At the nearby hospital.
Hughie and Robin shared a ward.
On their beds, the two sighed in relief after a reporter's interview.
On a bed by the window, A-Train, wrapped in bandages with only his eyes visible, glared with fury.
"You two didn't tell the truth. Why not tell the reporters he hit me?"
He shakily pointed at Charlie, who was cutting fruit.
Charlie turned. "Me, hit you? Come on, I'm a good guy."
Hughie looked puzzled. "Who hit you? Didn't you crash into my electronics store because your powers went haywire?"
"It's not your store," Robin corrected. "But I'd love for you to open your own shop—you as boss, me as the boss's lady."
"I'll make it happen," Hughie promised, meeting Robin's affectionate gaze.
Their love filled the air, enraging A-Train further.
"Assholes, if I wasn't injured, I'd ram you both to death!"
"No, no, that's too aggressive. It doesn't fit The Seven's justice vibe," Carter said, entering the room.
"Captain!"
A-Train's eyes lit up at the new captain.
The old captain, Homelander, might've forced him to hush up or publicly apologize for image reasons.
But the new captain needed to establish authority in The Seven and would surely help him get justice.
That's what A-Train thought.
He was wrong.
Carter approached Charlie. "A-Train's powers could go out of control anytime, so he's been kicked out of The Seven. There's an open spot now. You can join."
"What?"
A-Train and Hughie were stunned.
"Captain, no, you can't do this! I'm a founding member of The Seven! G'iah won't agree—"
"She already did."
At that moment, Old Steve walked in, arm around a "bashful" G'iah. A-Train's despair deepened.
"How could this happen?" His eyes brimmed with sorrow.
He wanted to roar about the unfairness, but his paralyzed body couldn't.
Just crashing into an electronics store left him crippled?
His body wasn't that fragile.
So…
It hit him.
"It was you! You did this on purpose! I'm telling the chairman, I'm reporting you—"
"Screw you."
Old Steve slapped A-Train unconscious, then turned to Charlie. "Now no one can stop us."
Charlie: "…"
Damn, pulling strings in front of everyone without even pretending.
That's a real villain.
Hughie and Robin were floored.
The Seven, the world's most celebrated superhero team, had internal issues like this?
Unfair, opaque, unjust—a bunch of clowns.
No, a gang of bandits.
Superpowered robbers.
It shattered their worldview.
But Charlie's response rocked them even more.
"I! Refuse!"
A spotlight seemed to shine on Charlie.
"A partner of justice doesn't team up with evil superheroes. I won't join you!"
Pointing at Carter and Old Steve, hand on hip, he declared, "I know Vought's secrets. As long as I'm here, you'll pay for your actions one day!"
"Secrets?"
Old Steve and Carter exchanged confused looks.
G'iah's face darkened, staring at Charlie. "Darling, grab him."
Before she finished, Old Steve slapped her hard, the stinging pain leaving her stunned.
"What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?"
Old Steve grabbed her hair, sneering. "You telling me what to do?"
"I—I didn't mean it. You're hurting me." G'iah was spooked by his face.
Old Steve snorted, letting go. "Next time, I won't mind making you the second A-Train."
"I—"
G'iah wanted to snap back, but knowing Old Steve's insane strength, she held her tongue.
Her experience told her Steve and Carter weren't good people.
Unlike Homelander, they had no obvious weaknesses. Until she found a way to control them, she'd play it safe.
She regretted letting them join The Seven.
But if she hadn't, these two lunatics might've taken her out already.
Uncontrolled superhumans could cause disasters—she knew that better than anyone.
So, she lowered her proud head.
"I understand."
"Good."
Having tamed G'iah, Old Steve strutted, showing off to Charlie.
Charlie could only give a thumbs-up.
Men turn bad with money.
But Old Steve, still a broke old man, was worse than he'd imagined.
Hitting a woman?
Super bad.
The farce ended, and Carter's group left the hospital.
Before going, G'iah gave Charlie a deep look.
The guy who took out A-Train wasn't ordinary.
And with Old Steve and Carter backing him, who was he?
As she pondered, Old Steve backhanded her again.
"What are you looking at? Don't think I can't see you eyeing Spider-Man's handsome face and ripped physique. Look again, and I'll gouge your eyes out. Let's go home."
"Sorry, I won't do it again."
Charlie: "…"
Did violence really tame a woman like that?
Old Steve taught him a brutal lesson.
After they left, Hughie and Robin snapped out of it.
From excitement to shattered worldviews, they were speechless.
Charlie approached Hughie, dead serious. "Buddy, you're the hero I need. You can save the world."
Hughie: "???"
"What?" He blinked, totally lost.
Charlie explained, "I found out Vought's planning a world-altering conspiracy. I need your help."
"Why me?"
"Because you're lucky." Charlie grinned.
Without some luck, the Boys would've been wiped out by Homelander ages ago.
He needed Hughie's luck.
Hughie was baffled.
"Watt?"
He was just an ordinary worker, bullied by any shop boss. Lucky?
Charlie shook his head. "You might not get what I mean now, but join my team, and you will."
"But—"
"No buts." Robin cut in. "We saw it. The Seven are bad guys, not superheroes. They're deceiving everyone. We have to expose their scam. It's justice."
Swayed by his girlfriend, Hughie wavered, but his cowardice kept him from opposing The Seven.
That was suicide.
Robin knew his nature and pushed harder.
"If it wasn't for Mr. Charlie, I'd have been smashed to bits by that so-called idol A-Train. We owe him, right?" She held Hughie's hand, eyes full of sincerity.
This Charlie was someone even The Seven's new captain couldn't sway. She'd seen their tangled ties.
Sticking with Charlie meant they could dig into Vought's secrets without The Seven touching them.
If it failed, no big deal—Charlie could apologize, and they'd be fine.
Hughie being chosen was a golden opportunity.
With a bit of effort, he could ride this wave to wealth.
Then her dad would approve of them.
A chance to change their fate.
Hughie couldn't stay a nobody in an electronics store forever.
Miss this, and Robin saw no future for them.
Her encouraging gaze turned faintly threatening.
Seeing her resolve, Hughie took a deep breath and agreed.
He had no choice.
Refusing meant endless arguments.
The last time, asking for a raise was their compromise after a fight.
He was weak and needed someone to decide for him.
"Fine, I'm in."
Hughie exhaled, meeting Charlie's eyes. "So, my salary really gets a forty percent bump?"
Charlie: "…"
"Of course."
"Where's our company?"
"Not set yet."
"I feel like you're scamming me."
"Nope, I'll rent a studio right now."
"When?"
"When I've got money."
"When's that?"
"Soon."
Charlie pulled out his phone.
"Hey, Steve, it's me, your pal. Lend me some cash. I need a studio to investigate you guys."
Hughie: "…"
Robin: "…"
They exchanged looks, seeing absurdity in each other's eyes.
What was wrong with the world?
Would the guy actually lend them money?
The next moment, they were floored.
On the other end, Old Steve was thrilled.
"Spider-Man, you're finally talking to me! How much do you need? I'll hustle for that old hag and get it to you."
"I'm investigating you, so I need a lot."
"No problem, I'll handle it. Be careful investigating, don't overdo it. Health comes first. Oh, I'll make that woman spill her safe code later. See if there's anything you want. I can be your inside man—hey, why'd you hang up? So rude."
Old Steve put down the phone, exasperated. G'iah's face darkened beside him.
This old guy was rotten to the core.
Carter, unfazed, said to Steve, "He's warning us. Vought's got issues. Joining The Seven might drag us down."
Old Steve nodded. "No worries. We'll cut ties with Vought soon, and we'll be fine."
G'iah: "!!!"
Saying that in front of her, not treating her like an outsider?
No, she wasn't even an insider—just a disposable tool.
Shivering, she pretended not to hear.
…
That night, Seven Tower saw internal chaos, quickly quelled.
The next day, Vought announced Translucent, one of The Seven, was retiring after Lamplighter, with no public appearance.
With A-Train still injured, the open spots in The Seven stirred countless obscure superhumans.
The Seven announced a global recruitment for new members.
Pass the test, and you're in. The world's eyes locked on The Seven.
Under the spotlight, Carter and Old Steve gained more attention, their fan points soaring.
Near Seven Tower, in an unremarkable office building.
Clark had set up a studio overnight—barely a workout for him.
In a corner, Hughie and Robin watched TV news about The Seven, exchanging looks.
"They really don't see us as enemies."
"Yeah, our studio's so close to them."
"What kind of job is this?"
"No clue. As long as it pays."
"Where's our boss?"
"Heard he's recruiting."
"Cool, wonder what kind of newbie we'll get."
"Here's the newbie."
Charlie walked in with a bearded man.
He clapped. "Everyone, meet our new employee, Mr. Butcher."
The bruised, resentful Butcher clearly wasn't here willingly.
Hughie and Robin facepalmed, clapping halfheartedly.
Charlie, pleased with their enthusiasm, waved. "Great, I feel the love for our new guy. Now, let him share what big thing he's done lately."
He stepped aside. Butcher awkwardly stepped up, tossing a briefcase on the floor.
"I found Translucent's body and uncovered a Vought secret."
"What?"
"Translucent's dead? Didn't he retire?"
Hughie and Robin were shocked. Butcher opened the briefcase, revealing bloodied crystal limbs.
Ignoring them, he turned to Charlie.
"I found Translucent's recorder. It explains The Seven's internal chaos. They're planning to break from Vought. Translucent overheard and was about to report to Vought's HQ when the new captain took him out."
"Break from Vought?"
Hughie mused, "They're fighting among themselves. This is our chance… Wait, why am I getting into this? I'm just here to work and get paid!!"
He clutched his head, freaking out. He hadn't planned to actually oppose The Seven.
Charlie publicly praised Butcher's work and assigned him a desk.
Finally, he announced the studio's first mission.
"I got intel that A-Train's secret girlfriend is hiding something called Compound V. She's our target."
He opened a map, pointing to a marker. "Right here. Move out now!"
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, disguised as a delivery guy, Charlie knocked on the target's door.
"Who is it?"
"Delivery."
"I didn't order anything… Oh my God, that kind of delivery."
The door opened, revealing a scantily clad, seductive woman. With A-Train gone so long, the lonely woman eyed the young man.
Her gaze turned suggestive.
She wanted to wreck this guy.
Charlie sensed deep malice, but the invincible Spider-Man wasn't afraid of death!
He strode into the room without hesitation.