Perhaps because of their long competition with the Criminal Mastermind, Lord and Lady Smith had evidently become very adept at eluding the blue hero's detection. Hours of brainbot patrols, along with what Megamind cagily referred to only as "other methods," had proved unsuccessful. Now evening had fallen, and as predicted, Ares had appeared on the tracker shortly after Megamind's ruse had gone into effect. The Defender and his lover were speeding through the dark streets in the invisible car. Roxanne had wanted to return to the Lair for the hoverbikes, arguing greater speed and maneuverability— not to mention traffic avoidance— but her lover had vetoed the idea.
"The invisible car has three layers of body panels," he'd explained. "The outer layer contains the light-bending hologram generators. Under that are both armor plating and a thermal soak heat shield. If something goes wrong, I want that extra protection." He'd smiled at her disappointed moue, and added: "When this is over, we'll go on a long afternoon flight. Watch the sunset above the city. I promise."
So they were in the invisible car, a map with the tracking information superimposed over the windshield, Roxanne still trying to puzzle out how her lover could see well enough to drive.
"Transparent glass monitor?" she asked, gesturing.
He actually grinned despite the dire situation. "My latest invention!" he announced. "I knew it could be done!"
"So that's what you've been tinkering with late at night."
"When I get an idea, I can't let it go until I figure it out," he said with an almost apologetic shrug. "Sometimes I can't sleep because my mind won't stop running through concepts and calculations. I hope I wasn't waking you."
"You weren't. I just noticed sometimes you were gone, but I figured you were working." She kissed his cheek. "I also noticed you made a point of coming back to bed before dawn."
"Well, I can't let my Lady Love wake up alone, now, can I? I know, I know," he added at her wry look. "But this morning was unavoidable."
She patted his knee. "I'm only teasing you, Darling. I know you've got things to do." She gestured at the windshield. "You realize I'm going to want to hear all about how you managed this sometime, right?"
"It would be my pleasure. How about over coffee tomorrow?"
They both steadfastly refused to ignore the possibility that either of them might not be around when the morning came.
"It's a date," Roxanne said.
The restaurant Ares' tracker led them to was one of the finest in Metro City, and the dinner crowd was packed with bespoke suits and designer dresses. If, as Megamind affirmed, Ares' targets were usually "high rollers," this place was crawling with them.
"Smart, choosing a location like this," the blue hero said with grudging respect. "He's practically counterbalanced the effect of the tracker by ensuring we still can't easily spot his prey. Not a bad plan. If we hadn't already figured out his targets, it might have even worked."
Roxanne was scanning the crowd. "I don't see them. Do you know what model sedan we're looking for?"
"The one captured in the footage a few days ago looked like a newer Bentley Continental, but I can't be sure they'll be driving it tonight. In fact, I think it highly unlikely. Using the same vehicle for both criminal dealings and upper-class socializing would be incautious, and Lord Smith isn't. But it will hardly matter if only we can reach Ares before he reaches his targets."
"And what if he's already near them? He seems like the sort to stalk his prey and wait for the right moment."
Worry lines were creasing Megamind's brow. "Don't think I haven't thought of that. Unless the patrols turn something up, however, all I can do is hope time is on our side."
As if summoned by his words, points of red light swarmed through the darkness to their right, and several enthusiastically barking cyborgs sped up to fly level with the car window. A message scrolled across the top of the windshield.
"They've found the Smiths, and they're still alive! Contact brainbots!" Megamind added to the AI. "Lead Daddy to them!" The flying constructs swerved back toward the right. The blue hero checked the display on the windshield as they turned sharply beside the restaurant. "That's not good," he stated. "You were right. Ares is in the same direction. We've got to get the Smiths out of there."
He really was heroic, Roxanne thought. Lord and Lady Smith had nearly ruined his life, but he still wouldn't allow them to be murdered. Not in his city. He probably wouldn't have allowed it even back in his supervillain days, if for no other reason than it undermined his rules… If that hadn't been the case, after their betrayal of the Peretti family, they would probably already be dead. She wondered if they knew they owed their blue enemy their lives.
She spotted the older couple waiting at a side entrance near the valet parking kiosk and pointed with an exclamation. A shiny black Aston Martin had just been pulled up, and a dark-haired man was getting out.
A distinctly ordinary dark-haired man of medium height... One who looked up a little too quickly when the invisible car screeched to a stop.
"Halt!" Megamind roared, leaping out. The valet threw himself over the hood of the vehicle and ran. Roxanne scrambled out of the car to catch up to her lover.
Lord Smith looked hardly less startled than Ares had. "What is the meaning of this?!"
"Do not get into that car!" Megamind shouted, his De-gun practically leaping into his hand. It was the wrong move. Lord Smith dodged for the open car door even as the blue hero fired over it, aiming for the fleeing figure beyond. Ares dodged around the corner a split second before the blast streaked by. Lady Smith screamed.
"Get in the car, Florence!" Lord Smith ordered.
"No!" Megamind yelled. "It's a trap! Get out of there!"
"What's the problem here?" a new voice demanded. Roxanne nearly groaned. What the hell was Rickard doing here?
Megamind was already jumping over the Aston Martin's head in pursuit of his quarry. Sirens were wailing in the distance.
"That man pulled a gun on us!" Lord Smith accused.
"No! He's after Ares!" shouted Roxanne.
"Funny!" Rickard sneered, his pistol in his hand. "I don't see anyone else there! Megamind! Stop or I'll shoot!"
"Don't be an idiot!" screamed Roxanne. "Lady Smith! Get away from that car!"
"Don't listen to her!" Richard shouted. "You! Megamind! Freeze and put your hands up! You're under arrest!"
The blue hero didn't even slow, and Rickard took aim.
"No!" Roxanne rushed toward the agent just as a bang shook the air. And Megamind… Megamind went down. "NO!" Roxanne's knees cracked against the asphalt as her legs dropped from under her.
"Lord and Lady Smith," Rickard flashed his badge. "I'll need you to come down to the central precinct and answer some questions..."
Lord Smith was saying something. A car door slammed.
"Roxanne!" Megamind's voice yelled, close. "Get away! Get away!" She scrambled to obey. Behind her, a blue light flashed.
"Brainbots!" she heard her lover shout.
"What the hell?!" Roxanne spun around just in time to see a black and blue blur knock Rickard back hard, flipping him over apparently thin air.
The wind was knocked out of Roxanne as she was suddenly jerked off her feet and practically thrown around the corner of the building. Something heavy crashed down on top of her.
The world exploded with sound. The street shook. Orange light erupted around the corner, and heat swept past them. Roxanne's ears were ringing. Megamind pulled her to her feet. His mouth was moving, his face contorted with concern, but it was as if someone had pressed a mute button on the entire universe. Oh, God, had she gone deaf?
She must have looked panicked because the blue hero clutched her close, gently pressing her head against his shoulder with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. She felt dizzy, and she wasn't sure how many minutes they stood there before sound began filtering back in. Screaming. People were screaming. Sirens were screaming. The very air was screaming. It was too much, too loud, and she almost wished for the eerie silence again as every strident noise stabbed right through her eardrums and into her brain.
Somehow, Megamind's gentle voice, thick with emotion, pierced the chaos.
"I had to choose you, Sweetheart. Duty and reputation be damned. I had to choose you."
"Megamind..." she said, holding him tighter. "I thought… You fell and…"
"Shhh. Just the force from the bullet, Love. He hit me right between the shoulder blades and I was already overbalanced, running. It knocked me off my feet. But I'm not hurt. I'm here, Roxanne. I'm here. Everything's fine. You're alright."
With an effort, the woman pulled herself up straighter. Yes, she was alright. And she still had a job to help him do.
"We have to find Ares," she said.
His eyes were proud as he brushed a knuckle down her cheek. "My Brave Angel." He held her tight once more, only for a moment, then released her. "Yes, we are going to find him," his face had gone cold and stern: the look of the Mastermind. "He is going down. Tonight." His expression softened a little. "But you know what I have to do first." He pulled her close and kissed her hard. "I love you, Roxanne Ritchi."
"I love you too, Megamind."
He nodded and pressed something on his holowatch to bring up the tracking information.
"Let's go."