MIB Headquarters Tower.
The original building had been smashed to pieces by Black King and Homelander, so this one was rebuilt later.
With the Department of Defense at its back and the occasional cheque from Vought, buying a skyscraper in New York was child's play for MIB.
Especially when they also had the "Kryptonian Consortium" bankrolling them.
Fang Yuan was rolling in cash.
These days MIB had become a force to be reckoned with, famous far beyond the city.
Its internal structure was fully fleshed out: logistics, intelligence, armed divisions—the works. Most important of all, of course, was The Boys.
"Black King, Deputy Director Susan from the CIA is here," reported Sara, the Fever Woman.
Since Sara's power was useless outside very specific situations, Fang Yuan had made her his personal assistant.
At least she was warmer than the others, and he knew her inside out.
Double-Hole Girl had also wanted the job, but Fang Yuan declined—he wasn't that adventurous.
He enjoyed bonding with pretty girls, yet not every pretty girl would do.
Take Claw Woman: if Black King made a move, she'd happily add another boyfriend, but Fang Yuan just couldn't get past his misgivings.
Having publicly captured several Vought superheroes, MIB's record was impeccable, so official cooperation was inevitable.
The CIA was the most eager.
The Agency had kept Vought in its cross-hairs for years, convinced the company was a national threat and up to shady business, yet they'd never gathered enough evidence to act.
What they couldn't accomplish, MIB had delivered.
"Recruiting Superhumans to fight superhumans—clever."
Meeting Black King, Deputy Director Susan sighed in admiration.
She studied the mask on his face. "I thought every Superhuman was under Vought's thumb."
Black King being a super was public knowledge, and the CIA had investigated him—turning up nothing.
Fang Yuan sized Susan up; she'd been a beauty in her youth, but even beauties age.
"What brings you here?" he asked.
By "you" he meant the pair: Susan and the man behind her.
A black-trench-coated, arrogance-sculpted figure.
Billy Butcher.
Nicknamed Butcher, star of The Boys.
He and Susan used to be lovers; now he was more or less unemployed, so his presence spelled trouble.
Susan took over: "We know MIB dropped the Lamplighter probe for lack of evidence—well, we have it."
She glanced at Butcher; he promptly produced a file.
"This details the civilians Lamplighter once murdered," Billy Butcher said.
"Event description?"
Fang Yuan knew it must cover the incident in which Lamplighter, trying to silence Colonel Mallory, had incinerated the wrong people—Mallory's entire family.
Colonel Mallory, CIA chief, had headed the first incarnation of The Boys; in the story, Butcher, Frenchie and Mothers Milk had all served under her.
Fang Yuan played dumb, skimmed the file, and replied flatly, "There's no hard proof Lamplighter lit the fire."
"Show this to Lamplighter and he'll confess," Butcher said with absolute certainty.
"Ever since MIB's success I've hunted for a wedge against Vought; Lamplighter is perfect."
Billy Butcher's words seethed with rage. "I've tailed and tested him—he's still drowning in guilt."
Butcher hated Superhumans because his wife Becca had been raped by Homelander and then vanished.
From that day on he became the Butcher, sworn to destroy Homelander.
In Fang Yuan's view whether it was rape remained debatable, yet his sympathy for Butcher was undimmed.
The Boys' number-one cuckold.
Fang Yuan, who knew the plot, was aware that Butcher's wife hadn't died at all; she'd borne Homelander a son and, on her deathbed, begged Butcher to raise the boy.
And Butcher had agreed!
Some Butcher—Fang Yuan figured Gotham suited him better.
They could always use another Joker there.
Still, as leader of the protagonist squad, Butcher had skills; his plan to break Lamplighter's conscience was solid.
Once Lamplighter cracked, MIB and the CIA could mine him for every crime Vought had buried.
Only one problem remained—
"Since The Boys started sniffing around Lamplighter, Vought's clipped his wings; we need to snatch him," Butcher said.
"Maybe we wait—after his Retirement Ceremony Vought will relax," Susan suggested.
But both Black King and Butcher shook their heads.
"Once the ceremony's over, Vought can stash him legitimately," Billy explained.
It was Fang Yuan who spoke up and made the call: "The Retirement Ceremony will be packed, Vought's security is bound to slack off—move then."
"I'll personally lead The Boys for the public arrest; the CIA can run a covert op in parallel. Whichever side grabs Lamplighter first wins."
Susan and Butcher nodded in agreement—well, mainly Susan; as deputy CIA Director she held the authority. Butcher was just the little black guy who'd ridden in on a woman's coattails… Lamplighter's farewell was being held in New York's Washington Square, a massive event packed wall-to-wall.
He was an old-guard member of The Seven; A-Train and Deep had only joined in the last seven or eight years, while Lamplighter had served at least a decade.
His influence was huge. In Fang Yuan's eyes his superpower was ordinary: Fire Control.
Just like Pyro in the X-Men—he could manipulate flames but not create them.
Yet under Vought's marketing Lamplighter became the poster-boy for crime-fighting, enjoying worldwide fame.
Vought's self-founded "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters"—Godolkin University—was split into the Countess Crimson College of Arts and the Lamplighter College of Crime-Fighting.
Countess Crimson had been the teammate of Soldier Boy, the first Superhero soldier decades ago, showing just how Deep Lamplighter's influence ran.
Every grand feast has its end; after Lamplighter's retirement speech the ceremony was winding down.
Standing onstage while the host began the closing, Lamplighter felt a pang of melancholy.
After so many years in the job, some attachment was inevitable.
And having lasted this long, he understood all too well the truth about Vought.
On the surface he was the glorious Homelander of The Seven; after retirement he'd probably be posted as a security guard at some secret Vought facility.
That's how brutal Vought is.
Lamplighter stepped offstage. In the lull after the event, even the security detail had relaxed.
So much so that a group in black robes could blockade the backstage area without anyone noticing.
Now officially on the payroll, The Boys were far less sloppy; using their powers they slipped in fast.
Barring accidents, they'd have Lamplighter in cuffs within minutes.
Of course, the moment that line is spoken, an accident usually follows.
As members of The Seven they'd attended the ceremony; A-Train suddenly sprinted to Homelander's side. "Problem—I spotted The Boys backstage!"
"The Boys?"
Homelander gave a slight shudder.
"Black King's here?"
At the question, Invisible Man stripped and dashed off to check; his invisibility only worked while naked.
His power required him to be completely unclothed.
Moments later he raced back. "Damn it—Black King brought every last Boy, plus the CIA."
He'd also overheard the CIA plan: "Their target is Lamplighter!"
"No way they're taking him." Homelander snapped.
"I'll speed Lamplighter back to Seven Tower?" A-Train blurted.
His power was more than enough to whisk Lamplighter away in seconds.
Homelander nodded. "Good thinking!"
With Lamplighter gone The Boys could wave their evidence all they liked—it wouldn't matter.
But the instant Lamplighter and A-Train left, Black King spoke over the CIA comms: "Intel leak—Lamplighter's left the venue!"
Susan and Butcher cursed; Supers were always a headache.
Black King continued, "I'm going after him."
"But The Seven are all over the Vought side!" Susan urged.
Black King's tone was iron: "Miss this chance and we'll never find Lamplighter again."
Hearing that, Butcher muttered to Susan, "Feels like he hates Vought even more than I do."
Black King streaked toward Seven Tower; plenty saw him, Homelander included.
Spotting the direction, Homelander's face tightened—Fang Yuan was inside.
In panic he forgot his fear of Black King and bolted for Vought Headquarters.
At last Homelander intercepted Black King in front of Seven Tower.
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.
Fang Yuan, disguised as Black King, answered coldly, "Arresting Lamplighter."
"I don't care who you're after—you're not entering this building!" Homelander clenched his fists.
Fang Yuan's safety meant more to him than his terror; even knowing he couldn't win, he planted himself in the way.
What Homelander didn't realize was that the man he wanted to protect was the very one he was trying to stop.
Surprise was the name of the game.
Fang Yuan didn't waste words; the next second he struck. Though Homelander braced, Black King smashed them both through the outer wall into the tower.
By sheer chance the floor they landed on held Fang Yuan's own Stasis Pod!
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