"We have to stop them before they get to the tower." Annie said to the room.
"Our best bet is at Butcher's apartment." M.M said while packing his gun and multiple armaments supplies. "Any answer from them?"
"No, nothing from Hughie, totally dark." Annie replied.
"Even if we get to them at the apartment. How do you propose we give the Novichok?" Frenchie asked. "You and Kimiko are not enough to hold Soldier Boy down not if Hughie and Mr. Charcuterie are doped up on V. We need more help." He remarked.
"What about Maeve? Any chance we could get her on our side?" M.M asked Annie.
The blond paced around the messy living room.
"No, I saw her today. She's still recovering at the tower." She let out a big sigh. "Which is also why we need to stop them before they get to the tower. If he pulls another Herogasm thousands of people will die, Maeve included. That and…" She paused sighed "Homelander made it clear he'll kill Hughie if he's still with Soldier Boy."
"Hughie is a big boy. He's made his choice." M.M remarked. The tone in his voice left no question that he resented what they did to him and allying with the man that killed his family.
Kimiko's hands burst in a flurry of movements. "Cherie says he is still our friend. We need to help him even if he doesn't think he needs help. He would do it for us….uh" Frenchie stumbled "you know if he was thinking straight."
M.M just shook his head as if not believing what he was hearing.
"Well I can't say I fully agree" Frenchie remarked in his distinct accent which immediately earned him a slap on the shoulder from Kimiko "auh!" he said rubbing his shoulder "oh, let me finish, I can't say I fully agree but I understand his desperation to kill Homelander it's really the same as you and Soldier Boy. Everything's gone wrong in his life since Homelander, uh, except you Starlight."
M.M stopped his packing as Frenchie's words registered. Him, Butcher and Hughie were all just chasing the same thing really. His obsessiveness was the same, he'd almost done anything to get to Soldier Boy.
"Fine. We'll stakeout the apartment. If they're there you all distract them and I'll smash the Novichok in Soldier Boy's face."
Kimiko immediately signed her hands in protest.
"No, she says, no. She will do it, if Soldier Boy hits her she can survive, you he will break, plus if you inhale the gas well…uh…that will be the end of that."
M.M looked at her and then at both Frenchie and Starlight. He could tell from their expressions they agreed with Kimiko, he was out numbered.
"Fine."
-
His body felt light as he walked to answer the door. The sweats and blurry vision were gone shortly after he re-upped on 24-V and he felt like he'd just hit the best homerun of his life.
The moment he opened the door the mild euphoric feeling was burst like a condom at a frat party.
"Annie! Uh, what are you doing…" He didn't get to finish as M.M turned the corner gun pointed right in his chin, immediately followed by Kimiko and Frenchie.
"Whoa, guys, what the hell!" He said.
"Fuck me!" Butcher said and put his scotch glass down. "If it isn't the Brady Bunch. What are you lot doing here?"
"What you think I didn't know where all the blind spots were?" M.M asked Butcher as he pushed Hughie, gun to his chin further back in the room.
"You on V Hughie? What happens if I pull the trigger?"
"M.M stop!" Annie yelled. "We're not here for them, it's Soldier Boy we want. Where is he?" M.M reluctantly put his weapon down.
"Annie…guys" Hughie started "Whatever you were thinking of doing...it's a bad idea."
"No Hughie, what you're doing is bad! Thousands of innocent people work in Vought tower, if Soldier Boy losses his shit they are all in danger."
"Who cares it's Vought fucking Tower." Butcher said filled with spite.
"Becca worked in the Tower." Frenchie replied automatically.
"Don't you dare bring up her name." Butcher replied.
"He's not going to lose his shit ok? We're only going after Homelander!" Hughie said amid the rising tensions.
"No we won't let you, I won't let you." Annie said resolutely as the lights started to flicker and her eyes glowed yellow.
"Annie, please, we got this, we don't want to hurt you." Hughie, his tone reluctant but his posture filled with 24-V enhanced confidence.
"Oh, but I will" The gruff voice said bringing everyone's attention to the new entrant in the room.
A frozen moment of silence as everyone went through the decision process of what to do next.
M.M acted first. "Annie NOW!" he yelled.
She gave Hughie a reluctant look then turned to Soldier Boy in attack mode, her arms already glowing.
Kimiko had already launched herself the instant M.M spoke towards him, hoping to get the timing right and smash the Novichok in his face at the same instant Annie knocked him down.
Time had slowed down for her as she was midair and ready to land on her 'victim'. The knockdown never came as she saw a yellow stream of light hit Starlight knocking her off her feet.
The slow motion perception reversed instantly as the unencumbered Soldier Boy moved faster than expected, punching her midair and launching her straight into the back wall using both his and her momentum against her to land a devastating blow that left her gasping for air.
The deadly perfume launched out of her hand.
"Kimiko!" Frenchie yelled. "Annie!" Hughie echoed him and they both jumped to check on them. "Butcher what the hell." Hughie started but Butcher cut him off.
"Oh, grow some bollocks. She's a supe, barely a scratch on her." To his point Annie was already stirring.
"Now the rest of you, whatever you were thinking of doing ain't going to happen. So off into the vault with you or else Soldier Boy here will rip your arms off and I'm not sure I can stop him."
M.M looked at him with burning rage in his eyes, every instinct told him to shoot him but his rational brain told him it was futile.
This battle was lost. If they had caught them before dosing they may have stood a chance.