this fight will be over hopefully.
I flew back inside and landed a few meters away from Soldier Boy.
"Now that I've gotten rid of the rubble it's just you and me." I said taking in his appearance.
Soldier Boy looked relaxed and barely impressed with my super acrobatics.
"Tell me" I started casually. "Are you really Soldier Boy?" I obviously knew he was but I needed to play the ignorant part, you never know who might be listening.
"In the Flesh." He responded confidently.
"Amazing, I have so many questions for you. We all thought you died. What happened? How did you come back from the dead? Why are you hunting your old team? Is it a sex worker thing?" I couldn't help myself but ask. A little trolling never hurt anyone.
That threw him off. He looked confused.
"Is it a sex worker thing? Are you killing them because they were sex workers?"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Crimson Countess was video calling with a client jerking off, pay for play style right before you burned her to a crisp. And this" I said pointing all around me "is obviously an orgy. I assume the twins were hosting a Herogasm event. So is it a sex thing? Are you trying to kill them for being gay or for their kinks?"
"What? Buddy I invented Herogasm in 52'. The Countess and the Twins had to die. They betrayed me, ungrateful fucks."
"Is that so? So what happened how did you survive the nuclear meltdown?"
"There was no nuclear meltdown. It was a covert op in Nicaragua, CIA black ops shit. Vought tried to get rid of me so the team betrayed me, attacked me sold me off to the Russians." He replied and I could see he was a bit emotional about it.
"So what are you a Russian agent now?" That seemed to trigger him.
"I'm not fucking traitor!" He spat out angrily. "I'll get to those fucks as well but first my team then Vought."
I smiled.
"Hmh, see now usually I'm a sucker for a revenge plot and considering you were my here growing up I'm even inclined to help you but there is just a small problem."
He casually raised an eyebrow.
"I am Vought" I said dropping the smile. "And as the greatest hero in the world I can't simply let you do as you please. I'm offering you the same deal as Butcher. Surrender peacefully."
He chuckled.
"Buddy I don't know what you think you are but you look like a giant blue dildo."
'KILL HIM!' instant rage surged.
But I have to admit that was a pretty good one. Without my cape I did kind of look like a big ass blue dildo.
"Violence it is."
I burst into action flying straight at him, a split of a second for me to make contact but he's already prepared. The crash into the wall is not nearly strong enough to rattle him.
I fucked up I should have gone faster, harder but even Homelander needs space to fully accelerate.
I don't try to laser him like in the show I go straight for punching but his hand is already up blocking me.
His left makes contact with my cheek.
"FUUUUCK!"