The Boys: I'm the Origin of Compound V

Chapter 11: Manipulations

The air in the safehouse was heavy with tension. Translucent sat slumped in his makeshift cell, his gaze fixed on Adam. Stripped of his powers, the once-smug supe now radiated bitterness and malice.

"You think you're better than me, don't you?" Translucent sneered, his voice dripping with venom.

Adam ignored him, pacing the room while the team argued in hushed tones. The debate over which power to keep had dragged on for hours, and they were no closer to a decision.

"You don't get it," Translucent continued, his words aimed directly at Adam. "You're no different from us. You think stealing my powers makes you some kind of hero? Newsflash, buddy—it makes you worse."

Adam stopped pacing, his jaw tightening. "I took your powers to stop you from killing anyone else. Don't try to turn this around."

Translucent leaned forward, his smirk returning. "You didn't take them to save anyone. You took them because you wanted them. Because deep down, you're just like us. Hungry for power."

Butcher banged a fist on the table, cutting through the tension. "Alright, enough of this bollocks! We've got bigger fish to fry than listening to this sod's whining."

Hughie hesitated, glancing between Translucent and Adam. "But... what if he's right?"

"Don't start," Butcher snapped.

Frenchie raised a hand, his expression thoughtful. "Non, wait. Hughie might have a point. If Adam takes powers from supes, what does that make him? A hero... or something else?"

Adam's head snapped toward Frenchie. "I'm not like them. I'm doing this to fight back, to stop Vought."

"And yet," Frenchie said, his voice calm, "you can only stop them by becoming one of them."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

A Minor Mission

Later that night, the team piled into Frenchie's van, the tension lingering but unspoken. Butcher had insisted on a quick reconnaissance mission to clear their heads—a supe working as a Vought informant had been spotted at a local nightclub.

"Just surveillance," Butcher had said, though his tone left room for interpretation.

The nightclub pulsed with music and flashing lights, its crowd oblivious to the danger lurking in the shadows. Adam followed Frenchie and Hughie through the back entrance, his senses on high alert.

Adam stiffened. "We're not alone."

"No shit," Frenchie muttered, gesturing toward the crowded dance floor.

Butcher's voice crackled through their earpieces. "Target's in the VIP section. Don't get spotted."

Hughie peeked around a corner, his eyes widening. "There's two of them. I thought there was only supposed to be one!"

"Plans change," Butcher replied coolly. "Stick to the objective."

Frenchie grinned, pulling a small gadget from his pocket. "Time to test your powers, mon ami. Shall we?"

Adam hesitated, the weight of his pending choice pressing down on him. He activated invisibility, his body fading from view. Moving silently, he weaved through the crowd, his focus locked on the VIP section.

"Great," Adam muttered under his breath.

Inside the VIP lounge, the two supes were deep in conversation. One was tall and muscular, his skin glowing faintly under the blacklight. The other was petite but exuded an aura of quiet menace.

"I don't like this," the taller one said. "We shouldn't even be here."

"Relax," the other replied. "We're just here to report back. Vought's got bigger plans, and we're a part of it."

Adam crept closer, his heart pounding as he strained to catch every word.

"You think they'll actually use him?" the taller one asked.

"They're not just going to use him," the smaller one said with a smirk. "They're going to unleash him."

Back at the Safehouse

The mission had ended without incident, but the words Adam had overheard lingered in his mind. Back at the safehouse, he replayed the conversation for the team.

"'Unleash him'? Who are they talking about?" Hughie asked, his voice tinged with fear.

"Could be anyone," Butcher replied, though his expression darkened. "Or anything."

Adam sat in silence, his thoughts swirling. The choice between invisibility and hard skin felt trivial compared to the bigger picture. But the system's reminder cut through his thoughts like a blade.

"I need to decide," Adam said aloud, drawing the team's attention.

Frenchie tilted his head. "What are you leaning toward?"

"Invisibility helps us sneak around, gather intel. But hard skin... it's survival. If I'm going up against whatever Vought is planning, I need to stay alive."

"Hard skin," Butcher said firmly. "End of debate."

"But what if we need stealth?" Hughie countered.

"We need someone who can take a hit," Butcher snapped.

Adam stood, his expression conflicted. "This isn't just a tactical decision. It's about who I am and who I want to be."

The team exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of Adam's words settling over them.

"We'll support whatever you decide," Frenchie said finally. "But you don't have much time."

Adam nodded, retreating to the corner of the room. As the system's timer ticked down, he felt the enormity of his choice pressing down on him. This wasn't just about powers—it was about the kind of fighter he wanted to become.