Act I — Static in the Wires (Ch. 1–6)
1. Cold Start — Midtown "accident": Cian saves Robin and fakes the red mist; Hughie's grief is real.
2. A Rumor With Sneakers — Butcher recruits Hughie; Cian shadows and quietly jams Vought surveillance.
3. Welcome to the City, Annie — Starlight arrives and meets the machine; Cian clocks her sincerity from afar.
4. Glass Cage Tricks ★ — Translucent hunt, capture; Cian plants an EMP scrambler; Homelander shown a smear of "the storm."
5. The Boy Who Pressed the Button — Translucent's death lands; Cian keeps the cover intact and wipes stray cameras.
6. Thunder Clause — Mallory/Edgar formalize the unspoken: Cian remains rumor and leash; Homelander grows curious/angry.
Act II — Manufactured Miracles (Ch. 7–14)
7. Speed Kills — A-Train's race, arrhythmic heart; Cian confirms V-abuse and starts a paper trail.
8. Door Without a Handle — Cian locates the Triad lab; first silent spark between him and the imprisoned Kimiko.
9. The Female Escapes ★ — Two-second time freeze; Cian frees Kimiko surgically, then lets The Boys "find" her.
10. What Hope Sounds Like — After Deep's assault, Annie's first cracks in faith; Cian ensures her venue mic can't be cut.
11. Popclaw, Dominoes — Popclaw spirals; Cian tags A-Train's pickups; Butcher suspects a "ghost ally."
12. Belief Management — Believe Expo: Annie breaks script; Cian chooses restraint in the crowd; PR battle ignites.
13. The Plane — Homelander/Maeve failure; Cian does not intervene, and the choice scars him.
14. Quiet Lightning — Rooftop scene: Cian and Kimiko wordlessly bond; The Deep meets the Collective's velvet leash.
Act III — Teeth Behind the Smile (Ch. 15–20)
15. Nursery of Gods ★ — Infant-V farms raid; Cian deploys surgical EMPs to prevent collateral; Butcher notices "help."
16. The Congresswoman Calls — Neuman pings Cian: sparring, chemistry, and a tentative pact—proof for policy.
17. GreyWatch Wants Its Dog — CIA pressure to leash Cian; he refuses. Mallory backs him, half proud, half terrified.
18. Ledger Fever — Cian steals Vought shipping logs hinting at global black sites / G-Men revival.
19. Paranoia Altitude — Edgar lets Homelander glimpse a clearer Cian frame; storms gather behind Homelander's smile.
20. Fault Lines — Annie learns about V-babies; Hughie lies to her; Cian chooses not to fix their honesty for them.
Act IV — The Smile and the Storm (Ch. 21–24)
21. Hostages of Narrative — Butcher targets Stillwell; Mallory begs caution; Cian positions himself as silent failsafe.
22. The Milk Turns Sour ★ — Stillwell dies; Cian holds the line offstage to keep Homelander from escalating to city-level massacre.
23. The House at the End of the Street — Homelander reveals Becca and Ryan to Butcher; deterrent remains rumor, not war.
24. Epilogues & Open Files —
Neuman receives Cian's curated V-registry skeleton: "Set the terms."
Robin watches Hughie on TV from a safehouse, chooses to stay hidden—for now.
Vought Black Division drawers marked LAMPLIGHTER—TISSUE slide open.
Homelander stares at a blank screen, hearing thunder on a clear night.
Cian and Kimiko share a quiet, human moment: two immortals choosing warmth over spectacle.
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POV Map (rotating)
Primary: Cian, Hughie, Annie, Butcher
Secondary (sprinkled): Mallory, Kimiko (terse/internal), Homelander, Neuman
Power/Plot Guardrails (to keep stakes high)
Time control cap: ±3 seconds local; extended use causes cognitive burn.
Rumor rule: Cian avoids public heroics; deterrent must remain a shadow.
Collateral ethics: surgical EMPs only; hospitals and civilians prioritized.
Kill line: lethal only for imminent mass harm (Lamplighter exception stands).
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If you're good with this structure, I can start Chapter 1: Cold Start (novel style) right away.