The Boys: I'm the Origin of Compound V

Chapter 22: Seeds of Resistance

The van rumbled to a halt on the outskirts of a dilapidated industrial complex, its crumbling facade blending seamlessly with the surrounding urban decay. The team sat in tense silence, each member going through their mental preparations for the task ahead.

Adam tightened the straps on his gear, his gaze fixed on the map Butcher had spread out on the dashboard. "You're sure this is the place?"

"Positive," Butcher replied, his tone clipped. "Intel says they've been running recruitment trials here for weeks. Mostly off-the-grid types—homeless, ex-cons, anyone Vought thinks won't be missed."

"Convenient," Frenchie muttered. "They get their volunteers, and no one asks questions when they disappear."

Hughie shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "And what happens to the ones who don't make it?"

Adam's jaw tightened. "We've seen what happens."

Butcher turned to face the group, his expression hard. "Right. Same plan as always. In and out, clean and fast. We grab what we can and leave no trace. Any questions?"

Adam met his gaze. "What happens if we find survivors?"

Butcher's lips thinned. "We deal with it. Any other questions?"

The silence that followed was answer enough.

The complex was a maze of rusted metal and crumbling concrete, its corridors dimly lit by flickering fluorescent lights. Adam moved ahead of the group, his invisibility engaged as he scouted the path.

"Guards ahead," Adam whispered into his comm. "Two, by the south entrance. Looks like they're armed."

"Armed with what?" Butcher's voice crackled back.

Adam peered closer, noting the sleek, futuristic design of their weapons. "Not your standard guns. Something more high-tech."

"Fantastic," Frenchie muttered over the comm. "Vought's always got new toys."

"Can you take them out?" Butcher asked.

Adam hesitated. His energy manipulation could neutralize them, but it would cost him reserves. "I'll try."

Creeping closer, Adam raised his hand, a faint blue glow pooling in his palm. He released the energy in a controlled burst, striking the guards before they could react. Their weapons clattered to the ground as they crumpled, unconscious.

"Guards are down," Adam said, stepping back into visibility.

"Good," Butcher replied. "Keep moving."

Inside the main facility, the true horror of Vought's operation came into focus. Rows of cages lined the walls, each one holding a frightened, emaciated figure. Some were unconscious, their bodies marked with scars and bruises. Others sat huddled in the corners, their eyes hollow.

Hughie's breath hitched. "Oh my God..."

"Jesus," Frenchie muttered, his usual bravado replaced with genuine horror. "They're treating them like animals."

Butcher's expression darkened. "Focus. We're not here to play heroes. Get the intel and get out."

Adam ignored him, his attention drawn to one of the cages. Inside, a young woman sat with her back to the bars, her head bowed. Her arms were marked with fresh injection sites, the veins beneath her skin glowing faintly with a sickly green light.

"She's one of them," Adam said, his voice low.

"One of who?" Hughie asked.

"One of their recruits," Adam replied, kneeling by the cage. "Looks like the Compound V didn't kill her, but it's not doing her any favors."

"Leave her," Butcher ordered.

Adam's head snapped up. "No."

Butcher took a step closer, his voice cold. "She's a liability. We're not taking her."

"I'm not leaving her to die here," Adam shot back, his tone sharp.

The tension crackled between them, neither man backing down. Finally, Frenchie stepped in, his voice calm but firm. "If she's alive, she might know something. Let's bring her. Butcher, we can't keep doing this alone."

Butcher glared at Frenchie, then at Adam, before relenting with a grunt. "Fine. But she's your responsibility, sunshine. If she screws us over, it's on you."

Back at the safehouse, the young woman stirred on the couch, her breathing shallow but steady. Frenchie had done what he could to stabilize her, though the effects of the unstable Compound V lingered in her body.

"Who is she?" Hughie asked, his voice hushed.

"Don't know," Adam replied, sitting beside her. "But we're going to find out."

As if on cue, the woman's eyes fluttered open. She blinked blearily, her gaze darting around the room before settling on Adam.

"Where... where am I?" she croaked.

"You're safe," Adam said gently. "For now. What's your name?"

"Lena," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Lena," Adam repeated, offering a faint smile. "I'm Adam. These are my friends. We're trying to stop the people who did this to you."

Her eyes filled with tears. "They said... they said I'd be special. That I'd have power. But it hurts. It hurts so much."

Adam's chest tightened, his own memories of Vought's experiments flashing through his mind. "I know," he said softly. "But you don't have to go through it alone anymore."

Later, as the others debated their next move, Adam sat alone with Lena, his thoughts heavy.

Adam ignored the system, focusing instead on the woman before him. "Lena," he said quietly. "Do you remember anything about the lab? Anything that could help us?"

She hesitated, her brow furrowing. "There was a man. He... he oversaw everything. Called himself Dr. Henshaw. He said the serum was just the beginning."

Adam nodded, filing the name away. "Do you know where he is now?"

She shook her head. "No. But... he mentioned something. A new site. Bigger than this one. Somewhere near the docks."

Adam's gaze sharpened. "That's good. That's really good."

For the first time, Lena managed a faint, shaky smile. "You're really trying to stop them, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Adam said, his voice steady. "And now, so are you."

As the night deepened, Adam couldn't shake the feeling that their fight was only just beginning—and that Lena's arrival was the first ripple in a much larger storm.