Sipping on what could've been her tenth espresso of the day, Da Vinci overheard the news report notification on her phone. Her head lifted, yelping as she smacked her scalp against the shelf in her filing cupboard. With only a few weeks left as director of the league, something sparked inside her that couldn't wait to start packing.

With a heavy sigh, Da Vinci flopped back into her desk chair. Her eyes flickered to the mug of coffee sitting at her desk. At least there was something good about her day - even if she'd only drank an espresso five seconds ago. Smiling, Da Vinci grabbed the mug and took a sip of the soothing drink. She closed her eyes. Calm…

BANG!

Flinching, Da Vinci glared at her office door as another agent swung it open, a line cracking through the paint. They held their phone with a wide-eyed expression.

"Miss…!" they cried.

"What?" Da Vinci snapped. "What is so important for you to break my wall?"

The agent shuffled towards her, presenting their phone screen. "We have a situation."

Snatching the phone, her eyes flickered across the screen, squinting as she read. Shaking her head, she dropped her phone back onto the desk.

"Five robberies in the Mall, just today?" she exclaimed, rising from her seat, "How…

Who?"


For a newly released blockbuster, the theater was bound to be packed with moviegoers. Seats filled. Valuables left vulnerable. Even the projection room was left absent. But, nobody would be desperate enough to ditch the movie just to invade that room.

Unless…they weren't here for the movie.

The audience gripped the edges of their seats, invested in the action-packed climax, waiting for their beloved hero to make the next move…

Until the entire screen cut to black. The sound faded, and the room was left with nothing but gasps, murmurs, and sounds of protest. The short interruption was suddenly replaced with a blurred screen. A piece of paper slowly dissolved into focus - a peculiar drawing of a smiley-face with devil horns and a fiery tail. Everyone stared, confused. Even puzzled theater workers ran into the screen.

Inside the projection room and sat behind the projector was Lucy, giggling uncontrollably as she peered across the crowd. "Look at them!" she grinned, "Just wait until I turn the page, I wrote a spoiler on the back."

Behind her, Gru shook her head with a smirk. He lay a hand on her shoulder, tugging her away. "There must be something more evil than this."

Twisting her lips, Lucy gasped. She drew out the list from her pocket, scanning the contents. Pointing at one, Lucy grabbed Gru's hand and tugged them both out of the room.

Luckily as they left, a theater worker barged into the room, armed with a pair of hot dog tongs. They stepped towards the projector, removing the paper. With a yell, they dropped the paper.

"Darn…" they whined, "I can't believe he dies."


"And if you follow me this way, we will now be passing an utmost famous portrait by the incredible Johannes Vermeer."

With a bungee rope strapped around her waist, Lucy slowly descended from the wall of Paradise Mall's painting museum. Only a few rooms contained their most prized portraits, where security lurked outside the door. Luckily, her chosen room only contained the portrait she could finally get her eager hands on. As she listened out for the approaching tour guide, Lucy worked her nimble magic in order to get the job done.

Whipping out a scalpel, Lucy picked at the corners of the portrait. Past mistakes helped develop a calming instinct. El Macho kidnapping her, for example, poked at her anxiety in the worst situation possible. Now, even if she was caught, she knew how to handle it. No more simple arm grabs for this girl.

Before she knew it, the door creaked open. The tour guide entered with a charming smile, pacing backwards as he chatted with the guests.

"So, may I present to you all, The Girl with the Pearl-"

As he turned to face the portrait, his beam dropped. The crowd behind him searched for the portrait in question, but only a shadow remained.

Chuckling silently, Lucy waited as Gru tugged her back into the ceiling. Securing the ceiling tile, Lucy passed the portrait to her husband.

Heaving it over his shoulder, Gru guided her towards the exit. As she strode in front, he couldn't contain the jaw-aching grin as he listened to her villainous laughter echo through within the metal walls.

"I took his gold watch earlier, too!" Lucy grinned over her shoulder, waving a tiny watch in her hand.

"Well aren't you just a little mischievous," Gru teased.

Before Lucy could reply, three museum guards slammed open the exit door. Aiming their guns at the couple, one of them declared, "Freeze, thieves!"

Advantaged with fast reflexes, Gru switched himself to camouflage mode, whilst Lucy threw up her hood and tugged her scarf over her mouth. She kicked open the door beside them, cackling victoriously as she led them on a wild chase. Knowing that Gru would stick beside her, Lucy continued to bolt.

With the guards hot on her tail, two others approached. She leapt over the railing, using its leverage to deliver a swift kick in their jaws. They collapsed, tripping over the remaining guards. Glancing over her shoulder with a grin, Lucy burst through the entrance doors.

Fortunately, the Mall was packed with shoppers, couples, and families. She slipped into a heavy crowd, catching her breath.

"Still here?" Lucy murmured, hoping her husband was still beside her.

"Right behind you, sweetheart," an unexpected voice made her expression drop. That's not her husband.

Their hand grabbed her shoulder, but Lucy clenched her fist and punched the guard. Another hand touched her arm, to which she slapped the unknown attacker.

"Ahh!" Gru groaned, the camouflage wavering across his cheek in the shape of Lucy's hand, "Honey, it's me!"

Lucy winced, "Sorry!"

Grabbing his hand, Lucy guided him through the crowd and away from the guard. She sprinted towards the escalator, barging through shoppers with a drumming heart. Finally on the top level, Lucy whipped out a laser gun. Cutting a hole through the Mall's glass pane, Lucy advanced towards their exit.

But, the couple skidded to a halt, glancing down at the sudden drop. Behind them, security guards rushed and barged through crowds to reach the top level. There was no other choice - they had to jump.

Scrolling through his ability dial, Gru selected dust bomb, before pressing the middle of his palm. Lucy beamed as small dust particles flew out of his palm, forming into one sphere. Throwing the bomb over his shoulder, Gru took advantage of the ecstatic swell in his chest as he swept Lucy by the waist, dipping her with a smirk.

BOOM!

With the adrenaline in his veins waiting to be flourished, he gave his wife an adoring kiss, one which she reacted to immediately. She tugged him closer, ignoring the sounds of the guards shouting and screaming in the background - blinded by sharp dust particles. It was a moment ripped out of a Bond movie, but this time…they were the villains.

And although Lucy always strived to be like her favourite spy, she couldn't help but appreciate how good it felt to be bad.

Once the dust cloud cleared, the guards rushed towards their location. However, Gru and Lucy were nowhere to be seen. Exchanging puzzled looks, they all spread out across the mall, searching for a sign of the partners.

Little did they know that the couple narrowly escaped. With a grappling hook, they swooped down towards Lucy's car. Buckled up and straight on the gas, they sped away and blended in with the afternoon traffic. Besides, who would suspect a little blue bug?


With a satisfied smile, Gru sighed as he relaxed on the grassy hill overlooking downtown Pasadena.

His gaze moved, focusing on Pier 12 - Lucy's main launching pad for the AVL submarine. Something pinched his chest as soon as he remembered what they really worked for. Despite what they accomplished today, they were still good guys…working against people who committed exactly what they did only hours ago. He frowned. His mission to keep Lucy on track to becoming Director wasn't exactly a failure, but it could easily swurve.

With Lucy in mind, Gru glanced behind his shoulder. He couldn't help a favourable smile as she admired one of their many stolen possessions. Despite his guilt, he couldn't help embracing that familiar warmth tugging the villainous corner of his heart. Stealing wasn't his passion anymore, but with his wife…

Gru shook his head. No. No more.

Whilst he was lost within his thoughts, he only caught the tail end of Lucy's rambling.

"Remember that guy in the jewellers? His face was priceless. You won't get away with this," Lucy mimicked in a deep tone, chuckling as she tossed a trophy in the air, catching it with one hand, "I'm telling ya, honeybear, I would've robbed the entire store. He was a deadbeat."

"Heh, yes," Gru agreed, watching as she lay down beside him, "I had no doubt in you."

"Why, thank you," Lucy jokingly curtsied, chuckling as she joined her husband's side. She nudged his shoulder, "that must've been a rush for you, right?"

He shrugged. "Anything that involves action is a rush."

"But villainy," Lucy emphasised, "you never told me it could be so empowering."

Gru's smile fell slightly. Empowering wasn't the word he'd use. It sounded nefarious, everything that Lucy absolutely wasn't.

"Well, that's the reason I stopped," Gru finally replied, hoping she would listen, "it was fun, sure, stealing whatever with cool gadgets and cars. But…I always felt this deep hole in my chest afterwards. Nobody deserves to be robbed, or attacked, anything of the sort."

Lucy shrugged, "They can just get another painting, though."

Sitting up, Gru gestured to the portrait behind them, "And what are we going to do with this painting, Lucy?"

Following his gaze, Lucy snickered. "It'll look nice in the hallway."

Whilst laughing, she caught Gru's glance. He'd usually crack a smile at her jokes. However, as his frown still remained, her laughter died down. She glanced back at the portrait with a sigh. As pretty as it looked, he was right. No matter how valuable it was, it'd only be a temporary achievement until she desired more. That little wicked Lucy kept knocking on her shoulder, desperate for more action.

Ignoring it for her husband's sake, she nodded. "I understand."

Relief pooled into his chest. Gru gazed upon the town once again. A few streetlamps flickered on, ready for the evening. "Plus…I don't want that behaviour provoking the girls, or affecting the girls. They've been kidnapped twice by villains, and technically kept hostage by that terrible woman at the orphanage."

Lucy frowned. She understood the isolating pain of living inside an orphanage. Though she never met Miss Hattie, she'd easily give the woman a good beating.

Beating? Lucy stopped herself, No, talking. Harsh talking. That's what the good Lucy would do.

The Pasadena civilians were only small - tiny specks across the beautiful canvas of downtown. Gru continued, "As a villain, I wouldn't be able to help these innocent people. I'd be lonely. No expensive thing ever filled that hole in my heart."

Lucy gazed at her husband, sorrowful. How he spent fifty years without her and the girls…she barely survived almost forty. She caught sight of the beautiful town, smirking as she remembered what she already had. Slipping her hand into his, Lucy added, "I suppose it takes away the warm feeling of being liked."

Gru nodded. "As a villain, you have either enemies or rivals. As the good guys, we have enemies, but we have friends and family."

Gru rolled on his side, with Lucy following suit. He cupped her face with a sweet smile, "The moon couldn't compare to the family I have now."

She grinned, cheeks heating up at his heartwarming words. Taking advantage of the distance between them, Lucy gave him a small kiss. She spent a moment with her forehead pressed against his. Small things like this were enough for her lovestruck heart, and although they weren't married for that long, Lucy's heart skipped a beat every time they locked eyes. Just like their first meeting…

…no, not when she tasered him. The tiny moment before the weapon fight. But it was funny when others asked how they first met.

Oh, he tried to trap me in ice, so I tasered him. That's when I knew he was the one.

The befuddled looks she received in the past few years were hilarious.

She chuckled, that day only felt like a week ago. Noticing Gru give her a confused smirk at her chuckle, Lucy racked her brain to change the topic. She glanced back at her stolen stash, before grabbing his hands.

"Alright, you've convinced me. We've got everything we want," Lucy grinned, "but maaaybe just one more thing?"

Gru sighed, chuckling slightly. "No, come on."

"Please, just one more!" Lucy begged, tugging his hand playfully.

Even if she was just joking, Gru couldn't bring himself to joke with her. "No, no, we can't."

"Why?" she pouted, teasingly.

Gru squeezed one of her hands, kissing her forehead. "So we can turn you back into good Lucy."

"Well," Lucy hunched her shoulders as he did so, another little action she loved, "good Lucy can wait."

"Good Lucy needs to come back so you can-"

He bit his lip, stopping himself. Uh-oh.

Her smile also faded. She blinked, waiting for him to finish. "So I can…what?"

Gru clenched his teeth. You just can't help yourself, can you? he thought. He wanted this secret revealed at a big surprise party, with everyone celebrating her achievement - him, the girls, Nefario, the Minions, and Dru. Even Silas, now he knew the secret. Not now, when her career balanced on a tightrope, hiding from the Apex investigation and from Da Vinci's car investigation.

But maybe, if he told her, she'd be inclined to keep their villainous secrets. Would it be so bad if he told her? If he did…she'd definitely agree to turn back straight away. Villain Lucy would be no more.

Exhaling, Gru finally revealed, "So…you can become the new director of the AVL."

Lucy tilted her head. "The new…huh?"

Gru struggled to fight a grin, just in case she reacted differently than expected. "Da Vinci is retiring, and she needs a replacement much better than her. Someone who is strong, confident, a true leader," he paused for a short effect, "and she's chosen you."

Lucy blinked. Her eyes flickered elsewhere, trying to process her husband's words. And once they finally registered, a smile slowly crept across her face. "DIRECTOR?!"

"GAH!"

Gru couldn't find time to respond, as Lucy already launched herself at him in a full-throttle hug. They tumbled down the hill, through a daffodil patch, all the way down to the bottom. With a grin, Lucy hugged him like an anchor keeping her stationary. With a chuckle, Gru tugged her closer, burying his face into her hair. He felt her excited shivers, his heart warming as she drew back to beam at him.

"She's…she's chosen me?" Lucy gestured to herself, almost like she wasn't a real life person, "Out of everyone?"

Gru grinned, nodding in response.

Lucy laughed out loud, grabbing her cheeks. "I…I can't believe it," she bounced on her feet, almost like she was about to launch into the air, "am I dreaming? Punch me."

Gru chuckled, lowering her arm as she gestured for him to punch it. "No, I won't be punching you. It's real."

She cocked her brow. "But she hasn't been in the job for long."

Gru sighed. "Yes, well, she's probably transferring to another job since she couldn't gossip whilst working."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Talk about a great leader."

Holding her hands, Gru smiled, "You're going to be the great leader that we need, Lucy," he poked her nose playfully, "and I know you've got some ideas to improve things."

Lucy widened her eyes, that wondrous glint sparkling inside them. "You remembered?"

Gru couldn't help the warm smile spreading across his face. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a black ringlet fade back to her natural ginger.

His chest swelled. The real Lucy was still in there.


It wasn't easy to sneak into the games room within Gru's lab. Minions sat or played in every corner, so any intruder would've been confronted immediately. But, as the Minions were assigned to another project, the games room was left vacant. Plus with Nefario's terrible hearing and Gru's absence, Margo kept calm and collected as she slipped inside with ease.

"Shh shh," Margo whispered, creeping inside the games room, "we'll be good in here."

Peering behind her shoulder, she gestured for the three villains and her sisters to follow. Double-checking that everyone was present, Margo slowly shut the door behind her.

Vector rubbed his chin, like a millionaire examining a room filled with expensive artwork. "So this is where Gru planned his miraculous stake-outs."

Crossing his arms, Bratt frowned at a dart-ridden board with his face stapled to it. At a reasonably close distance, you could spot hundreds of dart-marks. "That's offensive."

Leaping onto the ping-pong table, Edith grabbed a paddle and balanced the ball in the middle. "So, how long d'ya think we'll be safe before Dad finds out and loses his mind?"

Margo removed her glasses, rubbing away the exhaustion in her eyes. "We're just gonna have to tell the truth, and however he responds…"

Glancing at the villains, who grew invested in the ice-cream circle bar, Margo shrugged and murmured, "Just expect them to be sent back."

Fortunately, everything seemed under control. Whilst the villains made themselves at home - their home, despite the absurdity of it all - the girls smiled amongst each other.

Until a familiar, screeching voice made them jerk, "Helloooo?"

The girls gasped. Uncle Dru! They completely forgot he stopped by several times during the month for heist planning or bonding with his family. But, after the celebration, they didn't expect him until next week.

"Girls?" Dru poked his head around the corner, a grin stretching across his face. His attention focused on the box in his arms, hobbling forward as he heaved it further into the room. "Ah, I was wondering where everyone went! I just bought the most amazing soccer table if you wanna pla-AAAUUUUGGHHH!"

The box slipped from his grasp. A loud CLANG echoed through the room. His sight caught upon the three villains, who all stepped back in response. Bratt gasped, but Eduardo and Vector stared, puzzled.

Furrowing his eyes, Dru attempted a martial-arts stance. Unfortunately, though he was a capable villain, his self-defence wasn't up to scratch. Instead, he grabbed the nearest weapon to him - the Atomizer, which Lucy left on the counter from the last time she admired it.

"What are you…why are you…don't make me shoot!" Dru yelled.

Edith ran in front of him, holding up her hands. "Chill, Uncle Dru!"

But he didn't listen. Instead, he shoved Edith behind his legs, crying to the other girls, "Get behind me!"

Agnes rushed up towards him. "No, no, they're good guys!"

Still befuddled, Eduardo examined Dru from head to foot. "Gru had a quick makeover."

Vector nodded in agreement, grimacing at the luscious locks. "Not sure how I feel about the bleached wig."

Margo shook her head, "No, this is Uncle Dru, Dad's twin brother."

"There's two of them?" Vector gasped.

Eduardo scoffed, "Dru. That's funny."

"You!" Dru stormed up towards Bratt, grabbing his collar and shoving his face near his, "Putting my whole family in danger, and having the nerve to waltz in here?"

Bratt widened his eyes, almost expecting Dru to headbutt him. However, he offered a calm smile, "Man, chill. I like your hair."

Dru's scowl lessened. His head perked, "Really?"

Before Bratt could continue, Dru shook his head and shoved him away, "I mean…shut up! Now…you all better skedaddle back to where you came from, or…" he twisted a nozzle on the side of the Atomizer, jabbing it towards the villains again, "I will use this!"

THWIP!

A squid launched across the gun. Dru screamed, staring at his gloopy hand in disgust as the gun flew into Vector's hands. Bratt, Eduardo, and the three girls widened their eyes.

Vector shrugged, detaching the squid's tentacles from the weapon. "What? He looks foolish enough to actually fire this thing."

He twirled the weapon, accidentally flicking the trigger.

BOOM!

A sharp, bright glow shot out of the barrel, piercing into the leather of a nearby couch. Submerged in a yellow glow, the couch hovered in the air, before slamming back into the ground. Everyone cringed. Vector gently placed the weapon down.

"See, we could be buried in concrete thanks to this lunatic," Vector gestured to Dru.

Before Dru could argue back, he was interrupted as Nefario ambled past him with a hot cup of coffee. "What in the bleeding heck was that loud bang?"

Grabbing the poor man's shoulders, Dru squealed, "Nefario! Nefario!"

"Not the shoulder-OW," Nefario winced, stepping away from him, "I may look young, but my bones are still fragile."

"The…the villains!" Dru stuttered, pointing at them. They stared back, now agitated with his loud voice.

"Ah, good timing girls," Nefario hobbled to his desk, retrieving a few tools from the drawers, "Gru and Lucy will be back any minute now."

Dru dug his fingers into his hair, desperate to rip the entirety off. Not really. He wouldn't sacrifice his beautiful locks, even if his safety was threatened. He waved his arms frantically, like he suddenly grew eight limbs. "Are you seriously going to ignore this?"

Nefario gestured to the Villainization Ray in the corner of his desk, before gesturing to the villains. Dru tilted his head for a moment, before the realisation hit him. He opened his mouth, a slow, "Ohhhh…" slipped out.

Glancing back to the villains, Dru chuckled and rubbed his arm. "I knew all along, I was just testing you."

Vector, Eduardo, and Bratt glared back at him, unamused.

"Where did Mom and Dad go?" Agnes tugged at Nefario's coat, tilting her head.

"Oh…" Nefario glanced at Dru, pausing for a moment, "they just nipped to the store."

"For what?" Margo lay her hands on her hips.

Dru grinned, "Lucy said she was gonna steal some candy for me!"

He slapped a hand over his mouth. Nefario lay a hand across his face, shaking his head.

Margo's jaw dropped. "So it's true? You know about Mom, too?"

"H-Huh?" It was almost impossible for Dru's voice to increase in pitch, but somehow he managed as he scratched his head, "I didn't say…I don't…oh, look at that, gotta update my BeReal!"

Drawing out his phone, Dru awkwardly paced into the next room with a guilty grin. The girls glanced at each other, speechless.

Crossing his arms, Eduardo frowned at Vector. "Good one, once again, Victor."

"Wait, what?" Vector yelled, throwing up his arms. "How is this my fault?"

"If you kept your mouth shut, the girls could be peacefully playing tea parties," Bratt argued.

Vector clenched his teeth. "Well, I'm sorry for telling them the truth."

Agnes hugged Margo tight, her bottom lip wobbling, "Are Mom and Dad really villains?"

"No, no!" Nefario answered, before one of the villains continued on another tangent, "Just a botched experiment, that's all. Unfortunately turned your mother into…a villain."

Agnes gasped, clutching Margo tighter and holding Edith's hand.

"But it can be reversed!" Nefario grinned before he could terrify the poor kids, "In the process of trying to change her back, your father accidentally turned these chaps into heroes."

Edith frowned. "You're gonna change her back, right?"

He lifted the ray from its rack, presenting it to them. "The ray uses this special liquid in order to work, but we lost all of it, so that's where they've gone. Once they come back, she'll be her usual Wilde self," Nefario gave them a thumbs-up, which luckily soothed their worries. However, he scratched his chin, murmuring amongst himself, "Unless the villainy has completely invaded her head…"

Margo quirked her brow. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Nefario chuckled.

The comment hadn't slipped past Bratt, who stepped forward. "I'll help to make sure that won't happen."

"How?" Nefario scoffed, "Once you turn back, you'll be the heartless maniac you were before."

"The other me won't say this, but…it's not all fun and games, being a villain," Bratt glanced at Clive, who solemnly nodded and beeped in agreement. "I only wanted to be an actor. And yeah, I got mad when they rejected me, but look at me now! I could've done something else, like..."

He balanced on one leg, twirling in a few perfect circles. "Like giving dance lessons, or jazzercise classes!"

With a brighter side of mind, Bratt finally realised the wondrous career he could've obtained rather than terrorising a generation that had no connection with cancelling him.

"I agree," Eduardo scratched his head, "if I wasn't so attached to my Esmeralda…I could be exactly like this, and Antonio would have a father to raise him," he gestured to himself with a melancholic smile.

Vector shoved his hands in his pockets, kicking the floor with his heel. "I had no choice but to be a villain, thanks to my Dad. Every time I showed him my awards at school, he'd destroy them and call me a suck-up."

Nefario gazed across at the wall of weaponry, dazed in complete despair. Sometimes, he wondered how life would have turned out for him instead if he was a good scientist. Making cures instead of weapons, perhaps. Then again…he would've never met Gru. And without Gru, he wouldn't have felt like part of a family. He never would've met the girls or Lucy, either, who were the most adoring family he'd ever been attached to.

With a sigh, Nefario agreed, "Villainy invades your head, to the point of no return," Nefario froze, remembering that the girls were still there. They stared back at the old man, pale as ghosts. He cleared his throat, "But it will not happen with Lucy, I can guarantee."

And speaking of the villain in question…

"What the heck are you idiots doing in my lab?" Gru's voice bounced off the walls, booming straight through the villains.

Behind him was Lucy, who beamed at the villains in complete contrast to Gru. Whilst he stormed towards them, she trailed in the girls' direction.

"Mama!" Agnes grinned, sprinting towards Lucy with open arms.

Kneeling at her height, Lucy mirrored her excitement, spinning her around in a warm hug. A hand lay across her daughter's head, tucking her between her neck. If there's one thing she missed the most…it was her girls.

She glanced beyond Agnes, spotting Margo and Edith. They stared up at her, reluctant. Lucy's smile dropped. They know…

Even with villainy spiralling inside her, Lucy still upheld a soft tone as she lifted her head to face her youngest, "Hey sweetheart, everything okay?"

Frowning, Agnes drew back to stare into Lucy's eyes. She lay her hands across her face, pouting. "Are you still in there, Mom?"

Lucy let out an oblivious laugh. "What are you talking about? I'm always here," she glanced down at her outfit, "well, my dress was uh…shrunk! Yeah, so this is the only thing I could find."

Although she knew her mother was lying, Agnes dived back into their cuddle.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Gru approached Nefario with a nod. Another thing he didn't miss about villainy - all the energy drained after a single heist. He could easily count his number of heists on one hand. Quality over quantity, as Nefario once advised during their early days. Superior heists took years of delicate planning.

Dru popped up behind him, patting his shoulder hard. "You look like crud, brother!"

"Yeah…" Gru flinched, wincing at the pain shooting up his shoulder, "I got swept up into the past just a little."

Approaching another door, Gru gestured for Nefario to follow. Dru and Lucy trailed behind as they all entered the vehicle room. Gru's tank, Robert Gru's villain car - or as Dru called it, the Despicamobile - and Lucy's car all in one row. Checking that his girls or the other villains weren't peeking, Gru popped open the trunk of Lucy's car, emptying the contents.

Nefario stared at the two, eyes wide. They stole a bunch of valuable items and Gru was absolutely expressionless. He turned to Lucy, wishing he could have ignored that villainous grin.

In a stressed tone, Nefario scolded, "Gru, I told you about the effects of the–"

"–I had a chat with her," Gru interrupted, "she won't be doing it again."

Gru raised his eyebrows at Lucy, who crossed her heart with a nod.

Meanwhile, Dru took a solid moment to observe the trunk full of stolen possessions. Stolen. By his brother and his sister-in-law. The realisation walloped him straight in the chest. And suddenly, like an erupting volcano, Dru screamed…

"YOU WENT ON HEISTS WITHOUT ME?"

"SHHHHH!" Gru and Lucy both covered his mouth. They peered into the next room, but the girls and the villains were occupied with a thrilling game of ping-pong.

Slapping their hands away, Dru turned sharply on his heel. He crossed his arms and pouted, "Traitors. That's not fair."

"Well it's not happening again," Gru quickly nipped his complaint in the bud, "we need to turn Lucy back."

Lucy smirked, hands on her hips, "Uh-huh. This girl's gonna be one fine Director."

Dropping his frown, Dru gasped, "You told her?"

Gru rolled his eyes, grabbing Lucy's backpack from the passenger's seat. "It was either that or chasing her like we chase you."

Carefully rummaging inside, Gru retrieved the mercury canister. Nefario gasped, wrapping his gloved hands around the base. The silver liquid left him mesmerised. It wasn't a common tool used in weaponry-crafting, it was extremely valuable. If the liquid must be used, it shouldn't be wasted. Which led to Nefario glaring at all three adults, "Once I've fixed this, we will not be wasting it again. Have I made myself clear?"

Gru and Lucy nodded. Although the warning was aimed at them, Dru's knowledge of the weapon could've led to whatever destructive behaviour he decided to exhibit every morning. Jaw dropping, Dru's hands flew to his sides, "You guys are really pushing it today."

Clicking the lightning bolt nozzle into place, Nefario hobbled back into the games room. Exchanging weary glances, the three villains stepped forward.

"Well…this was fun," Vector attempted a smile.

Agnes frowned, waving a little hand. "Thank you, terrific orange tuxedo man."

Nefario twisted the nozzle to bad, aiming the barrel towards the villains. Eduardo exhaled, whilst Vector clenched his eyes shut. But Bratt, after glancing at Lucy once more, finally spoke, "Wait!"

Everyone stared at him. Nefario raised a brow.

Bratt cleared his throat, "Just wait, before you change us back…" he twisted his hands together, inhaling, "the other me wouldn't have said anything…about your parents."

He caught Lucy's gaze as he spoke the final words.

Already catching on, Vector swiftly shook his head. "Bratt…"

Eduardo nudged his arm. "What are you doing?"

Furrowing her brows, Lucy stepped past Nefario, lowering the ray in his hands. "You knew my parents?"

Bratt nodded. "I was only a kid around that time, but…you know how quickly word spreads around Villain-Con..." he trailed off, hoping Lucy would catch his jist. When she waited for him to continue, he chanced, "I'm sure you know your parents were killed, right?"

"Of course I do," Lucy said matter-of-factly, before remembering, "well, I thought I did."

"How so?"

Who was he, prodding into her personal life? Lucy shook her head, turning away. She muttered to Nefario, "Turn them back."

"No, no!" Bratt threw up his hands, blocking the ray's barrel with his palm. "Please."

With a heavy sigh, Lucy closed her eyes. Out of everyone she'd discuss her parents with, the last person on earth would be Bratt. It wasn't a featherlight topic either. Even after decades, any mention of their death was salt rubbed onto a never-ending wound. But if he knew something, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.

Finally, she turned around. "They were dumped on Pier 13 by some rogue villain, who was also found dead hours later. But, when we broke into the labs earlier, apparently they died because of the Apex labs explosion."

Eyes flickering to the side, Bratt muttered to himself, "That sneaky little…"

Lucy blinked. "What do you know, Bratt?"

Bratt shook his head. A shadow cast across his face. "I don't know if you've got the stomach to hear this."

"Or the right frame of mind," Vector pinched his arm, glaring at him, "maybe we should turn her back before you tell her."

Before Vector could guide him away, Lucy grasped his jacket. Dragging Bratt away from the others, Lucy pinned him against the wall and glared at him. "No, you tell me now."

Vector and Eduardo frantically shook their heads. A large red cross spread across Clive's face. Clueless, Gru stepped forward, also curious to discover what Bratt was hiding.

Lucy shrugged. "Well?"

"The thing that killed your parents wasn't the explosion," Bratt gulped, "Apex himself…shot them to death."