[Ding! Battle detected. Reward dropped: 2 Points]
[Ding! Battle detected. Reward dropped: Super Speed (A-Train)]
The sudden, unannounced notifications caused Samuel to snap his eyes open. He immediately called for Queen Maeve to stop the car.
Confused, Maeve pulled over and looked back at him. She followed his gaze out the window toward the curb in front of an electronics store. What she saw left her stunned.
A young man stood on the sidewalk, his face and clothes splattered with gore. He stared blankly at the two severed, isolated arms he was still holding in his hands. Before him, what had been a human being was now nothing more than a red mist and scattered remains on the pavement.
A few yards away, a Black man in a blue supe-suit—also drenched in blood—was stammering in a panic.
"I can't stop... I can't stop... I just couldn't stop..."
As he spoke, he frantically pushed his blood-stained sunglasses up his nose and prepared to bolt.
Whoosh—
In the blink of an eye, he vanished, fleeing the scene at lightning speed.
"Damn it, it's A-Train," Maeve hissed, her voice thick with disgust. "God, what did that idiot do now? Bastard... fuck!"
Samuel watched Hughie, who was only just beginning to scream his girlfriend's name as the reality of the horror set in. He motioned for Maeve to keep driving.
A-Train's ability was Super Speed, comparable to the Flash or Quicksilver. Samuel knew this was the infamous tragedy that would trigger the events of the story—the moment Hughie, an ordinary man, would join The Boys to wage war against The Seven and Vought Company.
Hughie had been a massive fan of A-Train, only for his idol to literally run through his girlfriend, leaving him holding nothing but her hands. The irony was as sharp as a blade.
While gaining Super Speed was a massive win, Samuel's mood didn't lift. He wasn't being sentimental, but the scene reminded him of a harsh truth: Everything is fate; nothing is up to man. To break the shackles of destiny and truly control his own path, he needed power that transcended everything in this world.
The next morning.
The sky was a bruised blue-black, heavy with the threat of rain.
Samuel pushed his newly acquired Super Speed to its limit. The world became a blur as he ran, the sheer velocity giving him a sense of exhilarating freedom. Running releases dopamine—the neurotransmitter responsible for excitement and joy. It was addictive, and for Samuel, it had a practical use: farming points.
By crisscrossing the city, he could observe dozens of "battles"—the daily muggings, robberies, and street fights of New York's underworld. By the time he slowed down, he had reaped a significant harvest. While he hadn't gained any new major abilities, he had accumulated nearly a hundred Points.
Points were the key to his growth. The larger his detection range, the more rewards he could harvest. He spent 100 Points to double his range from 100 meters to 200 meters. As he suspected, the next upgrade would likely cost 200.
Thump—
The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground caught his attention. In a residential yard across the street, the front of a car landed shakily, only to be lifted again by a girl in a ponytail and a hoodie.
Is that... Starlight? Samuel recognized her immediately.
Starlight's powers included photon emission, energy absorption, and physical stats far beyond a normal human's. At this point in the timeline, she hadn't yet replaced The Lamplighter in The Seven. She was still innocent, her heart full of justice, unaware of the depravity lurking beneath Vought's glamorous surface.
In the original story, she would soon be coerced into a humiliating act by The Deep just for a chance to join the team. Her idols would shatter, her spirit would break, and she would find solace in Hughie—another soul crushed by the reality of "heroes."
Samuel watched her drop the car again. She noticed him and walked toward the fence.
"Hi," she said, offering a friendly smile. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Samuel leaned against a lamp post, a roguish glint in his eye. "Actually, I wanted to thank you for the gift."
Annie (Starlight) looked confused. "The gift? I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong person. I don't know you, and I definitely haven't given you any gifts."
"The racing heart," Samuel said with a smirk. "That was the first gift you gave me."
Annie realized he was flirting. She blushed slightly, a shy smile touching her lips. She reached out a hand. "I'm Annie January. Though, some call me Starlight."
"Samuel."
"So, Samuel," she said, leaning on the fence. "You say I gave you a gift. What about you? Do you have one for me?"
She had a good first impression of him—he was handsome, humorous, and seemingly harmless.
"I do," Samuel replied, opening his arms. "But it depends on your performance. If you want your gift, don't complain. Come here and give me a hug."
Annie giggled, shaking her head. "Do you use that line on every girl you meet?"
"Only the ones I love," Samuel said smoothly. "And since I love all things in this world, no favorites and no exceptions, that includes you."
Annie raised her hands and backed away playfully. "Okay, I admit you're charming, but I'm not the kind of girl who's easily won over."
"Even if the gift is a seat in The Seven?"
Samuel's voice lost its playfulness. His expression became dead serious. Annie's smile faded, and she knit her brows together.
"Are you serious?" she whispered.
"That is the second most serious thing I've said to you since we met," Samuel replied.
Annie hesitated. "And the first?"
Samuel looked her straight in the eye. "That you're even more beautiful in person than you are in my dreams."