Megamind's eyes roamed the surroundings, looking on with curiosity and some apprehension. There was seemingly no end to the foot traffic. They came in all shapes and sizes. Most were young, looking more like children to his eyes. Their dress was strange, it wasn't the coldest of days but the chill still warranted more than the shorts and thin shirts some of them wore.

They tended to travel in groups. Sometimes in pairs but often in packs three or more.

"This is kinda weird." Disguised by one of his Holo Watches, Canary was across from him. They were seated outside of a cafe. "I made it through two years of college before taking a gap year to focus on my career. Part of me always thought I'd go back." Her hands folded in on themselves and she fiddled with her thumbs. "I feel like a ghost now. Haunting a place I can never…"

He tapped on the metallic table to attract her attention.

"Don't get bogged down in the past. Keep your eyes up and look towards the future. Now tell me, what do you see there."

He nudged his head to the right, towards the heart of campus.

"A normal university?" Canary said in questioning. "Honestly, I expected worse with what I heard about this place."

"Yes, and what else?"

She didn't immediately respond and he waved a hand, urging her on.

"I guess, we have the greenery right there. Even though it's not really green right now…" Canary shrugged at the expanse of brown ground that was bisected by walkways. A healthy number of students were throwing something about, engaging in some activity. Near the center of it was a large fountain. "Those buildings on the far end probably hold classes? They might also be dorms. I don't really know. And we're in a little food court area. I think those were all restaurants we passed, I wasn't paying a lot of attention."

They'd have to talk about that later. Attention to detail was always needed, especially when they were doing recon.

"You're thinking like your average Joe. Think like a supervillain."

Canary fidgeted in her seat and he sighed. This was a process, all he had to do was keep nudging.

"Canvas. It's a canvas waiting for your touch." He swept an open hand over the surroundings before closing it and pointing it at her. "Now what are you going to do with it?"

He kept his ideas to himself, she needed to learn how to stand on her own. That meant coming up with your own plots. Otherwise, she would be a simple puppet on strings.

There was a pause, filled with the sound of the campus before she responded.

"Does it have to be here? Can't it be somewhere quieter? This place is kinda close to…"

He followed her line of sight towards the bay. It wasn't visible from here but they both knew what she was referring to. Located in the downtown, the hero response should be quick. There was a danger of his fledgling villain being swarmed by the good guys.

"It's your first appearance after your initial capture. You need to announce your return to a crowd. No one's sure where you went. For all they know you could be on another continent."

"Exactly," Canary seemed surprised at her outburst. She calmed after seeing no one had reacted to it. Her hand rubbed her wrist, careful not to mess with the Holo Watch's settings. "With this, I could disappear. Haven't you ever thought of it? Just starting somewhere else far away. What's the point of any of this?"

He'd be lying if he hadn't. There was a small voice that made itself known whenever Metro Man defeated him. Wouldn't it be easier to succeed in another city? Wouldn't it be easier to beat someone besides Metro Man?

The answer, as he had recently found, was yes. However, he hadn't discovered that by listening to that voice. He wasn't stu-, he wasn't here by choice.

Their game had been put on pause, nothing more.

He'd never thrown in the towel.

"I've been the odd man out, the screw-up, and the black sheep." He felt the beat in his chest strengthen. The memories flooded back. "I've never been a quitter." Inventions were created, and inventions were broken. Plans drafted and plans foiled. Failure after failure accrued, and with each one he learned something new. A new scheme, a new creation. There was always something he hadn't tried. "I may fall back, regroup, and replan but I always come back. I have to. I made a pledge to myself all those years ago, that I was going to be the baddest boy there was…" A smile etched on his face. One of defiance in the face of impossible odds. His battles with Metro Man were epic struggles between two indomitable forces of will. The fate of Metrocity rested on their conclusion. Even if he hadn't won yet, they never failed to satisfy him. They made him feel alive. They made him feel important. "It doesn't matter what is thrown at me, I'll never back down."

Her eyes darted around and she looked more nervous than usual, which was saying something. Belatedly, he realized other people had turned their heads in his direction.

Ah, he'd gotten a tad carried away there and had risen with his fist clenched in the air. His chair had been knocked back. His eyes joined Canary's in their frantic movements. He wasn't used to being in such a public area. What should he do? Where was Minion when-"

A hand clasped his shoulder and he jumped in panic, relaxing once he recognized Minion's disguised form.

"I brought the drinks!" Minion announced cheerfully, placing a tray on the table. His actions defused the tension and soon everyone was back to minding their business. "Let me get that."

Minion righted the chair and Megamind took a seat again. He would have much preferred the recon to be done remotely. It was Minion's insistence that they should do this in person. He'd accepted the logic, learning on the field was more effective.

"One Honey Almond Milk Flat White for the lady" Minion passed an overly complicated drink to Canary and then pushed the other to him. "And a Hot Chocolate for the boss. Be careful it's-"

He grabbed the mug eagerly and took a sip, immediately regretting the decision as he felt his taste buds die under the scalding liquid.

"Hot…"

"U, shouda warne mee." He shot his minion a glare as he wrung out his poor tongue, wafting it with his hands to cool it off.

It didn't help and Minion passed a glass of water. Megamind didn't question why he had it and downed the contents, feeling his pain soothe somewhat. He knew it was in the name but who in the right mind served hot chocolate that hot? It should be heated enough to warm you up, not burn you. His gut reaction would be to ensure the cafe's destruction but this wasn't his show. He was supporting and taking advantage of it, but not steering the ship.

"Is that better?" Minion asked. "I can get more water if you need it."

He remembered their audience, he needed to be a strong role model. He couldn't afford to be defeated by a mere beverage.

"I'm fine." He took another sip and his face contorted for a moment before he forced it back to normal. "It's delicious. I can't get enough." He could not taste a thing. "Look!" He pointed behind the pair. "It's a pelican eating a fish!" They turned their heads and he swung the mug back, the offending liquid flying over his shoulder. He brought it back to his lips before they turned. "You just missed it, shame."

"You don't think it will be back do you?" Minion trembled in his seat. Come to think of it, it was impressive it had not collapsed under his weight.

Megamind didn't entertain giving him a response. There was no bird alive able to make a meal out of his minion.

"Have you given it any more thought? Any ideas bubbling inside your head?" The faster she thought of something, the faster she could perform her first true act of villainy. Everything would fall into place after that.

"I don't know," she mumbled, taking a long sip of her drink. "I can do a concert."

"That seems a bit repetitive and questionable in terms of criminality." Megamind gently rebuked, he didn't want her to withdraw again.

Canary had a contemplative look. She took a sugar packet and stirred its contents into her drink.

"But I'm a fugitive now." She tapped the stirrer on the rim. "Anything I do is a crime."

"She has a point." Minion nodded. "Plus, it might be easier if she starts with something familiar."

Dipping a toe in the water before plunging all the way in. There was merit to the idea.

"Yeah, some of my first real gigs were concerts for homecomings." She had a bit of nostalgia in her eye. "That's sorta poetic I guess."

It was exactly what he had in mind. Baby steps, he reminded himself.

"I have a condition." A hardness crept into her tone. "If I do this, I want something in return." She gulped before continuing. "That brothel you hit, it wasn't the only one. I know you took down their leader, but the others might still be operating. Help me shut those down."

Her delivery was mechanical, rehearsed. She'd already known what she was going to say, she just had to work up the courage.

Confidence was one of her most lacking areas right now. Anything he could do to foster it should be seriously considered.

Then there was something else.

Oni Lee…he'd never gotten a chance to settle the score there.

He met her gaze and gave a firm nod.

Leaving a job half-done wasn't his style.

—

The trainyard was much the same since he'd last visited it. There was a slight decrease in the amount of clutter but it seemed the locals were determined to outpace his consumption.

"How much have you interacted with them?" Megamind asked the mini-giant rummaging through the remains of a van. "They won't be late will they?"

Time was precious and he was not one to be left waiting.

"Barely." Trainwreck yanked out an alternator, storing it in his sack before tearing the engine in half. "They seem like the type to have sticks up their ass so they'll probably be here soon."

He'd paid Trainwreck a visit to fulfill his part of the deal. He could breathe a little easier now that his associate's lair would not be discovered by any random mook with thermal imaging. Since he was already working on it he added some additional protections to cover a few more niche areas.

Apparently, Trainwreck's contact was still interested in his services. He was about to refuse again when Minion intervened. He eyed his minion who was listening to music while resting on a traincar, his legs kicking back and forth to the beat.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Did you say something, sir?" Minion sensed his stare and lowered the sound. "I have that caramel popcorn you liked."

"I don't want it." He did but it would be unbecoming if he had sticky fingers when their guest arrived. "Are you sure we need to do this?"

"Do you want me to show you the books?" No, he had better things to do than accounting. "We aren't in trouble yet but with the rate we're going through material, we will be. I think you'd appreciate a more consistent supply of complex components wouldn't you?"

"I would but…" He'd rather steal them or have a more conventional bulk supplier.

"We're already doing things a little differently." Minion hopped off his seat and paced over. "I'm not saying we agree to anything but it wouldn't hurt to hear what they're offering. More options couldn't hurt."

That was true, at the very least it would be beneficial to know another player in Broken Bay.

"Did your little war with the abb drain you that much?" Trainwreck commented while inspecting some scrap. "What happened with your plan anyway? Doesn't seem like things went exactly your way."

"It's the ABB" Megamind corrected.

"Huh, I thought you said it was the abb?"

"New information came to light." Megamind quickly brushed past the subject. "And there were complications. Unknown factors caused me to slightly change things up. Take things in a new direction."

"Realize your plan was batshit?" Trainwreck gave a huff that didn't quite turn into a laugh. "Least you know when to call it quits."

"I'll have you know I don't." Megamind was quick to rebuttal that. "In fact, we're looking to roll up the rest of their influence in the city."

"That so? Might take a bite of them myself then. With the big guy gone, not much to worry about. Not the only one with that idea either. I hear those Empire fucks are pushing hard."

"Inconsequential. Aside from Purity, the rest can be dealt with by the heroes."

He kept quiet about his potential plans to use them as a future publicity stunt. Trainwreck seemed to have a mouth on him.

"Hahaha, ain't that the fucking truth. Let the cocksuckers fight each other."

They fell into an uneasy silence, the only noise coming from Trainwrecks scavenging.

"So uh, do anything besides tinkering?" The man spoke again, this time almost awkwardly.

"We went out." Mercifully, Minion did not say where. "Lots of people were around, the boss burned his tongue on some hot chocolate."

Traitor!

"Minion! I did no such thing. I had a delicious cup of hot chocolate while… people-watching." He couldn't find a better way of phrasing it. "I saw people play a game called ultimate frizzbay."

He'd had to try a dozen different search entries before finding the proper name for what those students were doing.

"Do you mean frisbee? What's ultimate about it."

He was about to double down on his pronunciation when he remembered about abb.

"It's an elaborate game of catch. I'm not clear on the rules but they seemed to be having fun."

Trainwreck stopped what he was doing.

"It almost sounds like you were there in person. How's that possible?"

The Holo Watch lost utility the more who knew about it. He'd keep it under wraps for now.

"I'll have you know Minion and I are masters of disguise."

It was true, even without the watch he was sure he'd be able to infiltrate that jailhouse.

"I don't care if you take this the wrong way but I don't believe you."

Rude. Megamind crossed his arms and looked away.

"Suit yourself then."

Minion looked to be preparing to say something when headlights shone in the distance, growing in size by the second.

"Looks like they're here," Trainwreck observed to the benefit of no one.

"Minion, up and center." Minion waddled to his side, standing slightly ahead with a smile on his face. That wouldn't work. "Look a bit mean would you?"

Minion gave a face that made him look more constipated than dangerous.

"Let me help." Megamind grabbed a marker from his belt and drew two small diagonal lines on Minion's container. "Perfect."

"Was that permanent?" Minion's concerned voice asked. Megamind checked the label and it was. He promptly put it back in his belt. "Sir, do you know how hard that's going to be to get out?"

"Don't be so dramatic." He licked his gloved finger and rubbed one of the marks he made. "It'll come right off."

He pressed hard on the glass.

"They're almost here," Minion warned. Conscious of his image, he abandoned the attempt. "How's it look?"

One of the marks was smudged while the other was untouched, he moved his gaze to the upcoming car.

"It's fine Minion. Remember. Look mean. Cross your arms, flare your nostrils!"

"If you say so…"

He squared his shoulder in preparation. Pretending not to hear Minion's complaint.

The car stopped and the headlights flicked off, allowing him to get a better look at it. It was a black SUV, the tags had been removed and the windows tinted dark.

The doors opened and four men exited the vehicle. They weren't armored like he expected. Instead, they wore khakis and polos. There were bulges in their clothing indicating concealed weapons, most likely pistols. Two of them carried briefcases and walked slightly behind the other pair.

"Trainwreck," one of the men spoke, and Megamind categorized him as the leader. "Thank you for arranging this. My employer appreciates your cooperation." Without prompt, one of the briefcases was opened on the hood of the vehicle. Rows of bills revealed themselves. The man took a stack and walked over to Trainwreck, holding it out. "For your troubles."

"Damn straight." Trainwreck snatched the bills. "Easy fucking money." The cape counted them before beginning to walk away. "I gotta go check those upgrades you made. If you all decide to start shooting each other leave me out of it."

Both parties waited for Trainwreck's footsteps to fade into the distance before continuing.

"Our employer appreciates that your time is valuable. He would be interested in purchasing tinker tech from you. Specifically, the weapons used against Lung."

The dehydration gun. True, he could make spares easily enough but it was one of his earliest inventions. Seeing others use it wouldn't sit right with him.

"No deal." He raised his voice, speaking forcefully. He wanted to make sure they understood it was a hard line. "That's not for sale."

The man was quiet for a moment before continuing smoothly.

"Understood. And your cloaking technology?"

On that, he hesitated. He wasn't attached to it but it would require doing custom orders, something he was loathe to do. It felt like he was at a crossroads here and he wasn't sure which path to take.

"Where is your boss?" If he met the person trying to purchase his devices perhaps that would make it easier.

"Regrettably he was unable to attend today."

That irked him, though it was expected. Trainwreck had informed him of similar excuses made. Well, he'd not leave without having a better idea of who was trying to procure his services.

The man gestured in the direction of the man holding the unopened briefcase.

"My employer is sympathetic to your distrust. If you are reluctant to part with your technology, would you be willing to repair existing?"

The case was placed next to the other and flipped open. There was a glass tube with a nozzle inside. The man carefully removed it and walked over with measured steps.

It was offered up and Megamind took it delicately.

Interesting. In the tube floated a purple substance, it resembled a lava lamp. He deduced it was a laser of some kind. It didn't operate on the same principles the ones he designed did.

The nozzle was more than it appeared. Intricate, elegant. It wasn't often he complimented another's work but this was a well-put-together piece of tech, albeit simplistic. He wanted to take it apart, to study its composition. Alas, that would be poor form.

He set it on the ground, popping open the nozzle. It wasn't greatly damaged, all it needed was a little soldering and alignment. In little time he put it back together and pressed the trigger protruding from one side. A beam of purple launched out, cutting through the train car Minion had been sitting on.

He took note of its penetration abilities.

"It seems you can." The man commented.

"Of course I can." He rose from the floor and patted his head. "I am Megamind. This noggin isn't for show. There's not a problem I can't solve."

He quieted down a certain thought.

"Two thousand for services rendered. Is that agreeable?"

The one in charge of the briefcase of cash retrieved several stacks and handed them to the leader.

Was it? What was the going rate?

"Double it." That was the safe bet.

"Four thousand then." Additional stacks were passed without complaint. He should have asked for more. "Will you be open to future work like this?"

"I have other priorities. Minion."

Minion stepped forward passing a blue business card and a list.

"If you can supply some of the items on the list, we can talk."

Megamind eyed both briefcases. It was tempting to take them both.

"I'll speak to my employer." The briefcases were shut and the men prepared to leave. "We'll be on our way now."

They both stood without a word as the group loaded up and drove away. Once they were out of sight he released a breath and slouched.

"How did I do?" He asked Minion who rubbed his back gently. "I was going for no-nonsense serious business villain." It wasn't a role he'd ever taken.

"Fantastic sir. I had chills when you demanded more. What about me?"

Truthfully, he'd not paid him much mind.

"Terrifying, your mere presence...I'm sure if we asked they would have relinquished their belonging."

He fibbed, it was a harmless thing.

"Aww shucks, you're too much." Minion playfully pushed him. "I was trying hard for the silent muscle type."

"You nailed it." The silent part that is. "The question is, Spider Mite!" He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. "Where are you, did you succeed?"

A Spider Mite clambered out of the shadows and raised its mandibles, clacking them in a way that told him it had.

Excellent, the tracker would give him something to work with.