CRAAAAAAASH!

Glass smashed into a million pieces from the roof onto the pristine wooden floors of the building. Bomb Voyage smashed onto the table that was in the middle of the room, breaking it clean in half and dismantling everything that was on top of it, including a tablecloth, plates, and candles. He immediately passed out as soon as he hit the floor with a loud thud. I flew in right after the French fiend through the roof's hole, hovering in the air above the man that stood about ten feet away from the damage simply observing everything.

Humanitarian. Supervillain. Aaand Ex-boyfriend (definitely not proud of that one) - Xerex.

He was ugly. Now without the aid of his pre-aging device, there was no way he could supplement his youthfulness on a regular basis. Premature wrinkles creased the corners of his face, and a balding head with only a few strands of hair laid atop his head. It was only a remnant of the man he used to be - the immaculate build and jet black hair gone, replaced with jowls and a less-than-stellar potbelly.

He didn't react as any normal person would (in fact, he never did from what I could recall). He clasped his hands together, calling out to a man in another room. "Rafeal, bring out a new table…." He paused, eyeing me with interest. "Our guest has arrived."

I landed in front of him, brandishing the handgun. "Whatever it is you're planning ends now Xerex!"

He sighed. "Must it be this instant? Right now the chefs are preparing filet mignon. Mind you, not the poor imitation typically seen back in our home country… no. This is genuine French Cuisine."

I whiffed the air, catching the smoked scent of the meal just in the other room. "I didn't come all this way to eat…" I muttered.

"Of course not." He interjected. "You came all this way to stop me from doing some imagined nefarious deed. Well… If I were planning some magnificent, world-shattering crime, do you honestly believe arresting me now would put an end to it?"

Well, no I thought, but I wasn't about to voice that out loud. He grinned at me and kept talking.

"If you really want to know what I'm planning… if you really want to stop me… first you must dine with me. I insist."

This bastard. I should have known he'd want to pull something like this. Try to relive the past and pretend we were on some sort of date. He always knew how to get under my skin, and right now was no exception. As it would seem, I really didn't have much options here. It wasn't like I had any back up at the moment - Mirage was still occupied with the robots and Bob was still at home with the kids, all of them expecting me to return home sometime soon from my "parents house". With much reluctancy, I lowered the gun. He smiled.

"Excellent."

It was approximately 20 minutes later that I found myself seated at the dinnertable, with Xerex at the opposite end. Good. The farther away I stayed from him, the better. A lavish filet mignon was served on a silver platter. It looked good enough, sure, but sitting in his company was enough to make me lose my appetite entirely.

It was silent. Painfully so, for the first half of dinner. It was difficult to keep myself composed, just knowing that he was there, and that my mission's partner was Mirage, and that my family still had no clue what was really happening. It didn't help that his gaze was glued to me, not breaking it to look at his food or really anywhere else in the room. His eyes had that distant look, likely replaying all those memories we'd shared when we were together. He was enjoying my presence - he was enjoying this.

"You've hardly touched your plate, dear Helen," he commented after taking another careful bite of the steaming fish. "Surely hunting me across the globe has left you with an appetite."

I humphed. So he'd noticed. Of course, nothing gets by him. As if I cared that I didn't want to eat his dinner.

"No. No, not really. Generally speaking, dealing with you leaves me without much appetite"

He sighed. "Ah. A tragic waste of a fine meal…"

I slammed my fist atop the table, causing the utensils to jump. I was sick of all this. "Enough games, Xerex! You ordered Bomb Voyage to destroy the Eiffel Tower! You leaked information to the US government that you were operating in France! Why?!"

He calmly wiped his mouth with a napkin, a thin smile tugging the corner of his lips. "Such passion I incite in you still, even after so many years apart. It warms even my heart to see such fire in your soul."

He reached for the glass of wine, carefully taking a few sips while still keeping his eyes trained to me.

"Tell me…" he began again. "How is your husband? How is Mr. Incredible?"

"He is none of your concern," I snapped.

"Don't be ridiculous, sweet Helen. There's no question on my mind as to why you were claimed. I am only curious to know why you chose him."

Hmm, let's see, I thought. He's kind, considerate. Saves people and cares for their well being. Loves me and our kids. Didn't wish to use me as part of some crazy experimentation. Was everything for me that you weren't. Yeah, all things I could have said. But, I stood silent, clenching my nails into my gloved fists.

Xerex shook his head. "You know…" he said after a long moment, "it's a bit disappointing, really. The once proud and independent Elastigirl is now little more than a sidekick to her world famous husband. It's not the future I pictured for you. Nor can it be the future you predicted for yourself."

I gritted my teeth. No, it wasn't… but it was close enough to it.

"Xerex, enough" I said sternly, not wishing to continue this line of conversation.

"Everything you once loved… everything you hoped to achieve… sacrificed for family. For 'love'" He sat up straighter, apparently ignoring how fumed I was (or perhaps he noticed and just didn't care).

"And yet, you drop everything to chase a ghost from your past. To come and find me. All the while lying to your husband about your true actions. Admit it. It excites you."

My hands slammed against the table, making the objects on it clink haphazardly. "ENOUGH!" I thrust myself forward, stretching forward to wring my hands around his elderly neck, but before I could reach, two metallic probes whizzed out from the sides of the table, encasing me in a green, impenetrable orb of some kind. Xerex clicked his tongue in a seeming disappointment.

"Oh, my dear sweet Helen… as if I would allow you to waste your beauty on combat."

Aw, crap.