(Butcher POV)
A few hours after visiting my Mom, who unsurprisingly lied to me about my Father's death. I left and got a phone call from Becca, asking me to quickly help her as she was on the run from the facility. I drove over and found her in the middle of the woods, she then tossed her phone before we got out of there. After finally escaping the area I started driving us to Grace's place.
"Why? Why now and where is Ryan?" I ask her as we drive, as Becca looks distraught, even more so after the mention of Ryan.
"They took him! Homelander and his Nazi bitch took Ryan from me! He told him about the facility and how it was all a lie, then Ryan freaked out accusing me of not even being his real Mom!" Becca says before breaking down and crying.
"I just want him back…" I hear Becca say as I stare at her unsure how to make her feel better, as a small part of me is glad Ryan was taken.
"Becca… I–" I start to say as Becca cuts me off.
"Not now Billy, not now," Becca says seeming to know what I was about to say.
We then arrive at Grace's place seeing that only Grace and Shawn are there. Pulling up Grace walks over with a serious face, which falters at seeing Becca as the two share looks. The two stare at one another for a few seconds, though Becca is unfamiliar with Grace, Grace knows almost everything about Becca.
"Becca, this is Grace… my boss in the CIA. Grace you know who this is," I say as Grace nods her head.
"Where is everyone?" I say to her as Grace ushers us all inside.
"Annie was taken, so they are going to deal with that. Maggie has an idea where they are holding her, so they are going to get her out. As for Frenchie and Kimiko, they are watching Numan's back," Grace says while offering Becca something to drink and eat.
"So… are you two looking for a way out and a new life?" Grace says as Becca is slowly eating and drinking the offered food/drink.
"No!... Sorry, I mean not yet, they took my son," Becca says before I can respond as Grace nods her head looking at her.
Becca then proceeds to explain the whole situation to Grace, who sits there listening to the story. At the end, Becca looks back down at her half-finished sandwich with a disheartened look. Grace lets out a sigh and stands up while looking out the window with a thoughtful look.
"I'm not sure what we can actually do for now to help… Not until Vought gets taken down, plus even then Homelander might be very adamant about keeping Ryan," Grace says as Becca looks even more distraught.
"However, it is not impossible for us to deal with Homelander… We have a not-so-secret anymore weapon to use against him, however, now that he is very aware of its existence it makes it that much harder to use it against him. That being said we could maybe find a way to fully eliminate him or threaten him into submission," Grace says giving the smallest amount of hope back to Becca.
"But it will take time and I'm not sure how much time, but most likely a few more weeks or months to deal with Homelander," Grace says to Becca pouring cold water back on Grace's small hope, then we hear Shawn starting to curse from the living room.
"I should go see what the large child is complaining about now," Grace says walking away to deal with Shawn.
"Billy… what can I do? How can I get Ryan back?" Becca says to me with a defeated look and voice.
During the conversation, my mind was trying its hardest to find a way to help Becca, and there only appeared one way. But it would be betraying Grace and the Boys. However, seeing Becca's look I steel my resolve and give her a confident, but compassionate look.
"There might be one way… However, it would mean we'd all have to basically disappear from the face of the earth," I say to her as Becca nods her head.
"I just want my son back," Becca says to me as I nod my head.
"Right… then tell Grace I had something personal to handle… I'll be back," I say to her as I quickly leave and get into my car driving to New York City. On the way there I grab my ghost phone and call a number which I got through some persuading Vought employees awhile back.
"Hello?" I hear the voice answer on the other end.
"It's William Butcher, I'm sure you are aware of my existence. I have a proposition for you, can we meet?" I say as the other end goes quiet for a few seconds.
"Interesting and what could you offer me?" the voice says as I explain what I could help with.
"Sure, meet me at my favorite lunch spot," the voice says before hanging up on me and sending me an address in the city.
I arrive at the large skyscraper which has a very fancy restaurant inside of one of its floors. I enter the restaurant after being patted down by the guards from Vought. Once they remove the several guns I have they let me inside. I walk over to see Stan Edgar waiting for me with a calm and neutral face.
"Would you ask Mario if he could whip up some of those Gruyere puffs?" Stan asks one of the waiters standing by who nods and walks to the kitchen.
"Would you like an order? They're worth the cheat day," Stan says to me as I sit down across from him.
"I assume you got a man out there, with a clean shot?" I say to him with a smirk and tap my head.
"More than one," Stan says to me with a neutral face.
"Then I'll skip the fucking hors d'oeuvres if you don't mind, and we'll just cut straight to it, yeah?" I say to him.
"You mentioned on the phone that you could help with Homelander's son. I must say, I'm not sure what you mean," Stan says to me with the same neutral face and playing off Ryan's existence.
"That boy is your only possible contingency against Homelander. Now, that contingency don't work if they're off playing Ward and the Beav. I can fix that," I say to him as the waiters come back with his food and a fresh glass of water with lemon. Stan cracks a smirk on his normally stoic face at hearing me.
"Thank you, Alvin… Homelander's a friend. Why would I betray him?" Stan says looking to the waiter before turning back to me with an indifferent look.
"Because you're a ruthless bastard," I say to him with a knowing smirk. As Stand grabs one of the puffs to eat a look of enjoyment flashes across his face as he eats it.
"That's hurtful," Stan says to me after finishing the puff and looks indifferent to my words.
"You turned a racist piece of shite into America's sweetheart. What word would you use?" I say to him referencing Stormfront.
Stans grabs a sip of water, before clearing his throat as he listens to me. Then he stares at me with a thoughtful look contemplating his next choice of words.
"Stormfront's good at making people angry. Angry people want Compound V. Compound V raises our stock price. Look, I'd have preferred V remained a secret, but we play with the cards we're dealt. It's not ruthless, it's prices per share. That's all," Stan says to me with a serious look at the professional businessman he is.
"Maybe you should take a look in the mirror, mate. 'Cause that bitch should bother you," I say to him since he is of African and/or Hispanic descent.
"Of course she does. But it's not about me. I can't lash out like some raging entitled maniac. That's a white man's luxury," Stan says with a surprising amount of annoyance across his face.
"So, it's just business then, eh?" I say to him with a neutral look.
"When, Mr. Butcher, in history, has it ever been about anything different?" Stan says to me making me hold my tongue for a second.
"And what makes you think that you can control that racist bitch?" I say to him with a curious look. Stan then lets out a sigh while looking at his watch.
"Look, I've got to get across town…" Stan says expressing for me to get back to my original point.
"Look, I can get the boy away from Homelander, all right?" I say to him with annoyance again.
"How?" Stan says to me with a slightly curious look.
"That's my business… When I got him, I'll call your people, they zero in on this cell signal and then come and scoop him up. And then you do a better fucking job of hiding him this time, yeah?" I say to him as Stan stares at me for a few seconds processing his thoughts.
"You have my word. I will get Rebecca and Ryan somewhere safe," Stan says to me with his serious business face.
"No. Not Becca. Becca stays with me," I say to him with anger slowly lacing my voice.
"But that's the whole point. That he's raised by his mother," Stan says to me.
"Find him a new fucking mum. I'm taking my wife back. That's the deal," I say to him now as my anger is completely lacing my voice.
"And what happens when Rebecca shows up on my doorstep, begging to be reunited with her boy?" Stan says to me with a serious look, as I go quiet contemplating his words realizing that he is right, unfortunately.
"You say it's the only way you can guarantee Ryan's protection from Homelander. 'Cause as you know, a mother will do anything to protect her son," I say standing up and walking next to him. Stan then cracks a small smile as he looks at me with some small respect for the first time.
"And you call me a ruthless bastard," Stan says to me.
"You tell me where he is… and I'll do the rest," I say to him and hold my hand out for a shake on the deal.
Stan stares at me for a few seconds contemplating the offer one last time. Before taking my hand and shaking it a deal struck between us. Without another word, I leave the restaurant and collect my guns before going to my car and heading back to Grace's house.
When I get back to the house, I see the place is being on lock down as guards are running around in panic. I rush inside to see Becca and Grace are fine, as Grace is angrily shouting to the guards, while Becca is sitting in the corner looking stressed but sees me and runs over hugging me. Grace turns and gives me a look, one of annoyance and curiosity.
"Glad you could make it back," Grace says to me with well-hidden anger and annoyance in her voice.
"What happened?" I say seeing the chaos.
"Shawn ran, no idea why. But he is gone," Grace says as I curse under my breath.
"Where were you?" Grace says to me with a hard look.
"Dealing with some personal issues," I say with a voice leaving no room for her to question me further. We stare at one another for a few seconds as Grace is debating whether or not to continue to berate me.
"Fine, but no more unexpected leave of absence until the others come back," Grace says before leaving to deal with the guards.
"So?" Becca says to me with a curious look. I then take her to one of the guest rooms and explain the situation to her, leaving out the fact that I'll be leaving Ryan behind.