"I cannot believe him!" Roxanne fumed as she slid into the passenger seat and disengaged her disguise. "People have been hurt, people are going to die, and he's still more concerned about having a dick-measuring contest!"

Megamind shrugged. "Then when he loses he'll have no one to blame but himself."

"Megamind, this really isn't the time."

"Hmm? Oh, no, I'm not talking about my… admittedly impressive anatomy," despite his assertion he still threw her a wolfish grin. But something was subtly... off about it. "I'm speaking figuratively. Be quiet for a moment," he added, eyes focusing suddenly on the rearview mirror.

Roxanne turned around enough to see Rickard, one hand on the door handle of a car parked near the entrance. He was alert, and her stomach twisted. The car was invisible, but it wasn't soundproof. Had he heard them?

After a moment, the agent seemed to shake off his suspicion and got into the vehicle.

"Is he just now heading for the mayor's office?" Roxanne asked quietly. Had he seen them at his cubicle?

"Can't be. I had Pollock set up that meeting with our time frame in mind," Megamind frowned slightly. "What is he up to?"

"Should we follow him?"

"No," he sounded almost depressed. "We have far more important things to attend to. Like stopping Ares. We've nearly got him now. All I need is to figure out how he plans to eliminate his targets."

"I thought that was the point of at least one of the bombs?"

"No," he answered again, letting out a deep breath. "At least now the ones we already found. As I said, some of them were decoys. However, even the real ones were, at least in part, distractions. Oh, and he did expect I'd realize they were never actually intended to go off— but only after a bomb squad had been called in. Ares's goal was simply to distract me while he made his demands, set off the real devices one by one. That's why the duds were 'hidden' in more obvious locations. He counted on my inexperience as a hero leading me to panic and focus on the most manifest threats. He's been waiting to hear about a bomb scare to make his move."

"Good thing we took so many precautions."

"Indeed."

"You don't sound happy."

"I'm thinking. And trying to hold myself together right now."

"What's wrong?"

He didn't answer.

Roxanne tried a different tactic. "If he expected you not to figure it out as soon as you saw those wires weren't there, he doesn't know you as well as he thinks."

She'd expected that to cheer him up—Megamind wasn't above being flattered, especially where his intellect was concerned—but he only sighed again.

"You have no idea," he cast her a semblance of his troublemaker's grin, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Ares has made a mistake that people only make once: underestimating Megamind. Apparently, he's still unaware we orchestrated our own distractions and removed the bombs right under his nose. He thinks there will be news about a bomb any minute now; even sent me another letter full of veiled hints to urge me along. He's going to act tonight, so we will too. Simmons is waiting on my signal to release fake intel as a cover if we need it."

"Hmm," she agreed, watching him with concern. She needed to keep his mind off of… whatever was weighing on him. "You mentioned that the bombs were about Olivia… Is that the other point, besides distracting you?"

"Exactly. They were also intended as a threat, I think. One meant to force me into giving her back. He plans to move on his targets while I'm dealing with it. I would have told you sooner, but..." he gestured vaguely.

"Yeah. We've been busy." She patted his arm, then paused. "You keep saying 'targets,' plural, now. What do you know that I don't?"

"Your mind really is beautiful," he informed her. This time his smile was more sincere, although it was sad around the edges. "We know who his targets are now, and our favorite Fed is still flying blind."

"We do?"

"That was my point earlier. When victory is ours and Rickard is left empty-handed, it will be his own fault." Something like petty satisfaction crossed his features. It looked entirely too much like one of his old villainous expressions. "Hero or not," he stated, "I still have every intention of rubbing it in."

"You seem pretty confident."

"He's already told us more than he intended, and the information on his computer has confirmed it. I have all the puzzle pieces I need."

"What? Hold on… I'm missing something…"

"You just need to adjust your focus, Sweetheart. Think about it logically: Ares is expensive, and therefore usually only targets high rollers. We know that. We also know he has a strict, albeit warped, code that further dictates which hits he will and will not take. Then there is the fact that he felt it worthwhile to research my old shool, and that both the shool and the plates on our mystery man's car were registered to the same anonymous trust. Finally, we have a connection to an arson fire ten years ago."

"Yeah, but what do Ares' previous kills have to do with the current one? Are the victims connected?"

"Were those previous hits, though, and if they were, was Ares really responsible?"

"Rickard said—"

"Rickard is a fool, and he's wrong," Megamind stated flatly. "Remember, our quarry always makes his kills significantly symbolic in some way. For example, there was a drug kingpin, big in cocaine smuggling, called The Snowman who Ares locked in a freezer and left to die. There was a politician named Horace Ferraro who was involved with the Nevada Water Scandal, where water reservoirs meant for community use and fire fighting were diverted to water casino lawns and supply their fountains. Ares drowned him in a toilet. Now, ask yourself this: why would Ares choose fire and explosions as the means of every attack in Metrocity thus far?"

And just like that, everything clicked into place. "Of course! His target is whoever was responsible for that fire! Which was aimed at an illegal business! And that was during the time that the Peretti Family was active in Metro City— who, if I recall correctly, owned the Fitzgerald! So the target has to be someone connect with them!"

"Exactly. Someone connected with a crime family and with the Little Shool for Gifted Children… Someone with enough political power and money to be worth Ares' fees. There's only one couple in Metrocity that fits the description."

"Lord and Lady Smith!" Roxanne gasped.

"Yes," Megamind said flatly.

"Darling?" Roxanne reached out to touch his arm. His muscles were stiff under her fingers. "Are you alright?"

"All this time," he growled. Leather creaked as he clenched his gloved hands into tight fists. "All this time I've been a blind fool."

"Megamind, Sweetheart, you're not making any sense."

"For the first few years of my life, no one knew what to do with me. They weren't even sure whether Minion and I would grow up to be some kind of dangerous predators, but the only option besides jail was a government facility and you can guess how that would have gone. But by the time I went to shool? I was officially registered as a ward of the state, and I had a protected status. I should have gone to a foster home. They should have at least tried. But I was kept where I was. Criminals and murderers were allowed to raise me. Why?"

"I… I don't know…"

"Think about it," his voice was trembling with barely contained emotion. "Who builds a shool just a block away from a high-security prison? Who enrolls— no, invites— an underage convict to attend a private academy? Who in their right mind raises a child in jail in the first place? And, in a class of a dozen students, the only two aliens in Metrocity just happen to be there?" He laughed bitterly. "Of course. I get it. It's so obvious! Wayne Scott was a bully with super-strength and damned lasers in his eyes! And he was spoiled—God, was he spoiled!—with no greater care in his privileged little life than getting whatever he wanted!"

"He was dangerous," Roxanne could hardly speak the words, shocked realization squeezing the breath from her lungs.

"Yes! Exactly! And sooner or later, he was going to really hurt someone! That would have brought some very unwelcome scrutiny into his adopted parents' lives! Although, of course, I'm sure when they brought the matter up—and they would have had to get support from city politicians—they were all loving concern and social consciousness." he spat the words. "Oh, it must have been so easy to get other people on board!" his tone became a mocking falsetto. "Poor little rich boy with all his special powers! He's really a very good child deep down… Such a traumatic infancy… Having a hard time adjusting… Can you really blame him?… But, of course, we understand we need to do something… Quite concerned… And, oh, don't we just have the most brilliant solution!"

Megamind scoffed, a dark scowl twisting his face before he continued. "It must have taken the Smiths less than ten minutes to convince every city official holding an office at the time that all Wayne needed was direction, focus, a distraction! Something that made him look beyond himself! Something that made playing the good guy worth his while! And what child doesn't love adoration?! There had to be an outlet for his powers, and if that wasn't going to be his own selfish gain, then the only other clear option was heroism! For that, he needed a foil! Who better than the orphaned blue alien freak nobody gave a damn about?!"

"You are not—"

"I know," his voice cracked, and his features relaxed a little as he squeezed her hand. "I know that now, thanks to you, but back then, that's the way everyone saw me: a creature, an outsider, a born criminal. And they used that."

"But that's… You can't mean…"

Megamind suddenly slammed both palms against the steering wheel.

"That is exactly what I mean!" he snarled. "Every time Wayne punished me for some so-called infraction—defending myself, trying to invent something for the class—the teacher praised him in front of everyone, gave him stickers and rewards! That became like his drug! That's why he's always been such a public hero! It's what he was conditioned to do: seek praise, shake hands, listen to the applause! In a way, they screwed him over almost as badly! And me? The other students were encouraged to bully me, ostracize me, even hurt me! No matter how hard I tried to do something right it was somehow wrong!"

Tears were streaming down Roxanne's face. She couldn't find any words, couldn't do anything but hold him, stroke his head, let him vent his emotions while she tried to silently reassure him of her unwavering and constant love. She felt utterly helpless as the man who meant the world to her buried his face in his trembling hands.

After a moment he lifted his head, staring blankly out the windshield. "Do you know," he finally said, his voice like gravel, "how much I looked forward to shool when I first learned I would be going there? Intellectual and academic pursuits were the only things I felt I really excelled at; the only things that made me good and special. And they took that away! Those bastards!" he hit the steering wheel again. "Those bastards! THEY TURNED ME INTO A VILLAIN ON PURPOSE!"

The blue man dropped back against the black leather seat as if the last burst of fury had hollowed him out. His voice became quiet, almost despairing.

"All my life," he stated blankly, "I have been nothing more than a puppet on a string."

"Megamind, no, that's not true," Roxanne hugged him tighter. "Maybe they did mean to turn you into a supervillain—please listen to me, Sweetheart—maybe they did mean to do that. But you know what? I'll bet they never meant for you to become the Mastermind. I'll bet they never meant for you to take over the criminal underworld, piece by piece, and start cleaning up the city streets. And I'm damned sure they never meant for you to become a hero. You cut those strings a long time ago. Like you said before: they made a mistake people only make once; they underestimated Megamind. They've been paying for that stupid move ever since."

"Yes," he chuckled darkly and turned to her, green eyes glittering. "Yes, they have, haven't they?" A smile of wicked delight tugged his mouth. "I must be the sharpest thorn in their sides! Oh, to see me dismantle their empire and take the place intended for their precious boy!" he laughed again. "That must have stung!"

"And you know what the worst part is?" Roxanne asked in conspiratorial tones.

"No, tell me."

"You're better at it than Wayne ever was—even without the superpowers—and people are starting to recognize that. You've driven crime rates to an all-time low. You inspire people to be better. I'm serious!" she added as her lover rolled his eyes. "Do you know what story I was working on before I had to disappear for a while? Charitable donations and volunteering are higher than ever in this city. Do you know why? Would you like to know what people told me in interviews? 'If the Defender can turn his life around and become a hero, even though he's pretty much an ordinary guy, then maybe I can make a difference, too.'"

"An ordinary guy?" Megamind smirked, lifting an eyebrow and gesturing to himself.

"Okay, yes, you're extraterrestrial, but my point is that you're not some superhuman with godlike powers no one else can hope to obtain. As long as this city's hero was up on some impossible pedestal, people felt excused in pretending they couldn't do their part. But you? You may be smarter than anyone else on this planet, but there are plenty of highly intelligent humans out there. Your DNA didn't gift you with practically preternatural abilities. People look at you— at how high the cards were stacked against you, at how much you care despite everything you had to overcome, and at all that you've achieved in a few short months— and suddenly they realize that they don't have any reason not to at least try to make their city a better place."

The lines in his face had softened and his eyes had grown tender. "My Roxanne, my Precious Goddess of the Dawn," he stroked her cheek. "You have no idea how… humbling and uplifting it is to know you see me that way, but I think you may be overestimating my influence."

"I'm not. Trust me. If you want more proof, think about this: who else could have convinced law enforcement and two separate gangs to work together for the common good? Wayne has been my friend for years, and I can tell you this right now: he never could have done it. But you did." She cupped his face and pressed her forehead against his. "You have done so much he never could: bringing people together, defeating Titan, waking ordinary citizens up to the fact that they can save the day in their own small ways. And Megamind?" she kissed him. "You did one more thing Wayne couldn't. You definitely got the girl."

He bumped his nose against hers. "And that, my Dear Miss Ritchi, is the greatest reward I could ever dream of. I love you."

"I love you, too. And I'm sorry people didn't see your worth from the start."

"You know, listening to you talk, I'm almost glad they didn't. I wouldn't be the man I am now if they had."

"I'm so proud of you, Megamind," she gently squeezed his leg just above his knee. "And it means a lot to me that you trusted me enough to let me share this burden."

"Well," he managed a wry grin that was almost up to his usual standards. "You know, I did promise to let you be here the next time I fell to pieces."

"I'm glad I could be," she kissed his cheek.

The blue hero smiled at her. "As am I. Now, let's go find the Smiths. We have a villain to catch and a day to save."

She couldn't help it. She kissed him again. "You are the very best of all good guys to say that even after what those people did to you."

"Hardly," he cranked the ignition. "I'm the Defender of Metrocity," there was fierce pride in his voice. "I will not allow my personal feelings to undermine that. Call Minion," he ordered the car as he drove out of the parking deck.

The fishy sidekick's voice sounded flustered over the speakers.

"Sir!"

"You heard the entire exchange at the precinct?"

"Yes, Sir, and… ah… afterward. Are you… Are you alright? Sir?"

"I am, Minion, and I should be asking you the same question. You were a victim of the Little Gifted Shool plot, too."

"Oh, absolutely fine, Sir!" The fish sounded flustered and pleased. "I've always been happy to be at your side, through thick and thin. But honestly, you took the worst of it. And don't think I don't know that was on purpose!"

Even in profile, Roxanne could see Megamind blush. "Yes, well, no one messes with my best friend. Not when I'm around. Now," he cleared his throat. "What's our status report?"

"Yes, Sir, of course. I've got the supercomputer booted up, and brainbots are positioned around the city to tail Ares as soon as he moves."

"Well done, you fantastic fish, you! Link me to the tracker so I'll know the moment he does! And see if the brainbots can locate the Smiths!"

"You've got it, Boss!"