During their conversation, The Deep suddenly pushed the door open.
"Hey, you guys got a minute?"
"Not really," Madeline said. She was about to call for an update on the hijacked flight.
"I'd really appreciate it. It'll only take a second. Please?" The Deep walked in anyway.
"I found a mission. I think it's important. I want to do it. With your permission, of course."
The Deep looked dead serious.
Madeline didn't get it. "What mission? Where?"
The Deep spread his arms wide, mimicking ocean waves. "The ocean."
"The ocean?"
"Yeah. Something awful is happening out there. The dolphins are starving. They're being abused. I can feel how bad their condition is. People need to know about this." Real sadness showed in his eyes. Sometimes having the power to talk to sea creatures really fucking sucked.
Madeline was losing patience. "Your job is the Fall Ocean Campaign."
"But that campaign sucks. I want to do something that actually matters."
Just as Madeline was about to brush him off and kick him out, Ivan spoke up.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said smoothly. "Ms. Madeline, I think The Deep has a point. We should shift the focus of the campaign. If we play it right, this could seriously boost Vought's image."
His words instantly caught Madeline's attention.
"Explain," Madeline said.
"From what I've seen, countries all over the world are getting more serious about environmental protection and sustainability. The public eats that shit up. Environmental groups are growing like crazy. Their membership numbers are big enough to swing governor elections. So I think we should tie The Deep directly to the environment. Ocean pollution is a massive issue right now. Perfect angle."
"Grab some coffee. Let's talk this through," Madeline said, pouring Ivan a cup herself.
The Deep had never gotten that treatment. He could only watch enviously as Ivan took the mug.
"Thanks. The old image Vought built for The Deep, Master of the Seven Seas, is honestly garbage. If we rebrand him as the Ocean Cleanup Ambassador or Marine Life Protector, we instantly get massive support from every environmental and animal rights group out there. His popularity would explode."
Ivan took a sip of coffee and smiled. "But the real prize is we get to stick our foot in the hundreds-of-billions-dollar environmental market under the green flag."
Madeline stayed quiet for a few seconds, then let out a low whistle. "You're more creative than I gave you credit for. I'll have Finance approve a budget right away. You're in charge of this whole thing."
"Honored."
After they left the Vice President's office, The Deep trailed behind Ivan.
"You really gonna spend money to save the dolphins?" he asked.
"Of course. But first, I need you to film a documentary with them. Make it as brutal as possible. The kind of thing people watch once and can't get out of their heads. The kind that gives them nightmares. Only then will everyone understand how bad ocean pollution really is."
At the same time, we'll run a big donation drive with you as the host."
"Thank you," The Deep said, looking genuinely grateful.
"Once the documentary's done, I'll make sure it spreads like wildfire. After that, your job is to tour every state giving speeches. Oh, and don't forget to take plenty of pictures of ocean trash. Best if you get shots of fish or dolphins that died because of it."
Ivan stopped walking and looked The Deep straight in the eyes. "I know what you care about most. Right now, I'm the only one who can actually help you. That means I can stop the ocean protection efforts anytime I want… or I can pour even more money into saving your sea friends."
"Madeline and the rest don't understand you. You already know that."
The Deep, being a grown man, caught the threat loud and clear.
"What do you want from me?" he asked seriously.
Ivan smiled. "Don't worry about it yet. You'll find out later."
---
High above international waters.
Inside a transatlantic flight originally headed from Paris to Chicago.
Several armed hijackers were threatening the passengers, telling them to shut the fuck up. Two bodies already lay dead on the floor from gunshot wounds. Pure panic had swallowed the entire cabin. Passengers were shaking, crying, terrified they'd be next.
"Shut your mouths!"
One of the hijackers pressed a knife to a passenger's throat.
Suddenly the cabin door behind him was ripped open from the outside. The massive pressure difference at altitude did the rest. The hijacker screamed as he was sucked straight out into the sky.
The whole plane shook violently. Screams of terror filled the cabin.
Crack!
Queen Maeve stepped into the cabin and snapped one hijacker's neck with a casual twist.
As she moved toward the last one, a bright red laser beam shot past her from behind and punched straight through the bastard's chest.
"Alright folks, it's over," Homelander said, bending down to pull the cabin door shut.
The plane quickly stopped shaking.
"Everything's safe now. You're all going to be fine."
The second he spoke, the cabin erupted in thunderous applause. Every passenger stared at Homelander with pure adoration.
"Thank you, Homelander. You're the real hero."
Homelander flashed that perfect, sunny smile.
"No, no, no… Come on, you all deserve the applause. You did great."
The clapping and cheering grew even louder.
Homelander soaked it up like a drug.
"Captain?" Queen Maeve pushed open the cockpit door and immediately sensed something wrong. Homelander noticed too. They stepped inside and found the last hijacker holding a gun to the captain's head. The co-pilot was already dead, slumped over the controls.
"Easy there, buddy. Easy," Homelander said, raising both hands.
"Relax."
The hijacker pulled the trigger anyway. The captain's head exploded.
The instant the gunshot rang out, a red laser beam sliced the hijacker diagonally in half, leaving a glowing red scar across the cockpit console.
Buzz! buzz!
The cockpit alarms blared like a pissed-off fire truck.
The whole jet started shaking hard enough to rattle teeth.
"Air traffic control! Do you copy? Come in, goddamn it!" Queen Maeve snatched the captain's headset and yelled into it.
Nothing but static and howling wind on the other end.
"Signal's dead. Can you fly this thing?" Maeve snapped at Homelander, eyes wide.
___
[]~(￣▽￣)~*
Read 12 Advance Chapters—P@t- Captain69