Chương 81

Butcher and Mother's Milk stood with Ryan among the broken trees. The shock wave had left many of those trees broken across the area where the three of them were standing. Stormfront's injured body had also been thrown far from them. She lay where she had fallen and no longer moved. The injuries had finally made her lose consciousness. Homelander was farther away. His back had struck a broken tree. He remained against the trunk with one arm held close.

Blood ran from his forehead and past one eye before moving down his features. More blood came from his lip. Pain filled the arm he was holding. For the first time in his life, Homelander understood that one of his bones might be broken. No one had ever injured him this way before. Butcher saw him and started walking forward. Then his eyes found Becca. She was lying only a short distance away. Ryan had already run to her and was sitting beside her. Butcher stopped where he was.

He remembered the promise Becca had forced him to make. The anger burning inside him whenever he looked at Homelander refused to die. Homelander forced himself away from the broken tree. He saw Butcher ahead of him. Ryan remained beside Becca, who was still lying on the ground. His fights with Adam had taught him one useful thing. Most people had already noticed the same pattern in Adam's fights. Adam did not normally kill an opponent.

He had killed people inside Vought Tower, but those Supes had continued attacking him while Vought held the person he had come to save. Homelander believed this situation was different. Adam would not kill him here. At least, that was what Homelander told himself. Elsewhere, Starlight and Hughie reached Frenchie and Kimiko. Starlight looked up and saw Adam flying toward the forest. She wanted to follow him, but Frenchie and Kimiko were still struggling after the shock wave.

Covering their ears had protected them from the sound, yet the force itself had passed through their bodies. Starlight stayed with them. She told Hughie to help her move Frenchie and Kimiko into their vehicle. Back in the forest, Homelander managed to stand. Adam descended in front of him and landed between him and the others. Butcher's voice came from behind Adam.

"Finish him, Adam." Stolen story; please report. The words left a bitter feeling in Butcher. He did not want someone else to kill Homelander. He had chased the man for too long because he wanted to end him with his own hands. Butcher believed his wife had died there. Even so, after seeing Becca lying there, watching Homelander die now would still give him satisfaction. Adam looked back at Butcher. His gaze moved toward Becca, and the sight of her lying there surprised him. Then he turned toward Homelander again.

Homelander did not move from his place.

"You can leave," Adam said. Homelander had already expected Adam to spare him, but hearing the permission removed the last doubt. Adam was allowing him to go. He would not kill him here. Homelander turned toward Ryan. He extended an uninjured palm.

"Ryan." Ryan looked at Homelander. Then he turned toward Butcher. After a brief pause, Ryan walked over and stood beside Butcher instead. Butcher looked down at the boy in surprise before facing Homelander again. Homelander understood that he could not take Ryan while Adam stood there. Homelander turned around and flew away from the forest. Adam walked toward Billy.

"You did the right thing by not killing him," Butcher said.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't have let it go. He dies by my hands." Adam ignored him. He went to Becca and began lifting her from the ground. Butcher stared at him. Adam lifted one arm and used his palm to call Ryan closer.

"What the hell are you doing?" Butcher asked. Adam met his stare.

"I know you well, Butcher. You want Homelander, so I'm giving you complete freedom to keep going after him. Leave Ryan to me." Adam held Becca securely.

"As for Becca, you'll remember what I'm doing today." He took Ryan with his other arm and rose into the air with both of them. Butcher remained where he was. He did not understand what Adam had meant. Anger pushed him to follow, but he forced himself to stay still. Mother's Milk grabbed his arm.

"Come on. Vought soldiers are coming." Then he left the area with Mother's Milk. Ryan stared at Becca while Adam carried them through the air.

"What are you doing with my mother?" Adam answered, "Your mother isn't dead, so don't worry." Ryan's eyes widened. His fear disappeared as a sudden wave of joy passed through him. Adam looked at him.

"But try to keep that from getting out. If anyone learns she's alive, it won't take long for your mother to die again." Adam located a small clinic in an isolated area during the flight and carried them there. He had chosen it because he did not want news of Becca's survival reaching Vought or Homelander. Most of all, he did not want Butcher learning the truth yet. The staff froze when Adam entered with Becca and Ryan. His face had spread everywhere as the new Supe terrorist, so none of them needed an introduction.

"Treat her," Adam ordered.

"If you refuse, I'll kill everyone in this building." The threat worked. The staff took Becca from him and began working to save her. Adam gave them the story he wanted them to believe.

"I was testing my heat vision and hit this woman by accident. The boy was right beside her when it happened." Ryan stayed near him and supported the story when the staff looked his way. The clinic continued treating Becca. She had lost too much blood and remained unconscious while they worked. Before leaving, Adam gave Ryan some money for the clinic. Then he placed a note addressed to Becca in the boy's hand.

"This is for your mother," Adam said.

"Take it. These will help you." Then Adam left the clinic.