hadn't moved, i didnt even wince, and yet that poor man flew off of me as if thrown. His arm is still tightly held in mine, Now disconnected from its formal owner. I didn't have any powers like that, never had. I don't think I could rip off someone's arm and send them flying without moving even if I tried! So what just happened?!
“Good, You’ve done well to adapt boy.” Edger spoke with a sense of accomplishment.
“You will find 1 million dollars in both of your accounts.” He said to my parents, both crying holding my brother shielding him from the display of horror.
“You are dismissed by A-train, your ‘candy’ will be delivered tomorrow to your home” Edger said teasingly and with that A-train nodded, looked at me with a smirk and took off.
“You, boy, however, are coming with me,” Edgar said calmly, though his tone left no room for negotiation. Despite the sweetness in his words to others, his gaze was firm and unyielding as it locked onto mine.
“What just happened? What did you inject me with?” I demanded, feeling a little queasy.
“That is of no concern to you, yet,” he replied flatly. “All you need to know right now is that you have potential. Stand proud.”
Confusion and fear mingled within me. "A success of what? For what?" I couldn't fathom how Edgar, the seemingly composed leader I had seen on television, could act with such detachment.
“What about Rowan, my mom, and dad? What will happen to them?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
Edgar’s expression remained impassive, but he raised his gun, aiming it not directly at them but toward the ground nearby, a subtle threat lingering in the air. My mother, brave yet desperate, stepped in front of my brother.
“Edgar, this was never part of the deal!” she pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion.
The tension in the room thickened, the air heavy with uncertainty. Edgar's response was cool and calculated. “The choice is simple: come with me or risk their safety,” he stated, his gaze unwavering.
Faced with the impossible decision, I swallowed my fear and relented, but not without a condition. “Fine, I’ll go with you, but I want assurances that I can return and say my goodbyes.”
Edgar regarded me with a hint of annoyance, his demeanor unchanged.
“I am not a cruel man nor a monster. Say your goodbyes and come with me.”
I doubted those words, but he didn't shoot them so i guess i have to. I ran over to them as best I could, my legs wobbly and unstable. I fell into my dads arms. No longer able to hold myself up. “Jack how? What happened over there?” I didn't have an answer. I don't think I had even registered what happened. I just held onto him as he cried. Burying myself into his dark hair. It still smelt of the kitchen he worked at and of the cigarettes he smoked. I'd miss the smell regardless if I thought it was a gross habit or not.
Next I hugged Rowan as tightly as he could handle. Him crying into my shoulder. “Don't go, I want you to stay, you don't have to go!” he cried, unable to stop. “I'll miss you too little dude.You can have all my stuff! I'm sure I have a secret toy of queen maeve somewhere." I tried comforting him. I picked him up and handed him to our dad. Who was still sobbing silently. I went to go hug my mom but she had run into the house and Edger’s guards were watching me impatiently. So without saying goodbye to my mom I made my way to the SUVs, the gravel cracking under foot and each step heavier than the last.
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Right before getting in the car Edger approached me with his ever plain emotionless face.
“We will make you, more than you ever thought. Be proud of what you have done today.”
What had I done but cry and get injected?! This man, I can't pin him for anything. What was with today? Then at the last thought my mom came running out of the house, With a backpack and my sword. Each guard drew their guns faster than Edger could tell them to stand down. My mom didn't stop though.
“STAND DOWN!” one of the four yelled. The rest dropped their aim and kept their stances at the ready though. My mom finally made it to me, almost knocking me over, throwing everything into my arms.
“You can't leave without any of this!” I dropped it all almost as soon as it fell into my hands, hugging my mom like a little kid again. I never knew when my last moments with her would be, but I never thought it’d be like this. I just let it all out crying into her arms. All she kept whispering was ‘my baby boy’ softly into my ears patting the back of my head.
“I love you, no matter how far. And when you get home we’ll be waiting for you. No matter how long.” her words cut through me like a knife cuts through butter. It made it so much harder for me to let her go. But I had to know if I didn't they’d all be in trouble. My last words to my mom were
“I'll be back,” I managed, my voice cracking with emotion, “I love you, Mom. Make sure Rowan and Dad know I love them too.”
On the drive back to NYC, I sat across from Edger, my mind finally calm but my body still tense. I absentmindedly twirled my sword, the blade glinting in the dim light of the SUV. Edger watched me with a sharp gaze, his expression unreadable.
“Those new powers of yours,” he finally spoke, his voice cold and clinical. “Do they feel different from the ones you were born with?”
“So I do have new powers?” I asked eagerly, hoping for answers. “What did you inject me with? More V?”
Edger remained silent, his lack of response confirming my suspicions. The rest of the ride was a mix of fitful sleep and relentless questioning on my part. I pressed him on the nature of The Seven, particularly about individuals like A-Train. My concern for my little brother's admiration for them weighed heavily on my mind.
“Not everyone is the same,” Edger finally replied, his tone dismissive yet subtly contemplative. “The true monster among them is the infant known as Homelander. I hope and expect that you will bring something more to The Seven.”
About a Day later back in NYC seeing the Golden gate bridge in all its glory, The Giant skyscrapers breaching the skyline making it an amazing site to see for a kid who grew up in the booneys of Oklahoma. Edger looked down on his laptop for the last hour ignoring my existence and more than likely setting up important people's business. Boring stuff like board meetings and public announcements.
We had made it, Vaught HQ. Its cylindrical shape made of glass, the great green front field and amazing atmosphere were sights to behold. The smell of freshly cut grass permeating the air. The sound of the city buzzing around me. Everything was so much different than where I lived previously.
“Get out, there are people you have to meet.” Edger spoke quickly ushering me out of the car, As he pushed me out of the car i was blinded by the sun. The tint of the windows on the SUV were hard to see through in the back so I had no time to adjust to the clear blue sky. “Yes , yes, very pretty. you'll have plenty of time to sightsee later. get inside now.” Edger prompted. I listened and followed without question or complaint. On the ride over here I learned it would be pointless to question any way.
Inside Vought HQ, Jack took in the grandeur of the place, marveling at the white marble floors and the abundant natural light streaming through the expansive windows. At the reception desk, two women greeted them. One had raven-black hair cascading down her shoulders, dressed in a professional long coat that hinted at authority. The other, with fiery red hair, held a clipboard in her hands, poised and attentive.
Edger strode forward with purpose, leaving Jack momentarily to take in his surroundings. The atmosphere buzzed with efficiency and a controlled sense of power that was palpable even to someone new like Jack. He felt a mixture of awe and apprehension as he followed Edger, who seemed unaffected by the opulence around them.