The Boys: I'm the Origin of Compound V

Chapter 9: A Tough Nut to Crack

The warehouse echoed with Translucent's taunts, his voice bouncing off the steel walls.

"You lot are pathetic," he sneered, shimmering into view for just a moment before disappearing again. "How do you plan to kill what you can't see?"

Adam ducked behind a crate, his grip tightening on a steel pipe he'd picked up from the ground. His frustration was mounting; every attempt to pin the supe down had ended in failure.

"Stay still, you slippery bastard!" Butcher roared, his face flushed with anger.

"You're just as useless as the rest of them, Butcher," Translucent's voice mocked from somewhere above.

Hughie peeked out from behind another stack of crates, clutching a taser with trembling hands. "This isn't working!" he hissed.

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Frenchie muttered, reloading a tranquilizer gun. "We need a better plan."

Adam leaned against the crate, his mind racing. The system's prompts buzzed faintly in his thoughts, urging him toward a decision he wasn't ready to make.

"Of course," Adam whispered bitterly.

Frenchie crouched beside him, glancing at Adam's strained expression. "You got an idea, mon ami?"

Adam hesitated. "Maybe. But it's... risky."

"Risky is all we've got," Butcher growled, his attention still scanning for their invisible foe. "Spit it out."

Adam inhaled deeply. "I can take his powers. Permanently. Turn him human. But…"

The team froze, their gazes snapping to him.

"But what?" Hughie asked nervously.

"I can only use one of his abilities," Adam explained. "I'd have to choose: invisibility or his indestructible skin."

Frenchie raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You can do that?"

Adam nodded. "But it's not exactly a party trick. Once I take his powers, that's it. He's done. And it's not reversible."

Butcher's grin was sharp and humorless. "You're saying you can take away the bastard's toys and leave him defenseless? I'm liking you more already."

"What if it doesn't work?" Hughie asked, his voice cracking.

"It'll work," Adam said, his tone firm.

Before anyone could respond, Translucent materialized in front of them, his grin cruel and predatory. "What's this? A little group therapy session? Let me help—"

Adam didn't let him finish. He lunged forward, grabbing Translucent by the wrist. His hand glowed faintly as the connection snapped into place. The air shimmered with energy, and Translucent's body convulsed violently.

"What the hell—" the supe gasped, collapsing to the ground as the glow faded.

Adam staggered back, his vision swimming. The sensation was overwhelming—a surge of power rushing through him, followed by a draining emptiness.

Frenchie caught him before he fell. "You okay?"

Adam nodded weakly. "He's... human now."

All eyes turned to Translucent, who was groaning on the floor, fully visible and clutching his chest.

Hughie stepped closer, his face pale. "You... you actually did it."

Butcher crouched beside the fallen supe, his grin wide. "Not so tough now, are you, mate?"

Translucent glared up at him, his breaths labored. "You'll regret this."

"Yeah, I doubt that," Butcher said, his tone dripping with satisfaction.

Chapter 10: The Debate

The team regrouped at the safehouse, the tension still thick in the air. Translucent had been locked in a makeshift holding cell, his usual arrogance replaced with bitter silence.

Adam sat on the worn couch, his head in his hands. The aftereffects of using his power lingered—a pounding headache and a faint ache in his chest.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get to it," Adam muttered, earning a confused glance from Hughie.

"You good?" Hughie asked, sitting on the armrest.

Adam forced a weak smile. "Peachy."

Butcher strode into the room, clapping his hands together. "Right. Let's settle this. Hard skin or invisibility?"

Frenchie leaned against the wall, lighting a cigarette. "Hard skin makes you untouchable. You take a bullet, you laugh. But invisibility? That's power in its own right."

"Invisibility lets us sneak into places we'd never get into otherwise," Hughie added, his voice hesitant. "But... isn't being invincible kind of more important?"

Adam sighed, rubbing his temples. "It's not just about what's useful. I have to live with this power. Either I'm the guy who can't be seen, or the guy who can't be hurt. Both have their downsides."

"Let's hear them, then," Butcher said, crossing his arms.

"Invisibility is great for sneaking around, but it's isolating," Adam explained. "You're cut off from people. No one sees you. No one knows you're there."

"And the hard skin?" Frenchie asked.

"It's a shield," Adam said. "But it's a constant reminder that I'm not normal. I'd feel... disconnected."

The room fell silent, each team member weighing the options.

"You're overthinking it," Butcher said finally. "This ain't about feelings. It's about taking the fight to Vought. Pick the one that'll do the most damage."

Adam exhaled, leaning back against the couch. "I'll think about it. But this decision isn't just tactical. It's personal."

Adam groaned. "No pressure, right?"

Frenchie raised an eyebrow. "Talking to yourself again?"

"Just thinking out loud," Adam replied quickly, forcing a smirk.

Butcher clapped him on the shoulder. "Get some rest. We've got bigger problems than just one supe."

Adam nodded, but the weight of his decision lingered, a silent burden that refused to let go.