The Good Life: Crumbling Foundations (ch. 26) (Patreon)

"The obstacles are being removed as we speak. You should be sworn in by the end of the day," Stan Edgar said, speaking into an untraceable phone that he very rarely found occasion to use. He sat in a chair, flanked by concrete walls while he tore open a package of mochi sweets with his freehand. A powerful headache throbbing between his temples and a feeling of exhaustion that cut bone deep. None of this could be found in his tone as he managed to open the package and pop one of them in his mouth.

The taste of faintly sweet melon flavor washed over his tongue and he was already itching to snack on another while his daughter spoke. "I've made the necessary preparations. I have enough support to launch my platform. Anti-supe measurements have become a hot topic, and I can rally enough to push the legislation through." Victoria replied, sounding as calm and collected as he did. Stan knew better. She was as stressed as he was with the latest… situation.

Despite his best efforts, Heartless hadn't managed to destroy America. Oh, he came close. Dangerously close. But, even in this scenario, the government had a plan and a path forward. The chain of command still existed. Senators and members of congress were all being sworn in and briefed on the situation. Military leaders were promoted. It was messier than it was on paper, as things often were, with some people in designated positions for advancement refusing out of fear of being targeted.

In the meantime, Stan was left scrambling to stack the deck in Vought's favor. In some cases, spies he had planted suddenly found themselves in positions of influence. In others, he was forced to manufacture blackmail to extort the newly risen senators and governors. Heartless didn't realize it, but he had tossed Vought a lifeline by paving the way for his adoptive daughter's ascension to the oval office.

"I'm forwarding you the rough draft of the nationalization of Vought," Victoria continued. Nationalization. A less than ideal outcome, but given their circumstances, it was their only option. Their stock price had plummeted to the lowest it had been in fifty years. And it would be lower without the market manipulation Stan has done to ensure that it didn't bottom out entirely. "You aren't going to like it-"

"I can tolerate nearly anything so long as the company survives," Stan interjected, his tone sharp. "Compound V will become a state secret, with Vought acting as a public arm." In a way, he would get what he wanted -- Supes in the military. Only the price was a thousand times higher than he had been prepared to pay. He would lose control over the company, Vought would answer directly to the US government, and their secrets… would be completely exposed to those that they were answerable to.

Which left him creating black sites -- off the record locations that would continue the research necessary to advance Compound V. The creation of stabilized Temp V was barely a year or two away. Their research into stabilizing and controlling Supes, such as with the Woods, was another project that couldn't afford to be impeded by red tape.

"The outline is that Vought will be nationalized for a period of twenty years and rebranded. Draw up a short list of necessary project leads to protect and some sacrificial lambs for the public," Victoria continued. Despite the immense stress they were both under, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pride. Victoria might not be his blood, but she was his daughter. "Naturally, you would be one of those sacrificial lambs."

Stan smiled, "Naturally." His sentence had already been decided -- fifteen years in prison. A luxurious one where he would continue to be the guiding hand for Vought until a suitable replacement could be found. Madelyn had been his first choice, but she had been… missing. Her office was deliberately targeted by Bombastic on the first night of this… farce. Without her, he was forced to train a replacement before he would retire to a prison so luxurious that it would make Pablo Escabar envious. "I will prepare both lists. However, our greater concern is national attention. Europe is in disarray."

Heartless was good at what he did. Stan would acknowledge that. By destabilizing America so thoroughly, Europe was trembling from the shockwaves. The EU was in large part a worthless organization, but that was only when the world was at peace. America had long since supported it to foster closer ties with Europe, which included spending upwards of eight hundred billion dollars annually on funding the EU's military arm. That money not only vanished, there was significant doubt that America, the world's policing force, would be in a position to honor its military promises.

Russia was immediately making moves, rejoicing in America's plight while dangerous conversations of reforming the Soviet Union were whispered throughout the Kremlin. China was already posturing, and their invasion of Taiwan and South Korea were imminent. To say nothing of smaller forces that had been reliant on US funding or humanitarian aid suddenly going without in the foreseeable future.

Heartless had turned the world into a powder keg. All it would take is one spark and the world would go straight to hell.

"Militarization of Supes won't be accepted, and lower grade variations of Compound V will need to be shared with our allies," Victoria said, telling him that she was on top of it. "But it will take a great deal of work to undo the damage that Heartless has done to the reputations of Supes. I have reports of D-listers being attacked in the streets." He had similar reports. Supes had gone from the chosen children of God to corporate manufactured creations… and with all that had happened, they were now a persecuted minority.

Most Supes would be fine physically. They couldn't be overpowered or seriously injured with normal weapons. However, it would have a domino effect as those with power would respond to the aggressive actions of humans, and they would lash out. Using their experiences as an excuse. The dominoes would fall, leading to… anarchy.

"Retrieval teams are on standby," Stan replied. Then he received a message on his monitor. "The interrogation will begin shortly. I will be forwarding you all that we learn."

"I look forward to it," Victoria replied, ending the call. For a moment, Stan sat on his chair and took a breath. There was so much that needed to be done. He needed to finalize the layoffs prior to the nationalization for smoother integration. He needed to coordinate with marketing and their retrieval teams. Above all else, he needed to look at the Seven as they had a number of holes to fill. Godolkin University was their talent pool, the school's top ten merely a formality to drum up expectation and a fantasy prior to joining.

This year's talent had promise, even if some of them came with complications. Golden Boy was a prime example, as he was reportedly unstable despite his powerful ability. Worse, Homelander was tugging at the leash and he would feel replaced by Golden Boy.

Madelyn was gone. Murdered by Heartless by all appearances. The infatuation that had been cultivated as a means to keep him in check was gone. Ryan, his son, showed no sign of developing any powers. Meaning, at the moment… the only thing that stopped Homelander from ripping the leash out of his hands was that the thought hadn't occurred to him. Much like a bull that was taught that it couldn't escape a fence it could jump over, it never thought to make the attempt.

But that was changing. Soon, Homelander would realize that he was free to do as he liked and that… that had very dangerous implications.

Standing up, Stan ate the other mochi treat, despite knowing that he shouldn't. He was on a strict diet and workout regimen prescribed by a life coach to counteract the physical toll that the job had on his body. His heart was weakening dangerously and he was forced to eliminate his methods of dealing with the stress one by one. However, the one he struggled with the most was cutting out sugar. So, he savored the taste and folded the wrapper, leaving the last treat to be saved for later.

Three a day. That was his self imposed limit. So far, he had eaten two in the last hour.

Adjusting his tie, Stan left his office to see the unmarked concrete walls of a military black site. He strode through the halls, already knowing his way -- it had been a good forty years, but he was here once before during his tenure working with the CIA. His dress shoes clicking against the floor echoed out as he neared the designated interrogation room. He stepped into a dull room, standing behind a two way mirror.

Inside of the interrogation room was Devil's Child. Name unknown.

She was a beautiful woman, Stan reflected, perfectly in control as he looked into the room. Early to mid twenties, black hair, blue eyes, a prominent nose, with skin holding a natural light tan. She was stripped naked -- an old interrogation tactic, as it heightened the sensation of vulnerability -- revealing her rather large breasts, flat stomach, and wide hips. She was standing, her body pulled into an X with chains binding her arms and legs. In each corner of the room were remote controlled turrets that would blast her to pieces if there was any sign of her power being used.

Her expression, however, betrayed nothing. Completely blank. There was not so much as a hint of fear in her eyes.

And, for the briefest of seconds, Stan's hatred for Heartless swelled. "Devil's Child. I suspect you understand why you are here?" Stan questioned, pressing a button to activate the intercom. Supernova had been a godsend, and their further investigation within Heartless' organization itself revealed that Devil's Child took point in a vast number of Heartless' operations.

In the span of eight months, Heartless went from nothing to nearly toppling the world's only true Superpower. An organization that didn't exist one moment became the number one terrorist organization in the world the next.

"I suppose I do," Devil's Child replied, a cold smile tugging at her lips. "What shall it be? Splinters under the nails? Truth serum? Rape and disfigurment?" She asked, tilting her head as she stared straight ahead at the two way mirror, as if she could see him. Stan glanced at her monitor to see that her heartbeat wasn't elevated. She was calm as she could be.

More than anything else, this was why he hated Heartless. "You are the mastermind behind Heartless," Stan began. Heartless was a moron. An idiot every bit as short sighted and foolish as Homelander was. With any luck, they would kill one another in the ensuing battle, but Stan wouldn't hold his breath. "You pull his strings."

Stan would murder however many people it took if it meant he ended up with someone like Devil's Child in the Seven. Or just for Vought. Stan would even settle for her just working for him alone. Devil's Child was everything that he could have ever wanted in a corporate Supe -- good looking for the optics, competent and knowledgeable, and she used her power excellently. And Heartless had her. It was a pointless and petty jealousy, but he hated him for it that much more.

"I hope you don't expect me to answer these questions willingly. I do have my pride as a criminal," Devil's Child replied coolly. She wasn't hiding behind a mask of ignorance, or daring to think that her rights would be applied in a black site. That told Stan that she knew exactly what to expect.

He grit his teeth. It was such a waste. Worse, due to the public use of her powers, he couldn't offer a rebrand. "Heartless has stolen most of the spotlight. Something that you intended, I imagine. It would be a simple thing for you to… vanish." He offered instead, "Reveal all that you know of your organization and actions, and it can be arranged. You wouldn't be free. But, a woman with your talent and powers, I suspect that you would find yourself with room to negotiate privileges."

He didn't care what she had done. If he lacked guile, then he never would have reached his position. He doctored evidence for murders, blackmailed rape victims, and covered for genocidal racists -- there were no limits, and nothing was off the table. Stan Edgar couldn't care less about the chaos that she had wrought across the world. And, perhaps, that was a double standard. If it was Heartless in the interrogation room… Stan would be biting at the bit to kill him with his bare hands. Devil's Child, however…

What could they accomplish?

After the true Heartless was dead, Devil's Child could control crime within America in his name. The supervillains under her umbrella… they could perform on the greatest stage of all. With Devil's Child under their thumb, victories could be arranged as if it were the WWE. America would always have a clear other and common enemy, opening up countless possibilities both domestically and internationally. Destabilizing rival governments, assassinations… and if it was her, Stan had absolute faith that such an arrangement wouldn't be compromised. Devil's Child simply was that good.

Devil's Child simply smiled thinly, telling Stan his answer. Disappointing, but not unexpected. She would need to be shown the stick before she would see the benefits of making a deal. He wanted her. A bomb in her brain would act as a suitable method of managing her. But more than anything else, he wanted a name.

He wanted Heartless.

Using another intercom, he said, "Send them in." He instructed before two people entered the room.

Mesmer was an unfortunate case. An extremely useful power, if not overly flashy, but he was ultimately too stupid and short sighted to be trusted with the secrets he might stumble across. Which is why Stan had decided to destroy him by leaking his insider trading habit -- ruining his reputation, and ensuring that he wouldn't find any secrets that Vought so jealously guarded. He was a round man -- thinning brown hair, short, and skittish as he entered the room. Stan had to stop himself from rolling his eyes when Mesmer immediately looked upon Devil's Child with blatant lust.

The second person that entered the room was a loan, of sorts. Cate Dunlap, a student at Godwin University -- lover of Golden Boy. Genuine affection, though it was being investigated to see if she had mind controlled him. Young, blonde hair and blue eyes, pretty -- Stan could see her testing well with marketing. Tek Knight had filled the void that Mesmer left behind, but soon Tek Knight would be dead due to a brain tumor. If he wasn't ruined due to his… indiscretions first.

Her power was a useful one -- genuine telepathy was rare, and it usually came with its own problems. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders were common when it did show up. Even those that managed to sidestep those issues like Cate did… hearing the thoughts of everyone around you was a very quick way to mental instability. Even rarer still, Cate had the ability to control the minds of others.

"Is this… her?" Mesmer asked, drinking in the sight of Devil's Child. Cate was more afraid than nervous. Understandable, really.

Stan didn't bother answering. Instead, he pressed down on the speaker, "What is her name?" Start small and build up. Names. Locations. Dates. Sooner or later, Devil's Child would see that her opportunity to make a deal was vanishing with each secret that was extracted from her. With arrangements such as these, it was best to lead the horse to water and hold their head under until they drank it.

Mesmer stepped forward before reaching up to touch her hand, pretending that he hadn't been considering touching her breast. The first display of emotion flickered across Devil Child's face as Mesmer used his power. He could bring forth the memories of others and examine them. It took him a moment, and in a voice that reminded Stan of his poor acting as a child, he answered. "Nico… Nico Robin. First Name Robin, last name Nico," he answered with the faintest of tremors in his voice.

The now named Robin seemed faintly annoyed. "How unexpected. You are capable of using your Supes competently," she made a jab. Another time, he might make an argument. Before Heartless… stupid Supes had been easy to manage. Their powers made them special, but everything human about them? It was better for everyone if they were easy to manipulate.

What would the world look like if Homelander wasn't a narcissistic idiot? If he could plan and plot maliciously? Combined with his power, he would be unstoppable. Even the Deep… Deep could be one of the most dangerous supes in the world -- if he organized the schools of fish, whales, and everything in between… He could halt global trade. He could undermine bridges. He could collapse the fishing industry by spreading how to break out of the nets.

Deep could wage war on the world, claiming the seas for sealife, but he never would because he was an idiot.

It wasn't a mistake that most Supes couldn't properly leverage their powers. It was by design that they got them addicted to fame, drugs, and influence.

"The name of Heartless?" Stan asked, and he hadn't quite managed to keep the eagerness out of his voice. Mesmer nodded, using his power once again and Robin's heart monitor spiked. From a resting eighty bpm to over a hundred. Her lips thinned and through the cameras, Stan saw that Mesmer looked confused. His concentration grew more intense-

"Sh-she's fighting me!" Mesmer yelped as he yanked his hand back as if he had been burned. Stan fought off a frown -- he hadn't been aware that was possible.

"Cate. Aid Mesmer in extracting the information," he instructed. Cate flinched and Stan realized his tone was shorter than he intended. No matter, it had the desired effect as the young woman took off a leather glove to place her hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Answer the question," Cate ordered and Robin's heart-rate spiked again. A hundred and twenty bpm. The calm and collected mask that she wore fractured into an open grimace as Robin bit her lip, as if to prevent the words from leaving her mouth. She clenched her eyes shut as her heart started to pound -- one thirty to one forty.

Stan didn't often find himself impressed by anyone, but the fact that she was able to resist the dual probing and mind control for even a second managed to impress him. All the same, it wasn't something that she had a hope of overcoming. "John… Rogers," the name heaved out of her and bullets of sweat dripped from her face while a thin line of blood began to fall from her nose. Even the slightest bit of resistance was taxing.

Instantly, looked to his terminal and saw results appearing that could be potential matches. John Rogers. And… there was nothing. Oh, there were people with the name -- but they didn't fit the physical profile at all. Too old, too fat, wrong skin color. If it wasn't for the fact that she was mind controlled to answer, Stan might have assumed that she made it up. However, it was a second later that one file was tagged, marking it as something unusual. Opening it, he didn’t find what he expected to see

A double homicide.

Mr. and Mrs Rogers were both found dead in their trailer on the outskirts of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A rather brutal murder -- a quick look at the scene photos showed it was as if someone had painted the trailer with blood. A cold case, a near year later… but Stan saw it. He spent the better part of his life analyzing and understanding powers. The lack of evidence, the messiness of it… he saw traces of a style that was rapidly becoming familiar to Stan.

Those were Heartless' parents. The records indicated that they never had a child… yet, in a frame was a younger Mr. and Mrs. Rogers holding a small baby.

“You erased his identity,” Stan remarked, finding it to be the most likely scenario. A complete and clean wipe. Social security, birth certificate, school records -- all of it. A complete wipe so thorough that the US government was struggling to produce evidence that he existed at all. It would be a perfect one if it wasn’t for the hard evidence left behind. A photo of a photo. “To obscure his origins.”

Robin didn’t deny the accusation. That would have been a difficult job. A more in depth investigation would be required to see if all hard records had been destroyed, but Stan was willing to guess that they were. Robin didn’t strike him as someone who would leave a job half finished.

Yet, her gaze remained defiant. "Continue the interrogation," Stan instructed and both of them were provided with questions to ask. And Robin fought every single question, each answer was wrenched out of her with the grace of a pulled tooth. But, despite her defiance, bit by bit, they took the information. Where the money was located. Where the weapons. Who was involved. Who put them up to this, and with each question she answered, Stan felt his certainty start to slip.

He had been convinced that Robin was merely using Law as a puppet to draw attention away from her. Yet…

"I don't know," Robin gasped between clenched teeth. Blood dripped down her chin, falling onto her breasts that heaved as she struggled to control her breathing.

"How can you possibly not know?" Stan questioned, his tone sharp. "Ask her again!" He snapped at Cate with more force than he intended. His headache was returning with a dull throb in the back of his skull.

Cate swallowed thickly, "What are Heartless' intentions."

"I don't know," Robin sighed, answering the question easier now that she wasn't trying to fight the mind control.

Stan's lips thinned, a question on the tip of his tongue that he was forced to swallow down. Instead, he asked, "What do you believe his intentions to be?" He tried in the hopes that he would get a different answer.

Robin gave him a sly, if exhausted, smile. "I don't know," she answered after Cate forced her to. Even Mesmer confirmed that she didn't know with a touch, nodding at one of the cameras.

This time the question leapt from his lips, "Then why do you work with Heartless?" Stan demanded to know because he couldn't make sense of it. Robin was frighteningly competent with her powers and with how she built the organization. Obeying the whims of a lunatic made no sense to him.

This question, it seemed, she had no issue answering. "Because I can understand him," Robin replied, a soft almost tender note in her voice. "I understand what it is like to hate the world and want to make it feel it. On a whim, I chose to help him rather than murder him because I wanted to see how far he would go." Her smile became more sardonic, "I never imagined that I would be the one captured, admittedly. However, I suppose this is the end of the line."

As she spoke the words, she closed her eyes. Acceptance, if Stan had to call it anything. Acceptance that this was the consequences of her actions. What a waste.

"Heartless is a narcissist. There is little point in your resistance. He won't acknowledge it, or make a rescue," Stan tried to reason with her. It would be such a terrible waste…

Robin's smile grew a fraction, "I'm well aware that he will not rescue me. In the end, I'm another pawn. He is quite happy to sacrifice them if it amuses him -- your raids and capture of members of the Eight were proof of that. He was overjoyed with their capture. I wonder what his reaction to mine will be?" Robin mused, sounding ambivalent about the entire thing, but Stan heard the undercurrent of bitterness.

"Knowing that, you still chose to be loyal?" He asked, a sigh in his voice. A bitter unnecessary waste.

"I could not accomplish what I desired, but that doesn't mean he can't," Robin answered. Then she chuckled, "But the truth of the matter is… I don't believe even Heartless understands what he wants."

Stan opened his mouth only to be cut off by an alarm to suddenly start blaring. Cate and Mesmer both flinched at the sound while Stan went to the security alert to see that it was marked red. A video window appeared at his prompting, giving him a decent angle of who was attacking the black site.

A dark skinned woman, with dark purple hair, who was completely naked -- she stood across from Mirko, who was guarding the entrance even if she didn't know what this place truly was. She was completely unashamed of her nudity and she wore a dangerous smile that was matched by the one on Mirko's face before both women blurred into action. Stan felt the slight tremors of their clash all the way down in the bunker.

"So," Stan heard a familiar voice say, even if he had never heard it unfiltered. His attention snapped up to see Heartless standing in the interrogation room -- Mesmer was bound in the same manner that Robin had been, Cate backing away in shocked terror. As Heartless spoke, he draped his jacket over Robin's shoulders, who looked up at him with what Stan could only describe as disbelief.

Then, slowly, Heartless turned to him and through the two way mirror, their eyes met.

"I think it's about time we had a talk."