The Boys: I'm the Origin of Compound V

Chapter 16: Lines in the Sand

The warehouse was a sprawling, labyrinthine structure of rusted metal and flickering lights, reeking of oil and mildew. Adam crouched in the shadow of a massive steel beam, his invisibility engaged, his breaths shallow as he counted the patrols circling the central lab area. Every sound—every footstep, every distant clank of machinery—tightened the coil of tension in his chest.

This wasn't his first infiltration. The Boys had pulled him into similar chaos before. But something about this mission felt different. The weight of the stolen Compound V in his jacket pocket pressed against his ribs, a physical reminder of what was at stake.

The comms crackled in his ear. "Oi, ghost boy," Butcher's gruff voice growled. "How's it look in there?"

Adam's lips twitched in a faint smirk. "Like a poorly managed slaughterhouse. Two guards by the east corridor, one near the stairs to the lab. Cameras are turning every six seconds—terrible coverage."

"Good," Butcher replied. "Keep it quiet. If you screw this up, Frenchie's got a bet that they'll drop your invisible arse in a Vought-branded soup can."

"Charming as always," Adam muttered. He crept forward, his steps silent as he avoided the glint of the roving cameras.

Adam clenched his jaw. "Yeah, thanks for that," he whispered under his breath.

The lab doors loomed ahead, their steel frames gleaming ominously under the dim light. Through the small, reinforced window, he could see a flurry of activity—scientists in pristine white coats moving with frantic precision, their faces pale and drawn.

This was it. Whatever Vought was working on here, it was big enough to terrify even their loyal lackeys.

Adam disengaged his invisibility, stepping back into the shadows to conserve energy. He tapped his comm. "I'm at the lab. Looks like they're brewing something nasty."

"Then grab it and run," Hughie's voice piped in, nervous as always. "The faster we get out of here, the better."

"Not yet," Adam replied. "I need to see what we're dealing with."

"You'd better be quick about it," Frenchie said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "Something feels... wrong. Like we're being watched."

Adam hesitated, his instincts flaring. He scanned the shadows, the oppressive silence of the warehouse pressing in on him. Nothing moved, but the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

He pushed the unease aside and slipped into the lab through an unguarded side door. The air inside was sterile, cold, and reeked of chemicals. Adam kept to the perimeter, his gaze darting between the glowing monitors and racks of vials filled with neon blue liquid.

Adam grabbed one of the vials, turning it over in his hand. The liquid swirled inside, faintly pulsing with a strange energy. "System, what's this?"

"Perfect," Adam muttered.

The door hissed open behind him. Adam spun, the vial clutched tightly in his hand. A towering figure filled the doorway, their silhouette backlit by the harsh fluorescent light.

"You're not supposed to be here," the figure said, their voice calm but carrying a dangerous edge.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Adam quipped, slipping the vial into his pocket.

The figure stepped forward, and Adam's stomach sank. It wasn't just some random guard—it was Lamplighter.

"You must have a death wish," Lamplighter said, flames flickering to life in his hands.

Adam's mind raced. He could fight, but without hard skin or a clear escape route, the odds weren't in his favor.

"Death wish?" Adam said, keeping his tone light. "Nah. Just a bad habit of crashing exclusive parties."

Lamplighter's smirk twisted. "Let's see how much you like playing hero when you're a pile of ash."

The flames surged toward him, and Adam dove behind a counter, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Not helping," Adam hissed.

Lamplighter's fire licked at the edges of the counter, the heat scorching the air around him. Adam pulled the vial from his pocket, his mind grappling with a reckless idea.

"System," he whispered. "What happens if I drink this?"

"Good enough," Adam muttered, uncapping the vial and downing its contents in one swift motion.

The effect was immediate. His veins burned as the Compound V coursed through him, his vision blurring with a kaleidoscope of colors. His body convulsed, the air around him crackling with an unseen force.

Adam staggered to his feet, his hands glowing faintly with a strange blue light. Lamplighter paused, his eyes narrowing.

"What the hell...?"

Adam grinned, his newfound power humming just beneath the surface. "Looks like I'm not the only one who can play with fire."

With a flick of his wrist, a burst of energy shot from his hand, colliding with Lamplighter's flames. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the lab, shattering glass and knocking both men off balance.

Adam didn't wait for Lamplighter to recover. He bolted for the exit, his pulse pounding as alarms blared throughout the warehouse.

"Mission's blown," he barked into the comm. "Get out now!"

Frenchie's voice crackled back. "We're on our way. Try not to die, mon ami."

Adam sprinted into the chaos, his heart racing as he fought to control the power surging through him. For the first time in a long while, he felt alive—and it terrified him.

As he disappeared into the shadows, Lamplighter's furious roar echoed behind him, a promise of the reckoning yet to come.