A week later, Ivan got an invite from Starlight and showed up at Ezekiel's big faith expo, the annual "Samaritan's Embrace" charity gala.
Starlight used to come every year as a kid. Back then, the opening night was the highlight of her whole year, the one time she got to see real supes up close instead of just on TV.
"Hard to believe it's only been a year," Starlight said beside him. "Everything feels completely different now."
"That's normal," Ivan replied as they walked side by side down the gravel path. "Only from up high do you see how fucked everything really is."
"I'd rather go back to being a kid. At least back then people's faith felt real and pure. Now it's all just lies and idiots." Starlight had switched back to her old costume. The reason was pure irony. Vought's own research showed her sexy new suit wasn't pulling in more male fans. Instead, it pissed off a ton of family groups. So they forced her back into the old one.
"In my opinion, this whole circus never changed. The only thing that changed is you."
"Sounds pretty deep coming from you. I'm guessing you don't believe in God," Starlight said with a small laugh.
Ivan gave a slight nod and smiled. "Nope. I only believe in myself."
While they chatted, event staff setting up the grounds spotted them and lit up.
"Hey, Deputy Director Greevs! Morning, sir. Hope you have a great time!"
"You too, man."
The worker waved and hurried off. The gala had just started and they still had a mountain of shit to do.
Starlight smirked. "How come you seem more popular than me around here?"
"Because you can't get them fired. I can."
Ivan's deadpan black humor made Starlight burst out laughing. She quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, remembering they were in public. "No wonder Ashley's always so popular."
Right then, Ivan spotted a familiar face moving through the crowd.
"Sorry, I need to step away for a bit."
"No problem."
He slipped back to his car, grabbed the change of clothes he'd stashed earlier, and ducked into a quiet corner. After making sure there were no cameras or Homelander's weird radio waves around, he shifted into Yuuji's form and headed back into the gala.
Butcher and his crew hadn't left. They'd come here specifically to snatch Ezekiel. The package they found in the girl's room made it clear the rubber bastard knew way too much about Vought's dirty secrets.
But after scouting the place, Butcher realized the security was airtight. Snatching Ezekiel in the middle of his own fucking event was damn near impossible.
While he was still trying to figure out an angle, Ivan appeared right behind him without a sound.
The second Ivan's hand touched Butcher's shoulder, Butcher grabbed it and twisted hard, snapping into military CQC. But when Ivan squeezed back, Butcher's bones creaked like they were about to snap.
"Don't freak out. It's me. I met Hughie."
"You!" Butcher let go instantly. He knew damn well the guy who could drop an invisible supe could drop him just as fast.
He turned and got his first proper look at Ivan (Who was wearing Yuuji's face). Average face. Nothing memorable. The kind of guy you'd forget two seconds after seeing him.
"I know you want to ask who I am. Save your breath. It doesn't matter," Ivan said flatly.
"How the fuck did you find us?" Butcher growled.
He was even starting to wonder if someone had stuck a tracker up his ass.
"I know you've got that video that can fuck Ezekiel over. Come with me. I'll take you straight to him." Ivan didn't bother answering the question. He just led Butcher through the crowd until they found Ezekiel up on stage, preaching like a man possessed.
The area in front of the stage was packed with Christian believers.
"You're not seriously thinking of confronting him right here, are you?" Butcher muttered. "He'll have those armed goons at the gate point their guns at us and call us terrorists trying to blow up the fucking gala." While he spoke, MM and the rest of the crew quietly moved in closer.
"Mystery man," Hughie said, surprised to see Ivan next to Butcher.
"Relax. Wait till he finishes his speech."
Ivan's eyes never left Ezekiel.
The rubber bastard was actually pretty good at this. His voice was magnetic, full of fire. He was selling the idea that supes were God's chosen children, reinforcing their holy status in people's minds while making Vought sound like divine fucking messengers.
"Why can Homelander fly? Why can A-Train run so fast?" Ezekiel spread his arms wide. Right in front of the gasping crowd, both arms stretched like rubber, extending ridiculously long.
The believers screamed in delight.
"How can I embrace the whole world with arms full of love? Why were we chosen? Because of God! Because we were born with His power! Because we believe!"
The speech killed. The crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
"Give me the video," Ivan said quietly. "I'll get you the intel you want." He pulled out a diamond-tier VIP pass that guaranteed a private meeting with Ezekiel.
The things cost fifteen thousand dollars a pop on the open market, but being a Vought executive had its perks. Ivan could grab them whenever he felt like it.
Hughie pulled out his phone, hesitating as he glanced at Butcher.
Ivan saw Butcher give a small nod.
Only then did Hughie pull up the video on his phone and hand it over.
"Wait here."
Ivan took the phone and headed straight for Ezekiel's private lounge.
Watching him walk away, MM looked uneasy. "You sure we can trust that guy? He shows up and vanishes like a ghost. If he screws us over, we'll never find him again."
"Relax," Butcher said, adjusting his shades. "He's more reliable than you lot."
On the other side, Ivan used the diamond VIP pass to slip straight into Ezekiel's rest area.
"Oh, buddy, you picked a terrible time," Ezekiel said while a makeup artist touched up his face. "I'm about to head out for a prayer circle. If you don't mind waiting, it'll be about an hour."
The so-called prayer circle was just a bunch of people sitting around spilling their problems while Ezekiel gave them bullshit answers in God's name. Classic Vought show. Most of the "chosen" attendees were two-hundred-dollar-an-hour actors.
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Read 12 Advance Chapters—P@t- Captain69