Central Park | Tuesday Afternoon

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had taken a lot of time to think before she'd texted Hughie and said she had to meet, and suggested the bench where they'd met.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this hurt. The thing with The Deep had - sucked (ugh, phrasing) - but she'd never been...betrayed like this. She'd never had a friend who she'd thought she could count on who had just turned right around and stabbed her right in the back.

He'd been using her the whole time. Had he known who she was when they'd met? Had this entire thing just been some kind of manipulation?

She was so stupid.

And that didn't even get close to touching the sheer terror she was sublimating regarding the whole...Diego thing. Homelander knew she had a boyfriend. Homelander knew she had a boyfriend, and that she'd kept him a secret, and now Homelander thought that Diego was part of all of this, and -

When had her life gotten so messy?

Hughie	Hughie was quiet as he approached. When Annie had said that they needed to talk, he wasn't a hundred percent sure what it would be, but he had a pretty good idea. There weren't exactly a lot of options available, here. And judging from her posture, it wasn't a good thing. "Look, Annie -- " he started as he took his seat on the bench.
Annie	"Did you kill Translucent?" Annie asked immediately, turning to look at him and keeping her voice low.
Hughie	Right to the point, this one. Hughie felt like she'd knocked the wind out of him. "It -- it's not that simple."
Annie	Annie watched him, willing herself to stay calm as he shifted closer to her on the bench. "And you haven't been using me for information to get back at A-Train?"
Hughie	Hughie couldn't answer that. She already knew the truth, and he couldn't bring himself to confirm it for her, there. Not when she was already looking at him like that. So he just shifted to look down at his hands, ashamed.
Annie	Like he'd punched her in the gut, right there. Annie found her voice. "Y -- you're a murderer."
Hughie	"We didn't have a choice," Hughie told her, pleading.
Annie	"There is always a choice," Annie spat out, her anger piling on top of her hurt. Though, right now, she didn't have much of one in terms of what she had to do with him, and she had Hughie up off the bench and firmly by the arm pretty quickly.
Hughie	Well, this was bad. "Wha -- what are you doing?" Hughie asked, trying to get his arm away from her even as fruitless as he knew it would be.
Annie	"I'm taking you in," she replied, quiet and furious as she marched him across the park. She felt so stupid. Maybe this could help make it right.
Hughie	"Annie, no." Homelander would kill him. Homelander would cut off his legs with his laser eyes and then make Hughie eat them or something for what he'd done to Transluscent. He was sure of that based on Butcher's stories.
Annie	"To the cops," Annie elaborated. "At least they'll treat you better than The Seven would." Because yeah, Homelander would straight-up murder him, no question.
Hughie	"Annie, listen. Listen to me, okay? I know this is so fucked," Hughie tried, stumbling a little to keep up with her. "If you bring me in, I'm dead before sunrise."
Annie	"No," Annie assured him, suddenly just so tired. "Vought will want to string you up for a long trial. Lots of press. The guy who killed Translucent."
Hughie	"This isn't about Translucent," Hughie told her desperately, reaching for her free hand with his, even as she pulled away from him. "This is about Compound V."
Annie	"Compound V?" Annie repeated, breathing a little harshly as she pulled her hands away from him. No. She looked up at him, questioning.
Hughie	She deserved to be told in a better way than this. She deserved a lot better than any of this, really. "It's this drug," Hughie started, quietly. "It, um. It gives Supes their powers. Vought will do anything to cover it up."
Annie	Annie was confused for a long moment before she felt the panic start from somewhere far away. Like Hughie's words didn't have any bearing on her, and then the implications of this news came crashing down around her. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her mouth dry. "We're born like this."
Hughie	Hughie just held her gaze. "I'm so sorry." Because no, they weren't. He could only be sorry for so long, though, until he noticed the little red dot right at the center of Annie's chest. "Annie. Annie. Watch out -- "
Annie	The warning came way too late. Getting shot, it turned out, hurt. Annie was on her back before she knew what was happening, and there was an intense, aching burn from the middle of her chest where the bullet had struck her. Something big, by the feel of it. Holy shit. There were people screaming -- this was the middle of goddamn Central Park, after all -- but she kind of just wanted to lie here for a minute, holy fuck, ow.
Butcher	"Fucking run, Hughie!" Butcher called, the rifle still aimed on Starlight lest she get back up too quickly. Don't be stupid, boy, get going.
Annie	And as Hughie dithered, Annie did start to sit up with a loud groan of effort, one hand going down to slap the ground for a little momentum to push herself up. At least until another shot struck her, this time a little lower, and she stayed on her back for now. God, that hurt.
Hughie	"I'm so sorry," Hughie told her, looking pained as he peered down at her and shifted anxiously on the balls of his feet.
Butcher	"Get the fuck away from her!" Butcher yelled, preparing to take another shot. At least, until Hughie came to his senses and came sprinting over to him. "What the fuck were you thinking, coming here?" Butcher demanded.
Hughie	"I didn't ask for your help," Hughie snapped as they ran, the sound of sirens growing louder.
Butcher	"Yeah, looks like you had it all under control," Butcher replied in irritation, slinging his gun over his shoulder as he picked up the pace.
Annie	And back over on the ground, Annie had managed to roll onto her side with a wheeze so she could try to assess the damage. She might actually have some bruises to show off for once. Son of a bitch, that had hurt.

[immediately following this post, and taken from The Boys 1.07, "The Self-Preservation Society." Usual language warning, but also there's guns now. NFB/NFI/OOC welcome!]