ABANDONED RESTAURANT
Blood slowly drips off of Hughie's face into a sink. He washes some of it off and watches as it slowly goes down the drain. Nearby, Billy and Frenchie clean up bits of Translucent. Hughie is wearing chefs clothes from the restaurant.
FRENCHIE: I'll take this. Merci.
Frenchie takes Hughie's dirty clothes.
HUGHIE: Sorry about all the-
BILLY: Oh, don't be stupid. You did us a favor.
HUGHIE: What are we gonna do with him?
BILLY: Ah, we'll take care of it.
HUGHIE: The, the, uh, tracking chip.
FRENCHIE: Already disabled. Sit down and relax, Petit Hughie.
Hughie begins walking towards the exit.
BILLY: Oi, where you think you're going?
Hughie stops.
HUGHIE: I'm going home. I need clothes.
BILLY: We'll get you clothes.
HUGHIE: I want my clothes. I'll be right back.
FRENCHIE: You are, perhaps, in a state of shock, mon ami.
BILLY: Hughie, you just arse-bombed America's sweetheart. You can't just piss off.
HUGHIE: I need to go home.
BILLY: All right. Frenchie will go with you.
HUGHIE: Wait, what? No.
BILLY: Either he goes with you, or I break your legs.
Frenchie gives Hughie a look. Hughie sighs and walks away.
BILLY: Good lad.
FRENCHIE: Translucent's skin, it won't burn off. Where you gonna stash it Homelander can't find it?
BILLY: Nowhere. But we can slow the cunt down a bit.
Frenchie leaves. "Stop!" by Jane's Addiction begins playing. Billy loads trash bags full of Translucent's body parts into a large briefcase. after he's done, he lugs it away. Cut to him re-entering sometime later and using grenades to destroy the kitchen. Cut to a title screen.
SEVEN HEADQUARTERS
Annie walks to Madelyn's office and knocks on the door. Ashely opens the door.
ASHLEY: Come on in.
Annie enters.
ANNIE: Ms. Stillwell. Hello.
Madelyn sits on one couch. Three Vought employees, Seth, Evan, and Isadora, sit across from her on another couch.
MADELYN: Please sit.
Annie sits in a chair at the head of the table. The Vought employees all stare at her.
MADELYN: Starlight, that video-
ANNIE: Ms. Stillwell-
MADELYN: Please, let me finish. The date-rape girl? The victim? She saw that video on YouTube and she came forward to thank you. She could not have been more effusive.
ANNIE: That's... that's good, right?
ASHLEY: It is fantastic. You're polling through the roof. You have a huge boost with men for the ass-kicking, of course, but with women, too. They love the empowerment. 16 points with females 18 to 49, even in the liberal retreat jurisdictions like New York and San Francisco.
ANNIE: I don't know what to say.
MADELYN: You just have to enjoy this. This is so good for you. And it's so great for us, because it is a partnership, after all.
ASHLEY: This is Seth and Evan from marketing.
ANNIE: Hi.
ASHLEY: They have some brilliant ideas on how to capitalize on all the buzz. Gentlemen.
SETH: Okay. Now, small-town Iowa girl, unexpected child prodigy, is chosen for The Seven.
EVAN: Destiny knocks on the girl next door's door, and she answers, to fight for truth and justice side by side with her heroes.
SETH: The Big Apple is rough, tumble. It's got worms. Muggers and rapists and thieves, oh, my. Dorothy is not in Kansas anymore.
EVAN: Or Iowa. Poor girl gets knocked around something fierce. Kicked while she's down.
While Seth and Evan continue talking, Isadora gets up.
SETH: So what does she do? Does she cry in her milk? Does she quit?
EVAN: No way!
SETH: She adapts! She transforms!
EVAN: Embraces her feminine strengths.
SETH: Good-bye, Yellow Brick Road.
EVAN: And hello, Starlight.
The gesture over to Isadora, who unveils a redesign of Annie's Starlight costume.
ANNIE: I can't wear that.
ISADORA: What?
ASHLEY: Why not? It's beautiful.
ANNIE: Seriously? It's just, it's not me.
ISADORA: I designed Homelander's suit. This isn't my first rodeo.
SETH: You're wrong. It's totally you. It's bold, it's brave, it's feminist.
ANNIE: How is that feminist?
EVAN: Empowering. It says you're confident in your own skin, and you're not afraid to show it.
SETH: Most importantly, it tells the story. Of your transformation. Of what you're going through.
ANNIE: How exactly do you know what I'm going through, exactly? I'm sorry. I, I appreciate the effort, I really do, but I'm fine with my old outfit.
MADELYN: We're not.
ANNIE: Excuse me?
MADELYN: Starlight, like I said before, this is a partnership. In a partnership, there is give and there is take.
ANNIE: It's my body. I have the right to choose how much of it I show.
MADELYN: That is true. You do. You just won't be doing it in The Seven, unless it is wrapped in that.
Annie looks back at the costume.
HUGHIE'S HOUSE
Cut to Hughie's house. The TV is on. Hughie and Frenchie enter.
REPORTER: Tomorrow, A-Train versus Shockwave. The race of the century. The question now, Al, is can A-Train keep his title as the fastest man alive? Or is tomorrow the day he runs out of track at the hands of this fresh-faced young challenger?
HUGHIE: Just wait here, okay?
Frenchie nods. Hughie closes the door. Cut to Hughie entering his room. He puts on new clothes, then notices an A-Train bobble head on his dresser. He looks around at all of this superhero merchandise. After a moment, he throws the A-Train figure. He begins destroying all of his merch, throwing things from shelves and tearing down posters. He notices a broken frame on the floor. He picks it up and takes out a picture of him and Robin. As he stares at it, his dad enters.
HUGHIE'S DAD: Hughie?
Hughie looks up.
HUGHIE: Oh, hey, Dad.
HUGHIE'S DAD: Wh... Look at the... You, you've, this is-
HUGHIE: Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry about this. I just, I've been meaning to clean up the Supe stuff for a while now, so...
Hughie goes back to packing clothes.
HUGHIE'S DAD: What, are you going somewhere?
HUGHIE: Yeah. For a while.
HUGHIE'S DAD: Where?
HUGHIE: Uh, I don't know.
HUGHIE'S DAD: Well, now, you're scaring me, Hugh. All right, now, I, I spoke to Dr. Feldman
HUGHIE: My pediatrician?
HUGHIE'S DAD: He's still your doctor. And he's given me the name of someone you can, you can talk to. Help you, you know, get back to normal.
HUGHIE: There's no normal anymore.
HUGHIE'S DAD: What do you mean, there's... Look. We've always been very open with each other, right? We, we've always told each other everything. Talk to me.
HUGHIE: Stop it.
HUGHIE'S DAD: What do you mean, stop it?
HUGHIE: Stop it. I have never told you everything. I have never told you how much I hate sitting on that couch, staring at the TV like we're already dead. How much I fucking hate Pizza Rolls.
HUGHIE'S DAD: No, you love Pizza Rolls.
HUGHIE: When I was seven! I am not seven.
Hughie takes his things and walks away. He turns to his dad one last time.
HUGHIE: I'm sorry.
Cut back outside. Hughie closes and locks the front door. Frenchie is waiting for him.
FRENCHIE: My father was bipolar. One night, when I was ten, he tried to smother me with a Hello Kitty duvet.
Frenchie pats Hughie and walks away.
PRISON
M.M. sits in his office doing paperwork. He hears a commotion outside. As he approaches, he finds two men fighting. They stop when they see him.
M.M.: Yo! What the hell is wrong with y'all? This is not what we do here, gentlemen. Now, didn't I tell you, we take turns at the pong? Oslo, Deeaygo, tell me you put your names up on my board?
DEEAYGO: Apologies, Mr. Milk. No, sir.
OSLO: Nuh-uh, me, neither, Mr. Milk.
M.M.: Which means that you have cut in line in front of everybody else in here. What else does it mean? Come on, spit it out.
DEEAYGO: Means that we're disrespecting all the other niggas-
M.M.: Excuse me?
DEEAYGO: All our fellow brothers in the unit.
M.M.: Now, you both know how to write in the English language in a passable fashion. I know that, 'cause I've seen to it myself, have I not?
DEEAYGO: Yes, sir.
M.M.: Then please, place your John Hancocks on my board.
OSLO: Yes sir, Mr. Milk. Thank you.
M.M.: At the bottom of the list.
Both men sign the board. M.M. re-enters his office and sees Billy and Y/N.
M.M.: Oh, hell nah. What the fuck do you want?
M.M. sits at his desk.
BILLY: What, I can't visit me old mate? Rekindle the unbreakable bonds of brothers-in-arms?
M.M.: Nope.
BILLY: Come on, M.M. Bring it in.
He opens his arms.
M.M.: Look, if it's all the same, let's just cut the small talk. All you're gonna do is lie and say how you're doing fine, and I'm gonna lie and pretend like I'm happy to see you. Why are you here?
BILLY: All right. How'd you like to come back, have another go?
M.M.: Mm-mm. No, sir. Keep it to yourself. I don't want to know nothing about nothing. I'm a happy man now. Life is good, Monique is back, we're good, just
BILLY: Oh, yeah? How is Monique?
M.M.: Spits on the ground every time your name comes up. I can't do that to her again, man. Not to mention, I'm actually making progress with these boys.
BILLY: Yeah, so I can see.
Another fight has broken out in the other room. M.M. bangs on the window.
M.M.: Don't make me come out there!
BILLY: Well, this is God's work. I can't argue with that. But a man of your talents? Wasted here.
M.M.: Look, Butcher, we were into some bad shit, man. Even before the Mallory stuff. And that, that was... If I'm gonna make a difference, I just feel more comfortable doing it on a smaller scale. I'm a motherfucker with a heart. Whereas you? You're just a motherfucker.
BILLY: Funny you should mention making a difference, 'cause we just dusted a Supe.
M.M.: Bullshit.
BILLY: Translucent.
M.M.: What the... Well, come on, you lime-sucking smart-ass. How the hell did you do it?
BILLY: Well, big lump of C-4, packed right up his fudger. Boom. Claret everywhere, fucking diabolical. But before the fireworks, he coughed up a solid lead. Spilled the beans in a big way. Now, we play this right, we could shake up the whole hornets' nest, bring down Seven and Vought at the same time.
M.M.: Mm-hmm. You mean do Homelander? This is about Becca, isn't it? It's always about Becca with you.
BILLY: Oh, you ain't got your reasons? It'll be different this go, all right? None of that secrets and lies bollocks. And that Mallory shit ain't gonna happen this time. I swear to God.
M.M.: Are you bringing Frenchie back? 'Cause I can't work with that motherfucker.
BILLY: Frenchie? No, I ain't seen him in years. M.M., you're the only bloke I can trust.
M.M.: Since when have you ever trusted anybody? Oh, fuck.
MADELYN'S OFFICE
Homelander and Madelyn watch a news broadcast in her office. Madelyn is carrying her son.
CHUCK TODD: Senator Calhoun, you've gone on the record against superheroes in the military.
MADELYN: Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?
CHUCK TODD: Why change your tune?
CALHOUN: No one's changing their tune. Uh, it's just I realized that it's an issue that affects all Americans. It shouldn't be decided-
HOMELANDER: Can't you make it stop?
CALHOUN: -by a few congressmen hidden in committee.
MADELYN: He's not crying.
CALHOUN: The bill needs to go to the floor.
HOMELANDER: Oh, okay.
MADELYN: Aw. Aw. Oh, no. We can't have that
Homelander turns off the television.
HOMELANDER: You know, I heard Translucent's tracking chip went dead.
MADELYN: Yeah?
HOMELANDER: He could be hurt.
MADELYN: How? He's got diamond skin. He's gonna be fine. My guys are on it. All right, I forgot to give you these. Here.
She hands him some papers.
HOMELANDER: What is it?
MADELYN: Those are your new talking points. Now that the military bill is out of committee, corporate wants to sell the shit out of it. Yes. They do.
HOMELANDER: Hey. You remember when you wanted me in the red cape and, and I said, "No. No, no, no. Make it the flag"? Remember that?
MADELYN: Uh-huh.
HOMELANDER: Yeah. I don't need these. Okay? I can sell my way into the military. Thank you. You take care of your baby, and I'll take care of mine.
He crushes up the papers and throws them on the couch.
MADELYN: Mr. Edgar wrote those personally. So if you want to go to 82 and take it up with him, be my guest. Oh, yes. Oh, you're a happy boy now, huh? Are you a happy boy?
Homelander picks back up the papers.
RENTAL TRUCK
M.M. and Billy are in the back of a truck, setting up some surveillance gear.
M.M.: A rental, you cheap bastard?
BILLY: Who do you think I am, some double-O wanker? In case you hadn't noticed, we ain't exactly rolling in it.
M.M.: And you don't think this is conspicuous?
BILLY: Conspicuous? No, I don't think it's conspicuous. I think a big black van with fucking "Flowers" on the side is conspicuous. This is just another truck on the street.
There's a knock on the door.
BILLY: Bang on time.
Hughie, Y/N and Frenchie enter.
Y/N: M.M.?
HUGHIE: Uh, hi. Hughie.
M.M. and Frenchie see each other. They instantly approach each other with knives. Billy separates them.
M.M.: Smelly motherfucker.
HUGHIE: Butcher, who is this guy?
BILLY: You'll give the game away!
M.M.: Not until this frog gets what's coming.
FRENCHIE: Only thing that is coming is me on your mother's titties!
M.M.: Let me through at him, bitch!
BILLY: Hey!
M.M.: We had an agreement about him.
BILLY: We agreed to put a pin in it, all right?
FRENCHIE: What agreement?
M.M.: There was no pin. I don't trust this French whore.
FRENCHIE: I am more American than you, you racist piece of shit!
HUGHIE: Why are they fighting?
BILLY: Nothing. It is water under the bridge. Oi! Y/N lend us a fuckin hand!
Y/N: I left before Mallory's grandkids, so this your problem.
M.M.: You tell that to Mallory's grandkids. Tell them it's water under the bridge.
FRENCHIE: That wasn't my fault, huh?
HUGHIE: Who is Mallory?
BILLY: All right, the both of you, knock it on the head, now!
M.M.'s phone rings. The ringtone is "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley.
M.M.: Shit.
He answers the phone. The other three stand in the background while he talks.
M.M.: Hey, Monique. How you doing, baby? Ooh, I forgot to marinade the tilapia. I am so sorry, sweetheart. Okay, how 'bout this? How about, on my way home from work, I stop by DeLuca's, pick up two fat tenderloins, some portobello mushrooms, that pinot that you love so much. Yeah, baby. Okay, I, I got to go. All right, sweetheart. Yeah. Me, too. Baby, I just... Uh, you're right, you're right. I love you, too. Okay. Bye.
He makes a kissing noise and hangs up. Frenchie, Y/N and Billy burst out laughing.
M.M.: Fuck all of y'all, okay?
BILLY: All right. All right. Listen, you two knobbers kiss and make up, yeah? We got a fucking job to do.
FRENCHIE: Fuck it. Dégage, huh?
They shake hands. Frenchie makes kissing noises, and M.M. lightly shoves him.
M.M.: Get out of here. Who's this guy?
BILLY: The new lad. Hughie. Hughie, Mother's Milk.
HUGHIE: That's a nickname?
M.M.: No, my mother actually named me Mother's Milk.
HUGHIE: Did, did she?
M.M.: So we got a French whore, The only good supe and a Stephen fucking Hawking. Great job, Butcher.
BILLY: Well, it was Stephen fucking Hawking who dusted the Supe.
Frenchie looks at the screen set up. There's a live feed of the nearby apartment building.
FRENCHIE: Oh. She's home.
HUGHIE: That's Popclaw, right? A-Train's girlfriend?
Y/N: Wait what?
Outside, Popclaw meets her landlord on her way into the building.
ALEKSY: Oh, Popclaw. Hi. Uh, you know the, the rent? It was due last week.
POPCLAW: Right. Of course.
M.M.: You think her and A-Train are, uh-
BILLY: Yeah, playing bury the bishop.
M.M.: Didn't hear nothing about it. I'm usually up on these things.
BILLY: According to Translucent, A-Train knows this bird inside out.
POPCLAW: I'll drop the check off ASAP.
ALEKSY: Okay.
POPCLAW: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 'Kay.
Aleksy checks her out as she enters the building.
BILLY: All right. Let's get the bugs sorted, see for ourselves.
They start to unpack some boxes. Y/N pulls Billy aside.
Y/N: You never said shit about going Popclaw's place. You know about what happened with me and her.
BILLY: Y/N. Calm the fuck down. Okay. I don't tell you shit because you wouldn't wanna do the shit. This is why.
Cut over to M.M. and Frenchie.
HUGHIE: Where, where'd you get this shit, Circuit City?
M.M.: Right? He's a cheap bastard.
HUGHIE: You know, we don't actually need to sneak in anything.
BILLY: Eh?
HUGHIE: Look, all I need's her IPv6 number. Every desktop, every smart TV in the house has a camera on it. They probably have one in every room.
FRENCHIE: Even in the toilet?
HUGHIE: No, Frenchie, not in the toilet. Look, I just need five minutes inside. I mean, home service is my specialty.
BILLY: Who do ya need go with you?
Hughie looks at Y/N. Then the rest look at Y/N.
Y/N: Absolutely not.
HUGHIE: Y/N you have powers I would feel safest with you. Please
Y/N: Fine. Oh fucking hell here we go.
POPCLAW'S APARTMENT
Hughie knocks on Popclaw's door. She answers and finds Hughie and Y/N in uniforms.
HUGHIE: Hello, ma'am, we're with Bryman Audio-Visual. We got the new router. I'm... This is, is Hughie. I'm Gary.
POPCLAW: I didn't make an appointment.
HUGHIE: Oh, well, your manager did. He's upgrading the whole building.
POPCLAW: I just saw my landlord. He didn't mention it.
Y/N: I've got a work order right here, ma'am.
He hands her a document.
HUGHIE: Only takes a second. And we can get you all the way up to a thousand Mbps. That, that's a lot.
POPCLAW: Okay. Come on in.
She lets them in. Huhgie spots large nude photos of her on the wall as they pass.
POPCLAW: The computer's right over here if you need it.
HUGHIE: Uh, yeah. I just need to sign on to your server in order to download the service package.
POPCLAW: Yeah, sure.
Y/N: I have a confession. We're really big fans. I mean, Terminal Beauty 3. Whew. Damn.
POPCLAW: Oh. Thanks. Yeah, that one really came together. Let me know if you guys need anything else.
She walks away.
Y/N: Thank you.
Hughie opens her computer. Her background is a picture of A-Train kissing her on the cheek. He stops and stares.
Y/N: You gonna sit there not shit all day? If you are I'll do it for ya. Let's go.
Hughie begins working. Y/N notices a red bag on Popclaw's shelf.
Y/N: Hmm. Why would she have that.
HUGHIE: What is it?
Y/N: Nothing.
Back in the van, the live feeds of Popclaw's apartment begin popping up. Frenchie, M.M. and Billy check them out.
BILLY: This kid is full of surprises.
HUGHIE: Okay, ma'am, all done.
Cut to the hallway. Popclaw lets Y/N and Hughie out. Y/N stays to get her to sign something while Hughie goes down the hallway.
POPCLAW: Thank you, guys.
HUGHIE: Thank you.
Y/N: Get your John Hancock?
POPCLAW: Oh, sure.
Y/N let's his act slip and lift his cap.
POPCLAW: Wait. Y/N?
Y/N hears this and walks of.
Hughie turns the corner and runs into A-Train on his way in.
A-TRAIN: Ooh. Excuse me, bud.
They stare at each other. Y/N appears behind Hughie.
A-TRAIN: What, you want a autograph or something?
HUGHIE: Haven't we met before?
A-TRAIN: Maybe. I meet a ton of people.
Y/N: Come on, man. My meter's running out. Let's go. Let's get out of here. Excuse us, man. Beat shockwave for me.
A-TRAIN: Yeah. Totally
They walk away.
Y/N: You trying to get yourself killed?
GYM
Maeve trains by fighting three massive, muscled men with bats. After a few moments, her phone rings. She answers.
MAEVE: Yeah. I'll be right there.
She hangs up. Cut to outside. She and Homelander walk down some steps.
MAEVE: Look, Translucent's probably just lurking around a gynecologist's office or something.
HOMELANDER: For two days? Come on. I don't get it. Why is no one concerned about this?
As they continue walking, gunfire can be heard. They pass a police car.
MAEVE: Because if people find out one of the Seven is missing, they panic. Besides, you can't fucking stand Translucent.
COP: Give 'em hell, Homelander!
HOMELANDER: Yeah, you bet, pal. Of course. But if something's happened to him, then that's a direct attack on the Seven, which is a direct attack on me.
They approach a S.W.A.T. vehicle.
MAEVE: You've managed to make this about you in less than 20 seconds flat.
HOMELANDER: Hey, I'm not the one who's down a point and a half. So I think what you mean to say is, "Gee, thanks, Homelander, for showing up out of the blue and bringing the extra press to my collar."
An officer approaches them.
CAPTAIN: Homelander. Maeve.
HOMELANDER: Captain, you guys are the real heroes. We're just glad we can help, right?
MAEVE: That's right.
HOMELANDER: Where's your shooter?
CAPTAIN: Shooter's on 31.
HOMELANDER: All right. Sit tight.
Homelander flies up and into the building, breaking a window.
MAEVE: Elevators?
Cut inside the building. Maeve gets off the elevator. Homelander is waiting for her. They begin walking.
HOMELANDER: I'm just saying, a missing team member is more important than A-Train's insipid race.
MAEVE: Mr. Edgar wants us both at the race to roll out his new talking points. You know this. But strangest thing is he wants Flash there the most.
HOMELANDER: I've X-rayed Edgar, you know. He is this close to a coronary. He's got blood like engine oil. And Stillwell, with that mewling baby it's ridiculous. They're just people. But they snap their fingers and we jump. Why? Why do we do that?
They stop outside a room.
MAEVE: 'Cause they sign our checks. Can we just cut to the part where you show up to the race anyway?
HOMELANDER: See, that's why I love you. You're the only one who tells me the truth.
He pushes the door open. Maeve approaches the shooter and beats him to the ground. She holds him up. Homelander approaches and punches him in the chest. The shooter slowly dies.
HOMELANDER: It's all over. It's all over now. There you go.
He looks at the blood on his glove.
HOMELANDER: Goddamn it.
He lets the man fall to the ground.
MAEVE: That was my collar.
HOMELANDER: Eh, it still is.
MAEVE: Yeah, well, I can't walk him on The Today Show like that.
HOMELANDER: No, that's true. I got excited. I'm sorry.
MAEVE: I'm sure you are.
Homelander picks up the shooter's gun.
HOMELANDER: You know the drill. He shot at us first. Attagirl.
He fires at her. The bullets bounce off harmlessly. He laughs and puts the gun on the shooter's corpse.
MAEVE: The things I let you do to me.
HOMELANDER: Yeah. We're not even dating anymore.
He walks away.
MAEVE: Fuck.
POPCLAW'S APARTMENT
Popclaw and A-Train make out in Popclaw's apartment. The Boys watch the live feeds in the van.
POPCLAW: Want me to do the thing?
A-TRAIN: Yeah. Yeah, okay. Okay.
POPCLAW: That's a good boy.
She begins sucking his toe. He smiles.
A-TRAIN: Oh, stop. Stop, stop. Tickles. Tickling.
POPCLAW: What's the problem?
A-TRAIN: Shockwave's the problem. What if I lose?
POPCLAW: You're not gonna lose. You're the fastest man alive.
A-TRAIN: Until I'm not. You know what Stillwell told me? If I don't win, I'm out. Nobody wants the second fastest man in The Seven. And then Flash. He gets my place, they've wanted him on The Seven for years.
POPCLAW: Babe.
A-TRAIN: Compound V. Where'd you put it?
POPCLAW: Oh, you sure, babe? I mean, that stuff, it amps you up something fierce. Remember last time?
A-TRAIN: Last time's not gonna happen again. I'm under control.
POPCLAW: You ran through a girl, baby. That's not what I would call "control." That shit's a slippery slope. Take it from me.
A-TRAIN: No, I, I need it.
POPCLAW: Honey, I'll still love you even if you lose.
A-TRAIN: How is that supposed to help me right now? I have to win this thing. I don't want to be some washed up B-squader.
POPCLAW: Like me?
A-TRAIN: No, not like That's... I got to go. Why don't you just tell me where the V is, please? I'll come back to see you tomorrow after the race.
POPCLAW: What are you talking about?
A-TRAIN: I've been meaning to tell you.
POPCLAW: Are you kidding me? I have been getting my hair done, threading my eyebrows, waxing my body like a plucked chicken, so that we could finally stand up there together tomorrow in front of the world as a couple. I mean, it was all cleared with Stillwell and everything.
A-TRAIN: Um...
POPCLAW: You did clear it with Stillwell.
A-TRAIN: Look, our time is gonna come, I promise, but I got to get my leverage back first. Where's the V?
Popclaw and A-Train stare at each other for a few moments.
HUGHIE: What the hell is Compound V?
M.M.: Sounds like some kind of performance enhancer. Steroids for Supes?
Y/N: It can be but I've never heard of it being a enhancement booster.
HUGHIE: Yeah. Well, whatever it was, he was juiced on it when he murdered Robin.
Popclaw slams a duffel bag down in front of A-Train. He takes out some vials of blue liquid. Back in the van, Billy smiles.
M.M.: What are you grinning at?
BILLY: Oh, I don't know, mate. Maybe it's 'cause The Seven might just be a squad of manky 'roid heads. Now this is exactly the kind of malfeasance that Langley is gonna eat up by the spoonful.
FRENCHIE: Not until we're sure it does what we think it does.
BILLY: If we get a bit, can you work it out?
FRENCHIE: Oh, I can run some tests, of course. But there's no way of knowing unless I try some myself.
HUGHIE: Amazing idea.
BILLY: We'll cross that bridge when we burn it. First of all we got to get some. Y/N can you go in Vought and get some?
Y/N: I wish. Do you remember what happened to me last time.
FLASHBACK - SECRET VOUGHT LABS
(Ignore the barcode but it was like this).
FLASHBACK END
The boys unconsciously flinched apart from Hughie.
STADIUM
The shot pans over the stadium where the race between A-Train and Shockwave is being held. Frenchie's van pulls up. Frenchie and Billy walk in opposite directions. M.M. hands Hughie some gear.
M.M.: Here's your cover. You're a mild-mannered reporter. So, uh Butcher tells me he met you, what, a few days ago? Yeah.
HUGHIE: Yeah. Yeah, that sounds right. I don't know. I've kind of lost track of time.
M.M.: Talk about a baptism of fire. I'll mic you up here. So, Translucent, huh? How the fuck did you pull that off?
HUGHIE: I don't know. Just lucky, I guess.
M.M.: Still. Must have been scary.
HUGHIE: You want to know what's really messed up? Is, uh, in some ways just right in that moment, it felt kind of good.
M.M.: It's written all over your face, Hughie.
HUGHIE: What? How can you tell?
M.M.: 'Cause I know how this job makes me feel.
HUGHIE: When I had the detonator in my hand, I felt, like, a, I felt, like, a rush.
M.M.: I get it.
HUGHIE: Like I felt alive.
M.M.: But that rush, Hughie, is no different than the shit A-Train shoots up. Everything comes with a price.
HUGHIE: The last thing I ever said to Robin was "Don't you ever besmirch Billy Joel." That was the last thing that she heard before she burst into pieces. And I gotta live with that shit for the rest of my life. The price? Whatever it is I'll pay it.
Cut to a trailer for the race. Popclaw is watching it on her TV.
NARRATOR: This is the Race of the Century. This is our legacy and our future. Athletes achieving at the highest level.
ANNOUNCER: This is what we've waited for. The showdown. These men are extremely powerful and very, very quick. The Train is ready to leave the station.
As the Announcer continues, we see shots of The Boys getting ready. M.M. stands in the crowd. Billy approaches his seat. Hughie is posing as a reporter.
ANNOUNCER: He reaches speeds in excess of 1,000 miles per hour. The fastest men in the world are here in New York. Who will come out on top? There he stands six foot one, but a stature that's such that he's a colossus for the whole world.
Frenchie crawls through some vents. He stops and sees A-Train getting ready through a grate. "Ready When It's On" by James Desmond, Panauh Kalayeh, John Eugenio, and Louis Summervile is playing. A-Train's brother approaches him.
NATHAN: All right, champ.
A-TRAIN: Mmm.
NATHAN: You got this?
A-TRAIN: Yeah.
NATHAN: Hey, ma is looking down on us both right now. Now, you got this?
A-TRAIN: I got this.
NATHAN: That's what I'm talking about!
A-TRAIN: I got this. Yeah.
NATHAN: That's what I want to hear.
A-TRAIN: All right.
They leave the locker room. Back in the vent, Frenchie spots A-Train's duffel bag. Cut back outside to the crowd. Annie walks out with Black Noir.
ANNOUNCER: Introducing the newest member of The Seven Starlight, accompanied by Black Noir.
Annie looks around and waves. Cut to Maeve getting interviewed.
MAEVE: I'm tired of the red tape and the deep-state bureaucrats. If the people want us in the armed forces, the people can order Congress to do it. Am I right? Yes!
People cheer. Homelander arrives. Billy watches from nearby. Homelander approaches the interviewer.
HOMELANDER: Sorry I'm late. You got room for one more? Ravishing as ever, my sweet. Hey, who's ready to see a race? Huh? Let's hear it for my boy A-Train. All right. You fucking cocksuckers.
Only Maeve hears his last comment. She grimaces.
ANNOUNCER: Please remain standing for the singing of our national anthem.
Cut to Annie and Black Noir signing autographs.
ANNIE: Thank you for coming. It was nice to meet you. Aren't you cute?
A young girl stands in front of her. She's wearing Annie's old Starlight costume.
GIRL: Is it okay if I get a selfie?
ANNIE: Of course, honey. Take this. Look at you! You really dress the part.
GIRL: It's your old uniform, but I'm saving up for the new one.
The girl holds her phone up. Annie leans over for the photo and tries to cover her chest. Some men nearby heckle her.
MAN: Hey, Starlight! Show us your tits!
Annie looks at the girl taking the photo. The men continue heckling her. She goes to approach them, but Ashley stops her.
ASHLEY: Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. You do not need to press your luck right now, right?
The girl begins to walk away.
ANNIE: Sweetie, you know what? Save your money. I like that one much better.
The girl smiles and walks away. Annie turns to leave.
ASHLEY: Starlight?
ANNIE: I need a minute.
Cut back to the crowd.
ANNOUNCER: Let's make some noise!
Maeve and Homelander stand around waving at people.
MAEVE: Glad you made it. I had a feeling you might.
HOMELANDER: Remember when used to just fly off to Paris, like, on a whim?
MAEVE: Yeah, I remember freezing my ass off across the Atlantic.
HOMELANDER: Yeah, those were good times. Why did we ever break up?
MAEVE: You mind if we not crack open that tawdry little chapter?
HOMELANDER: Oh, come on. You know, if I ever really thought that you'd fallen for someone else...
MAEVE: Mm.
HOMELANDER: I just I don't think I could handle it.
MAEVE: Is that so?
HOMELANDER: Yeah, you and me?
MAEVE: Mm.
HOMELANDER: We're different. We're better. Together forever.
MAEVE: Okay, well...
They wave for a few more moments before Maeve turns and leaves. Cut back to the crowd. A loud Crack of lightning is heard. A trail of lightning appears and starts to circle in the middle of the stadium crating a cloud of dirt. A bolt of lightning hitting the ground.
The dust clears and The Flash is seen standing there. All of the audience cheers and shouts at their most loved hero's appearance he smiles and speeds of to the stands. Cut back to the crowd.
ANNOUNCER: And here comes the A-Train. All aboard! The Train is ready to leave the station.
M.M. and Billy stand in the crowd looking around. "Fight Night" by Jai Freedom Lewis, Kevin Earl Skaggs, and Alexander Pol plays while A-Train and his posse walk out onto the field. Hughie watches as he passes. A-Train poses for the crowd.
BILLY: All right, Frenchie, find it. You're in the clear.
Frenchie gets out from the vent and enters the locker room. Outside, Hughie watches Annie pass as other reporters try to get her attention. As she's about to enter the locker room, he catches up to her.
HUGHIE: Annie? Annie? Annie! Annie? Hi!
She opens the door and looks at Hughie, missing Frenchie inside.
ANNIE: Hughie? From the bench the other day?
HUGHIE: You're, uh, you're Starlight. That's... How did I not realize that?
She closes the door.
ANNIE: It's actually kind of comforting that you didn't.
BILLY: Fuckin' hell, Hughie. You know Starlight?
Y/N: Wait, he knows my sister?
ANNIE: Well, Hughie, it was, it was really nice to see you, but I should get going.
BILLY: No, Hughie, we need more time.
HUGHIE: Can I, uh, buy you an overpriced beer? You know, if you've, you've if you got time.
ANNIE: Throw in some overpriced nachos?
HUGHIE: Lead the way.
ANNIE: Okay.
Hughie and Annie walk away. Frenchie searches A-Train's things.
FRENCHIE: No V. Must have hid it somewhere else.
BILLY: Fucking find it, Frenchie.
Hughie and Annie sit at a table with beer and nachos.
HUGHIE: This is just so weird. I mean, the other day. Was it three days ago?
ANNIE: Mm-hmm.
HUGHIE: You just seemed, like... You seemed so normal, you know? And now, it's just-
ANNIE: Now, I'm a freak.
HUGHIE: No. No, not at... No, that's not what I meant at all. I just meant I just I wasn't getting Beyoncé vibes, but, not that you don't have that-
ANNIE: I'm messing with you.
HUGHIE: Okay.
FRENCHIE: Bad news. No V.
BILLY: Great. We're fucked.
ANNIE: No, it... It was really nice to talk to someone who didn't know who I was. Once you're behind the scenes, it's... it's different.
HUGHIE: Like how?
ANNIE: I don't know if they really want you to be a hero. I think they just want you to look like one.
Hughie turns off his radio.
HUGHIE: The other day on the bench when you were talking about how much you hated your job, you meant you meant this job?
She nods.
HUGHIE: Then, um... just quit. Just walk away. I mean, you got nothing to prove.
ANNIE: I should probably get back, you know, before they send a search party for me.
HUGHIE: Yeah, totally. Um, listen, Annie, Starlight. What do you, uh... ?
ANNIE: Annie.
HUGHIE: Um, this is insane, but, uh, I know you're you and everything, but if you ever just wanted to you know, get-
ANNIE: Would you like my number?
HUGHIE: Yeah. Yeah, that's, that's, uh, that's what I was asking.
ANNIE: Okay.
HUGHIE: Do I call you, or do I just commit a crime?
ANNIE: Probably committing a crime would get me to you quicker, so...
Cut back outside to the race as Shockwave gets onto the field.
SHOCKWAVE: There's a new young gun in town and I'm ready to rock the show.
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, here comes Shockwave.
A-Train looks at him. He quickly runs away and gets back before anyone notices.
NATHAN: You all right?
A-TRAIN: Huh? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm good. I'm good. I'm fast, baby. Like, how I roll, you know?
NATHAN: You look wired as hell.
A-TRAIN: Well, it's just Mom's, uh, her spirit is flowing through my body, you know what I'm saying?
BILLY: I've got eyes on A-Train. He's totally jacked. He must've shot up the V. We missed it, boys.
Y/N: Frenchie you must have missed it cause he ran of in the direction of the changing room.
M.M. checks the feed of Popclaw's apartment and sees her looking at the Compound V.
M.M.: I'm out of here. I'll check in later.
BILLY: Where the hell you going?
M.M.: Just gonna see about a girl.
He leaves.
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention to the track.
Billy looks away from the race and up at Homelander. As A-Train and Shockwave get ready to run, Homelander sees Billy staring.
ANNOUNCER: Please, clear the track. Set.
Homelander and Billy make direct eye contact.
Y/N: (whispers) Billy if you keep looking at him he's gonna find out.
A gun goes off. A-Train and Shockwave race. It's over in an instant. The instant replay shows A-Train winning. The crowd cheers.
ANNOUNCER: He's done it again! A-Train wins! A new world record for A-Train. They say lightning doesn't strike twice. The world belongs to A-Train. A-Train wins. A-Train wins! Stunning! Absolutely stunning.
Homelander, momentarily distracted, looks back to Billy, but finds he's no longer there. Cut to later in the van.
BILLY: So, how the hell do you know Starlight?
HUGHIE: I don't really know her, know her. Just, uh... we met on a park bench.
BILLY: Huh. You get her number?
HUGHIE: Yeah.
BILLY: Hughie?
HUGHIE: Uh, yeah. Got it.
BILLY: Good.
Billy's phone rings. He answers.
BILLY: M.M.
M.M.: Popclaw's eyeballing a vial of V like it's made of Snickers.
BILLY: What, you think she nicked some of A-Train's stash?
M.M.: That's exactly what I'm saying. Get over here now.
In her apartment, Popclaw sits with some of the Compound V and watches a post-race interview with A-Train.
A-TRAIN: Well, you know what? Shockwave ran a good, clean race, but, uh, there can only be one fastest man in the world, and that's the A-Train, baby!
POPCLAW: Yes, baby.
REPORTER: A-Train, how are you celebrating tonight? Any special girl?
A-TRAIN: Uh well, you know me. I'm always in the game, but I'm too fast to catch. I'm open to offers, though, ladies. There's plenty to go around.
REPORTER: A- Train, how can you call yourself the fastest man when The Flash is proven faster?
A- TRAIN: Now. I was waiting for this question and I will say he is faster than me. That is why he is called the fastest creature in history.
Popclaw looks devastated. She takes some of the Compound V. Cut to her Lifting massive weights, then to The Boys watching her from the truck.
BILLY: Fucking hell.
M.M.: You said it. She's been at it for an hour.
POPCLAW: Come and get me!
BILLY: How'd you know to keep an eye on her?
M.M.: Okay. You see that red case over there? I've been around long enough to know a fix kit when I see one. And she told A-Train that V's a slippery slope. So she's got experience. I figured if you wait around long enough, two plus two equals nasty.
BILLY: Sherlock fucking Homie. Now admit it. This beats babysitting delinquents any day, don't it?
Popclaw's doorbell rings. She opens it, seeing her landlord.
ALEKSY: Oh. Hey, Popclaw.
POCLAW: Mr. Lutz. Um, house call?
ALEKSY: I'm just here for the rent. The rent you said you would pay?
POPCLAW: You should come in. You can wait there if you want, but it's gonna take me a few minutes to write the check. I don't bite. Unless you want me to. That was a joke, Alek.
ALEKSY: Oh.
Aleksy walks in and closes the door behind him.
POPCLAW: Alek, right? Okay, let's get that check. You want a drink, Alek, while you wait? You prefer Alek or Alexander?
ALEKSY: Alek. It's actually short for, uh, Aleksy.
He sees the large nude photos on her wall.
POPCLAW: I like that. Sounds more exotic.
ALEKSY: Okay.
She hands him a drink.
POPCLAW: Like what you see?
ALEKSY: Huh? No. Yes. I mean, it's lovely.
POPCLAW: It's okay. A lot of guys have a superhero fantasy.
ALEKSY: Uh, I, I'm sorry? I mean, I, I mean...
She takes a sip of her drink, then comes up behind him and whispers in his ears.
POPCLAW: You know, there is a world where we could come to an understanding.
The Boys grimace. Y/N enters the van. Cut to Aleksy dressed as a robber going through Popclaw's drawers. She bursts in wearing very little.
POPCLAW: Stop! In the name of the law.
ALEKSY: Oh, no! Popclaw has caught me.
She takes off his makeshift mask. He smiles. She drags him to the floor and sits on his face.
POPCLAW: I am gonna sit right here until the cops come. You're not a cat burglar. You're a filthy pig. Say it. You're a filthy pig who likes to eat ass. Say it!
ALEKSY: I'm a filthy pig who likes to eat ass.
POPCLAW: You like to eat ass?
Her claws extend. The camera gets shakier and shakier. Aleksy begins to struggle beneath her, but she doesn't notice.
HUGHIE: He can't breathe.
Hughie goes to leave, but Billy stops him.
BILLY: Alright, alright, hold on. Hang about, hang about. Not so fast.
As she orgasms, she crushes Aleksy's head, spilling his brains on the floor. Hughie gasps and covers his face with his hands. Frenchie jumps back in shock. M.M. looks down sadly. Billy barely reacts at all. Popclaw walks away and then turns around.
POPCLAW: Oh my...
As she realizes she's killed Aleksy, she begins to scream.
Y/N: Jesus Christ.
HUGHIE: You let that guy die. And he didn't do anything wrong.
BILLY: He was dead already.
HUGHIE: That's bullshit.
BILLY: So you can cross a street, run up four flights of stairs in ten seconds like some Supe, can you? And even if you had've got there, she would have clawed your fucking head off. Now we got her right where we want her.
HUGHIE: What? What? What are you talking about?
BILLY: You're a smart lad, but you still ain't twigged the one weakness they all got. Their reputations. Come on, Frenchie.
Billy and Frenchie leave.
M.M.: Like you said. Whatever the price, you'll pay it. Right?
Billy and Frenchie approach Popclaw in her apartment.
BILLY: Easy. Easy. We ain't here to hurt you. We're gonna help you sort out this little mess. And all you gotta do is tell us everything you know about this.
He holds up a vial of Compound V.
POPCLAW: Who are you?
SEVEN HEADQUARTERS
Homelander and Deep are in the main conference room. Madelyn enters.
MADELYN: All right, I got your message. Where is the fire?
HOMELANDER: No, no, not fire. Water. Just ask my little guppy here. You can show her.
The Deep walks over to a large briefcase and unlocks it.
DEEP: Well, a very good friend of mine found this.
HOMELANDER: It was a porpoise. A fucking porpoise found this at the bottom of the harbor. Go ahead, don't be shy.
She walks over and opens the briefcase. She quickly backs away as soon as she sees the bags of Translucent's remains inside.
MADELYN: Oh! Jesus Christ. Is that Translucent?
HOMELANDER: Still think we got nothing to worry about?
MADELYN: How did they even get through his skin? What kind of maniac-
HOMELANDER: Mm-mm. Not maniac. Smart, actually. Very smart. Hey, Deep, what can't I see through?
DEEP: Zinc, Homelander.
HOMELANDER: Correct. And what's the box made of, Deep?
DEEP: Zinc.
HOMELANDER: Correct again. They also knew that we'd find Translucent, what's left of him eventually. So they were just buying time.
MADELYN: Why do you say that?
HOMELANDER: I'm so glad you asked.
The Deep opens the briefcase the whole way, revealing "COMING FOR YOU" written inside.
HOMELANDER: Whoever it was they just declared war.
"Stop!" by Jane's Addiction begins playing.