You can't save her (Homelander)

Chapter 16

"You and that marketing girl were close," Homelander asked although it was more like a statement.

"Who? Ashley?" Safia quizzed, half paying attention, half filing down a bit of her nail which the nail tech had missed.

"No, the girl from eight years ago," he clarified, pronouncing her name, "Becca."

Fuck. What did he know?

Safia's hand dropped, putting away the nail file.

"We were, I lost contact with her about eight years ago," she answered honestly, wondering when he'd mention her husband. Surely he recognised Billy. Why else would he ask about Becca?

"She's one of the people that helped get you out of the country, isn't she?"

"Uh-"

He chuckled at the panic swirling in her eyes, "don't worry I'm not going to do anything, she's already missing,"

Her blood ran cold. "What?"

He frowned, "you didn't know.. interesting," he thought aloud, his head snapping to look into her eyes with a wide smile, "can you come with me? I'd love for you to sit on in my meeting,"

"Sure."

The brunette took his outstretched hand, letting him lead her out of the apartment and down the hall.

"You sit right here," he told her, pulling the chair out for er and tucking it in once she'd sat down.

From her spot at the centre of the room, she watched silently as everyone filled into the room whilst Homelander observed the screens.

"What's this about?" Starlight wondered, looking to Maeve and Safia. Maeve only shrugged before leaning back in her chair further and Safia kept her mouth shut, that ever so polite smile on her face.

Her facial expression unnervingly didn't change, just a placid manner. Hands holding one another on top of the desk. It clicked pretty quickly. Annie didn't even notice, but this was the first time she had been in the same room with the two of them.

Was this how she acted with him?

Judging by the state of her a few days ago, Annie supposed she was walking on thin ice.

"Safia, you're here?" A-Train quizzed, walking into the room and sending the woman a weird look, "what's going on?"

"I missed you guys, just wanted to see your smiling faces. " Homelander replied cheerily from behind him, patting him on the back and gesturing to his seat, "take a seat, buddy. And, truth be known, I felt like we were overdue a little heart-to-heart. A rap session, maybe a little tough love."

Maeve chuckled, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that lately, some of you have been, eh, a little out of sorts. Erratic. Unreliable. Downright sloppy." He listed off, pacing behind each of their chairs until he stood behind his own with Safia sat in it, "You're perfect Saf and not you, Noir. You've been great. But the rest of you... It is fair to say that I am disappointed. Got to keep your eye on the ball, guys. The enemies are storming the gates. I mean, we're not even The Seven anymore, we're down to five. We're dropping like fucking flies, but at least now I know why." He explained, clicking the remote in his hand pointed towards the screen.

The screen turned on and lit up with a picture of Hughie.

Everyone in the room frowned in confusion-which was the expected. Safia did her best to blend in but found herself sucking her tongue and trying her best to blend in. She'd kept her mouth shut about what she heard at the tent- and now that could be biting her in the ass if she didn't play her cards right.