Buddy watched the security monitors like a hawk in his tech lab as Mirage downloaded every single bite of information from his database. His gaze was primarily set on the outside perimeter, though every now and then his eyes would find their way to Violet's image as she got ready to take care of the Colton's.
"I distinctly remember you saying that you had a thing for older women," Mirage said without looking at him but the comment forced him to look her way. He had been forced to dwell down here with his ex-something-or-other so he couldn't pester Violet to reconsider her current objective.
"What are you talking about?"
"Bob told me about your fling with his daughter," Mirage informed him, bitterness in her voice.
"Oh… So it's Bob now," Buddy muttered as he turned his head to the camera. "Do you fuck every super you meet, or is it just the blond ones?" he asked and Mirage turned her chair towards him. Where she was furious he was wholly indifferent. Surprisingly, it was hard to even act out emotion when you knew your life was over.
"I haven't slept with him," Mirage muttered before turning back to her work. "He's married."
"I'm pretty sure Gamma Jack was too," Buddy said watching the Incredible family standing together in a semicircle. He wasn't informed on the situation but it looked as though the Parr's would all be going to take down the Colton's together. "That didn't stop you then, did it?"
His eyes were forced from the screen and into a pair of familiar green eyes.
"You told me to bring you supers by any means necessary, and I did. So don't act so superior here."
"It's often said that cheaters are more prone to jealousy, but I didn't take you for the jealous type," Buddy scoffed as he snubbed his nose with his thumb and shrugged. "And I didn't mind you fucking him as the way of bringing him in, it was you begging me not to bring him back that did it for me."
"He was a security risk! Daniel was under constant watch and he -" Mirage stopped as she realized that she had used his secret identity and Buddy smirked at the giveaway.
She took a step back and then turned back to the loading screen. She had started this process shortly after the Parr family reunion which had happened hours ago and they still had another 8 hours at least before the data was completely mined. Thankfully, Buddy would be transported within the next two hours and she could remain alone with his data. His beautiful and glorious codes that transcended much of what she had thought possible. Even though she still loathed the man his mind was still as gorgeous as ever.
"It's not like you actually cared about what I did. Like everything else in your life I was just an object to you. A thing to claim or to even throw aside if the mood suited you."
Buddy rolled his eyes at the melodrama the woman was performing.
"Jesus, you will not let that go, will you?" he asked as he stood from the chair and clasped his still cuffed hands together in prayer. "I called his bluff but you know something, I think you really get off on the idea of that man just breaking you in half."
Mirage cast a set of murderous eyes his way and Buddy chuckled.
"Yeah… that's what I thought. Fuck it. I didn't think I'd ever want to even look at you again but I'm thankful for this time that we have together now, so let's just clear the air. Yes. I love older women, usually, because they are far more challenging to please, but you, nooooo. You saw me for exactly what I am. Easy money. I don't hate you for it, in fact, I probably liked you more for it! Good for you taking advantage of the system and an extra kudos for bagging the one rich guy who wasn't old enough to be your daddy."
"How dare you! I gave you everything I had. I was willing to give you my life-"
"Let's play out that scene again, shall we? Mr. Incredible- no, Bob! BOB snatches you up instead of me because you pushed me out of the way. You sacrificed yourself knowingly, which I was and still am thankful for. Now if I gave in to BOB's empty threat, guess what, I'd still be dead, and your little maneuver to save me from harm's way would have only bought me time in your dream scenario. You think you were saving me, but all you were doing was just making it a longer process for me to die. I saw door number three and I took it to save both of us."
"You could have tried harder at least," Mirage muttered but shook her head. "But I guess it doesn't matter anyway. You still lost. Even if I didn't send the Incredibles your way, you still couldn't have fixed the mess you created. The Incredibles just saved you the embarrassment of having the least amount of time in the job of being a hero."
Buddy rubbed at his temples. Mirage was, prior to the arrival of Mr. Incredible, a pushover but now she was just a nuisance. He had no problem admitting that he enjoyed a good fight but Mirage didn't meet the qualifications he was looking for in a sparring partner. She was as cold as ice. Maybe he was still boiling mad about her betrayal. Ultimately, he just couldn't stop himself from laughing.
"Okay, I get it, I suck at being good. I'm terrible at being a good son, a good partner, a good hero- Hell, maybe you would have a ring on your finger right now if we just kept up the bad guy part of the game together- and good news, we might have even gotten a contract with the NSA too," Mirage made a face of confusion and he just gave a nod. "Oh yeah. The NSA was in the business of killing supers before we unleashed that robot, the only difference is that your current employer liked targeting kids, so how do you like them apples? I don't want to give myself any credit here, but you know it could be argued that if I didn't fuck up my plan so bad, super babies would still be getting smothered in their cribs. If you don't believe me, you can ask whoever you report to before you suck their dick," Buddy said before he crashed back into the chair he was seated in.
Sharp silence filled the air between them briefly before Mirage eyed him again.
"What the hell does she see in you anyway," Mirage muttered.
"Beats me," Buddy said with a shrug, catching the image of a dove in one of the security cameras. He knew he should have brought back the robotic bird alarms but it was too late to dwell on the cracks in his foundation. "If it wasn't for you I could be asking her that right now while sailing off to my least favorite property. She told me that she loves me if you can believe that."
"I can't," Mirage said with a hollow laugh. "I find it hard for anyone to like you let alone love you but she is young, inexperienced even, but she is obviously attached to you, even more than I was. What sort of mind control did you use to gain that amount of trust?"
"It's not the money I can tell you that much."
"Poor thing doesn't have a clue what she got herself into… You're a ride to be had for sure-"
"I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Mira," Buddy cut in before Mirage spun his chair back around again.
"But do you even care about her? Like honestly, are you actually capable of loving anyone other than yourself?" Mirage asked and Buddy's expression soured but he didn't argue as she continued the interrogation. "If you gave an ounce of concern for the girl, I don't think you would have dragged her into this."
"This was her idea actua-"
"No Buddy, it's your shit show," Mirage pressed. "When the time comes you are going to go onto the stand and say that all of this was you, because my superiors want to burn WatchDog at the stake. Had you not uprooted Violet from sticking to her plain Jane life she'd be safe from scrutiny but after the little stunt she pulled with the media yesterday? I guarantee you that she's going up to a level A security threat from here on out, but it's going to be your words that will dictate if she's going to live out the rest of her natural life without worry of someone always ready to pull the trigger on her."
"You know what, I would actually pay some good money to see your current employers even try to take out Vi, so how about you lift up the flags on my account and I can start letting those bills fly."
"And there he is! There's the man I remember."
"What?"
"You just throw wealth around without having to consider how your gambling affects the lives of those around you!"
"You didn't have a problem with me doing that when I was throwing money at you. So let's get this negotiation over with. How much is it going to cost me to get these cuffs off my wrist? How much do you want to get you to say that I overpowered you and got away?"
Mirage sat back down and crossed her legs while staring down her former employer and lover.
"Do you love her?"
"Jealousy really isn't your color Mira," Buddy teased as Mirage leaned forward.
"Because if you do I implore you to reconsider your attitude on this issue. Break her heart now, and let everyone know that you've manipulated her to serve your own selfish dark desires. She'll get over you, it's not a difficult task to do, believe me. She'll survive you. She won't, however, survive the system if you drag her down with that chain of yours wrapped around her neck. Let her go so she doesn't drown. It's really the least that you can do."
Buddy bit his tongue with one of his canines. Mirage, regrettably, had a point.
Violet was handing herself over on a silver platter to the NSA. She believed that she was doing everyone a service for exposing the cancer that was in the system, but what she was really doing was making herself a bigger target. Showing those in control that she was someone who wasn't afraid to cause trouble. Mirage was given a break since he was out of the picture, but Violet was looking for a package deal that didn't exist. The only thing that would be waiting for Violet would likely be a maximum security cell where she'd be fed nothing but drugs and crackers or the end of a rifle.
"What do I say to her?"
Mirage raised an eyebrow in surprise as she turned her back to him to observe the download again.
"You're the genius. Practically a prodigy when it comes to being an asshole. I'm sure you'll come up with something."
The NSA transport team had arrived at last and it was Dicker who led Buddy out of his lair. Before the two could make it out of the house, Violet was lying in wait in the living room with the rest of her family, Winston and Apple. If it was up to Dicker and himself, they would have pushed for the caravan of government vehicles but Violet was blocking their path with her body rather than her shields. Given the situation, Violet wouldn't be able to join the escort so she was making this their goodbye until she came out on the other side of this.
"Rick, can I steal him for a minute?"
Rick sighed and released Buddy's arm. "Five minutes, and then he goes."
Violet nodded in agreement before pulling Buddy aside and out of sight into the kitchen. She had apologetic eyes, but her convictions were pretty clear. She lifted herself up onto her toes to meet his mouth with hers but he turned his head away.
"Buddy-"
"Save it. This game is over," Buddy muttered quickly, catching Violet off guard. She wasn't expecting the hostility from the man who had been full of passion towards her just the night before.
"Look I'm sorry okay. I really am but you know I'm doing this to help you, right? You'll get to walk in the sun again if we play this right! I know it isn't what you want but this is the first step in proving that you aren't all bad. That you can change for the better."
"No Parr, this is you being naive again," Buddy growled. "In fact, this entire time you've been blind to the bigger picture here."
"I know you're just trying to be cruel."
"You've been a pawn this entire time, Parr. From the minute that I brought you here I had the intentions of corrupting you. I've had my finger on you this whole time, even when you thought that you were in control I was leading you towards my side of the business."
"That's not true," Violet said, taking hold of his hands but he tore himself away.
"You wouldn't think so because I managed to control you without the use of my tech. I got inside your head. It was difficult, frustrating at times going for the long game, but damn did you fall for it," Buddy said with a laugh and Violet temporarily took a step back.
"You're just trying to push me away because you don't think this will work. You don't think that people can see what you can be, what I see when I look at you! You-"
"Actually I'm throwing you away," he corrected, raising his voice loud enough to make sure there was no mistaking from anyone about what he was saying to her.. "Why do you think I never had you test out my criminal line of products? I wasn't trying to find the flaws in them, I already knew their weaknesses. All those hours you spent in the testing chambers, I just wanted to get you acclimated to fighting the good stuff… I can't believe you didn't see that I was making you the weapon."
"That's a lie! What is your problem?!"
"I knew about your fuck up on the pier," Buddy could see that was the killing blow, but he was the kind of guy who would beat a dead horse. "I knew this whole time what you were capable of. You're a better killing machine than I could ever hope to replicate! I've been tracking your applications to the NSA for years, and every time you got that rejection notice I knew you were going to be that much easier to turn. Sure, I had to throw some of my own under the bus, but you can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. Made you really think that you were doing the world a public service when really we were just causing a whole lot of chaos."
"Why are you saying this!?" Violet asked with fresh tears streaming down her face.
"And to think that you were even willing to fight off your family for me. That was unexpected, but I guess that love makes people do truly stupid things."
"Buddy, I'm begging you to stop this please and actually acknowledge what we have! What we have been able to do together, what you feel-"
"It's laughable that you think that I could actually fall for you. I mean, me? In love with Mr. Incredible's daughter? You're the joke of the fucking century, Parr. You were never more than a tool to me. A hopeless super with no one in your life to notice when you were gone."
"Alright, that's it! I've heard enough out of you," Rick muttered as he marched back into the kitchen and hauled the villain out of the room by the back of his shirt, ignoring the laughter that the detainee was emitting.
"But hey, if you're ever in need of a good time you know where to find me for a conjugal visit now," Buddy shouted from over his shoulder as he was dragged out to the front of the house and towards the vehicles that would lead him to his half life.
Rick ripped one of the rear passenger doors open and shoved the man into the seat with Mr. Incredible and Winston watching from the doorway but Buddy didn't let his eyes stray in that direction, not bothering to see if those midnight eyes followed him. It was a relief when Rick slammed the door on him and gave the order to drive off with two slaps on the roof of the car. He didn't look back as they pulled away from his house, knowing he was leaving the one thing that ever felt like home as a broken mess.
Violet sobbed uncontrollably in the still made bed that belonged to her worst enemy as her mother stroked her back. She was invisible to the eye, but one could find the indent on the sheets and the damp spot made by her tears.
"I tried to warn you, sweetie," Mrs. Parr whispered as her hand felt over the form of her daughter. "I just wish that we were able to get to you before it got too deep."
"I told him that I loved him," the invisible woman cried out. "I'm such an idiot!"
"No, you aren't Vi. He's a villain and he exploited you, but that doesn't make you less. He's the one at fault here. Why, by the time his trial comes around we'll be throwing popcorn at the tv, cheering on the jury to find him guilty!"
Violet sniffled before making herself visible again and rolled over to her back to look at her mother who gave her a sympathetic smile. She didn't understand where she went wrong, she thought she had read him. Thought that he… She needed to change the subject.
"Why didn't you tell us we can only have kids with other supers?"
Helen frowned at the question. It was an error in judgment on her part but it wasn't done maliciously. Moving the hair out of her daughter's face, Helen gave a hearty sigh as she summoned the right words.
"Well, we didn't bring it up when you were kids because we were so focused on just letting you be kids. Then you started dating Tony and your father and I debated over if we should tell you then but it was your first boyfriend and we didn't want to spoil young love. Of course, it reached a point that we figured that you two were going to be together no matter what."
"I still had the right to know. And so did he."
Helen nodded in agreement as she wiped away the tears on her daughter's face.
"I'm sorry we kept that from you, Vi. You are right… but please don't blame me if I'm not so quick to tell Dash. I'd really prefer him to wear protection at all times."
Violet snorted, a few straggling tears breaking free as she nodded. "Okay, mom."
"Now. What do you say we show Syndrome who you really are and go get those criminals you were talking to Rick about as a family. Just like old times?"
"I'd like that," Violet whispered as she sat up to hug her mother. "Thanks, mom. Sorry about the digs on Xerex before-"
"Don't even mention it. I'm really hoping that your father forgot that we talked about him too."
Buddy rested his head against the leather headrest of the seat as he kept his eyes outside of his window, losing himself in the trees that sped past. He didn't say a word to either of the agents sitting in front of him and they remained silent as well. Breaking the silence the roar of an engine flared behind them and chatter came up on the radio.
"Potential hostile on our six," a voice broke out. Buddy smirked and shook his head. He had figured that Dr. Schmerzen or another figure from the guild would just send in an assassin when he was behind bars. Make it quick and clean. Clearly underestimated how much he had pissed off his old friends.
Buddy heard the engine and it sounded familiar to him. Looking over his shoulder to see what chariot death was driving his eyes went wide when he saw that it was his sports car. He couldn't see who was behind the tinted windows but he had an idea of who it could be. Mr. Incredible to break his spine for breaking his daughter's heart was the preferred person to be behind the wheel, but he feared that Violet was the one tailing them to get in one last screaming match.
The car cut off the front car and the agents immediately went into defensive positions, ready to unload the rounds within their issued weapons until they saw who exited the driver's door of the sports car. Buddy was dreading the sight of raven locks emerging from behind the door but instead they were confronted with the salt and pepper hairdo that belonged to Winston Deavor. He jumped right out of the seat and began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.
"Alright, Jimmy! Get out here and let's settle this like men!"
The agents in Buddy's vehicle looked at each other before looking back to the ginger seated behind them and he nodded.
"Yeah. He's referring to me."
The agent who was driving nodded and rolled down his window to speak to the irate executive.
"Mr. Deavor, if you could please get back in your vehicle-"
"Hey, I really hate pulling out this card but I quite literally pay your salary, so if you are hoping for an end of year bonus I suggest you unlock these doors right now!" Winston insisted. The agents looked at each other again before the one in the passenger seat shrugged and unlocked the door.
Buddy blinked at the sound of the locks popping up and before he knew what was happening Winston managed to pull him from the vehicle and down to the pavement.
"What the hell Jimmy?!"
"It's Buddy, Win," he said, wincing as he attempted to tend to the back of his head with his cuffed hands.
"Jimmy, Buddy, Syndrome, Skippy, Mother Thresa- I don't care what your name is! I was having a hard time believing that you did what you did in the past until I just witnessed what you did to that poor girl! You really are a villain!"
"No shit," Buddy sighed heavily at the statement as sat up and gestured his cuffs by waving them before throwing his hands down again. "Can you please go home Win, or hell you can kick the crap out of me if you want but just make it quick, I've got a date with my peers coming up in a couple of months that I'm going to want to miss but can't."
"No! You're not going anywhere until you tell me why you lied to her like that!"
"I didn't lie, Win. It's the truth. I kidnapped Violet to use her," Buddy stated before the man crouched In front of him. Buddy flinched as he raised his hand but was surprised to find a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You did lie though. You said that you didn't care about her… but you do. You might have fooled everyone else back there but there is no tricking this love guru. I just don't get how you could do that to her, why would you push her away? She only wanted to help! To give you a chance!"
"What the fuck was I supposed to do?!" Buddy shouted back, startling the man before him. Buddy clenched his fists tightly before relaxing the muscles again. He hated the restraints that were on him nearly as much as the restraints he had placed upon himself. He cast his eyes to the agents that were still within the cars. None of them could be trusted, but at this point Buddy figured that Violet and her family were already on their way to pay the Colton's a surprise visit.
She was safe. She would be okay.
"You were in the service, Winston. You know that supers who fraternize with the bad guys don't get a pass. They get a black spot and I can't recall any sup who managed to have a good life after getting caught with the enemy, do you?"
Winston's faces contorted through a range of emotions as he considered the statement that was made by his former business partner. Winston's face slowly lit up but he gave the man a sorry look.
"You did that to give her a fighting chance," Winston whispered and he reached out to grab Buddy by both of his shoulders, giving him a congratulatory shake. "Jimmy, er, uh, I mean Buddy- you saved her! You saved Violet! Oh I knew that you cared!"
Buddy smirked at Winton's enthusiasm over the situation. At least someone could be happy here.
"Violet can't know, okay? You gotta keep this to yourself," Buddy said firmly as Winston helped them both upright again.
"Buddy, you have my word, Violet will never know," he said before looking down the road to see more Black SUV's make their way towards them. "Aw jeez, that must be backup. I better explain the situation and let them know that I'll stay out of the way from here on out," Winston said as he gave a wave to the oncoming line of luxury black cars, but Buddy recognized that the models were different.
Without hesitation, Buddy tackled Winston to the ground just before a hail of bullets began reigning down upon the NSA caravan.
The agents assigned to bring Pine into Westburg began to return fire, but the men were outnumbered and certainly outgunned. Buddy began looking for a way out but there was nowhere to run or hide and he cursed Mr. Incredible for breaking the one thing that could have saved him and Winston.
The gunfire stopped and commands were being barked in Spanish.
"Win, whatever happens, please just let me do the talking," Buddy growled gently as he was pulled off of Winston and had a black sack thrown over his head.
Winston, panicked by the whole affair, attempted to make a break for it but still ended up experiencing the same fate as Buddy, only he was provided a zip tie cuffs in addition to the bag over his head and the pair were led to the new caravan.
"Hey! What's going on? Where are you taking us?! I know my rights!" Winston shouted through his bag.
"Win, please stop talking-"
"What's the big idea here?!"
"Dr. Schmerzen is most displeased with you, Mr. Pine," stated one of the men. "He has requested your company, and we're taking the liberty of bringing along a plus one. "
