Chapter 14

My Empire of Dirt

Bubbles sat at her computer staring at the screen, wondering if it was illegal to do what she was about to do. Making an account on a villain website was one thing, but doing so while using a fake name felt especially shady. Then again, she was using the website to fool a crime boss. Surely that had to be okay, right? Bubbles snorted at her own twisted logic. Of course this wasn't okay! She was pretending to be evil to catch someone who actually was, but in doing so she was implicitly agreeing to commit crimes. She had no authorization, so this had to be wrong.

When she thought about Buttercup's injuries and the professor's impromptu witness protection however, her nerve quickly returned to her. She had to do this. She used to fight bad guys all the time. Why was she scared of getting a little dirty now?

Bubbles decided to go with the villain name Bunny Bravo and said that her specialty was white collar crime. Since Mr. Big needed someone for office work, she wanted to make herself look both qualified and unthreatening.

After filling out some basic information she hit confirm, and just like that she was ready to answer Mr. Big's want ad and bait her trap. The ad allowed for both phone calls and emails. Bubbles knew her voice was too easy to recognize, so she sent an email and hoped he would respond.

With nothing else to do but wait, Bubbles left to make herself some ice cream. Blossom was canvassing all of Townsville, and Bubbles just hoped Blossom wasn't suspicious about why she stayed behind. Should she have told her sister? She knew the answer was probably yes, but she just couldn't risk it now. She had to protect her family, and bearing the burden alone would keep them safe. She just hoped this course of action wasn't a mistake.

"…This has to be a mistake," Lucky whispered, purposefully being quiet to avoid his boss, "Are you sure? … Really? … Really? … I mean, I guess I'll tell him. Just get outta there before they find you. … Yeah, you too. Take care out there, man. … Yeah, bye."

The blonde henchman hung up the phone and tapped his fingers nervously against the desk. He looked at the screen, a simple tracking system designed to tail every car owned by Mr. Big's lackeys. He frowned sadly at the signals, and one by one began erasing them from the tracer.

Mr. Big walked into the office at that moment, holding a huge bucket of chocolate ice cream and using the ice cream scooper to shovel it into his mouth. Lucky didn't want to look at his leader, and was visibly quivering as Mr. Big walked closer.

"Everything…going okay, Lucky?" Mr. Big asked in between bites.

"Uh…about that, boss man," Lucky said shakily.

"Boss Man is an Amoeba Boy," Mr. Big reminded him, "My name is Mr. Big."

"I remember, sir," Lucky replied quietly, "Um, Mr. Big sir? We have slight…no, we have a huge problem."

"Hey, where are all the little green dots?" Mr. Big asked when he looked at the tracking screen.

"That's what I need to talk to you about, sir," Lucky cringed as he spoke, "You see…I just got word from Fingers. All three shipments of coke were blown up. We know it was The Smiths, because one of their goons was caught at the scene. There was a shootout at the docks, and then…an ambush at Louey's party at the Monstro-City Nightclub. We don't know how they knew, but those Smith finks knew where everybody was. Sir…Fingers was the only one who made it out. Most of the crew is dead."

Mr. Big dropped his ice cream and the scooper on the floor, backing up and leaning against the door frame for support. His breathing grew labored, and Lucky jumped up to try to support the large mobster.

"You okay, boss?" Lucky asked, struggling under the weight of Big's arm.

"They're all dead…" Mr. Big muttered as he was led to a couch, "Not again…not again. Mr. Big waited too long…too long…can't breathe…"

Lucky helped Mr. Big lay down on the couch, but Mr. Big didn't even seem to notice the lanky man was there. Mr. Big took off his hat and started fanning his face with it, and Lucky backed up to give him space.

"Should I…should I get you something to eat, sir?" Lucky offered.

Mr. Big didn't answer at first, but after a minute of silence…

"Get me the phone," Mr. Big ordered, his composure starting to return, "Mr. Big needs to call someone."

"Yes sir, right away sir," Lucky replied obsequiously.

When Lucky was gone, Mr. Big started counting wood panels on the ceiling again. He couldn't believe it…how could most of an entire drug cartel just die? There had to be a rat on the inside, but who could it be? Was it a gang member, or someone who knew one of his men? Lucky and Fingers were still living, so it could be one of them, but Mr. Big really hoped it wasn't. They weren't the best at their jobs, but they were all he had left.

Lucky returned with the phone, and Mr. Big dialed frantically. This phone call would tell him exactly how many people he had left…and whether or not that should concern him.

One ring…

Two rings…

Three rings…

"Hello?"

"Femme Fatale!" Mr. Big exclaimed in relief.

"Of course it's you," Femme Fatale sighed in exasperation, "Look, this is my day off. Unless you have a lead on Blossom or Bubbles I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Oh, um, okay," Mr. Big stammered, "Uh, goodbye."

"Goodbye, Big," Femme Fatale groused before hanging up.

Mr. Big hung up the phone and let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He didn't care that she was annoyed by him. At that moment he was just glad she was okay. He had been so focused on those Powerpuff Girls that he'd been neglectful about dealing with The Smiths. He had to start watching things more carefully, or else he would never be able to rebuild his gang.

In an effort to do exactly that, Mr. Big logged onto townsvillains,edu in hopes that someone wanted a job with The Saga Cartel. Normally he didn't handle these affairs himself, but he was too short-staffed to delegate too much right now.

He skimmed through a few applications for standard henchmen. None of them seemed very impressive, but at this point he would give anyone a chance. He wrote down their information, but decided to wait for Lucky before contacting these people in earnest. He also had an email regarding his ad for a right hand.

At first Mr. Big liked the credentials. This person was a white collar criminal and was exceptionally polite in their cover letter. They liked his bunny plush avatar and treated him with respect. They seemed almost too good to be true, but then Mr. Big noticed something strange about the application…

"Bunny Bravo?" Mr. Big wondered out loud.

Bunny Bravo was a character from one of Mr. Big's favorite cartoons, Johnny Bravo. This was clearly a fake name. That wasn't exactly news, since most people on townsvillains used aliases. Those aliases were usually for super villain names however. This person clearly wasn't planning on going public with a name that silly.

"Lucky!" Mr. Big hollered.

Lucky ran to his boss right away, holding a bag of chips and a bottle of scotch.

"I, uh, I thought you might be hungry, boss," Lucky said nervously as he held out the food.

"I need your help," Mr. Big explained, "I don't think this person is who they say they are. I need you to track their computer. It could be the cops trying to pull a sting on us."

"Of course. I'm on it," Lucky replied eagerly, "Just be sure to pace yourself if you decide to drink that bottle of scotch. Don't wanna get too drunk and throw up or something."

"Moose used to warn Mr. Big about poison," Mr. Big reminisced, "Of course Moose liked to kill using poison. Mr. Big knows he tried it on me. Most poisons taste bad. They don't affect me though. Just taste bad."

Lucky wasn't listening to Mr. Big's ramblings however, so focused was he on his new task. He tracked the IP address of 'Bunny Bravo' and skirted around her VPN to discover where the address actually was.

"Good news, sir. It's someone from Townsville," Lucky announced, "Bad news, I'm pretty sure that's the Powerpuff house. You were right, sir. It's a set up."

"Thank you, Lucky," Mr. Big smiled, "Mr. Big will take it from here."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh? And Lucky? You have one more job to pull."

"Anything, sir. Just name it."

"Get Fingers and go to the Sleep Eazy Motel," Mr. Big instructed, "You'll see a man in a white coat. He's gonna help us with a big project. Bring him here."

"You got it, sir," Lucky nodded, "Oh, and…about the others…?"

"Mr. Big will contact their families," Mr. Big assured him, "You've done a lot. After you bring our friend here, take the night off."

"Thanks, sir," Lucky replied gratefully, "For what it's worth, I hope the Smiths all get shanked."

"Thank you," Mr. Big said sincerely.

Lucky left, and Mr. Big got to work. He knew one of the Powerpuff Girls was trying to trap him, and he suspected he knew which one it was. Blossom was too smart to use such an obvious fake name against him. It had to be Bubbles. It was almost time for his revenge to commence. Buttercup was just a warm-up. This was the moment he waited so many years for.

Mr. Big: Hello Bunny Bravo. Your letter was very nice. You seem like a good fit for The Saga Cartel. Do you still want the job? If so, we can meet soon if you want. Love, Mr. Big

Bubbles returned to her computer after eating her ice cream and watching anime. She checked her emails, and was excited to see she already had a response from Mr. Big. The message was short, but it told her exactly what she wanted to hear. She could arrange a place to meet, and then capture Mr. Big in the act!

Bunny Bravo: I would love to meet with you, Mr. Big. I must add one condition though. I've tried working with other villains before, and they always acted like they were too good to meet with me themselves. My fees are very reasonable, but I need to meet with you in person to make sure this is a legitimate opportunity and not a prank. Please respond soon. Bunny Bravo

Bubbles leaned back in her chair after hitting send. She couldn't believe this was working! Could catching the mob boss really be this simple? If this worked, she would have to thank Mojo Jojo later.

Before she could even leave her spot, there was a ding from her email alerts. It was him!

Mr. Big: Verdant St. Near the grave site. Tomorrow. Be there. Love, Mr. Big

"Grave site?" Bubbles repeated in confusion.

She didn't know what he meant, so she looked up a map of Verdant St. for reference. Apparently there was a cemetery there that mostly contained people that were buried in the 19th century. Verdant St. was also known to be a bad neighborhood full of crime and poverty. Bubbles took a breath, held it, and then released. She could do this. Soon that awful man would face justice, and then Bubbles could finally retire for good. She just had to save the day one more time.

The next day Bubbles flew to Verdant St. as soon as she was finished eating breakfast. It occurred to her that Mr. Big never actually gave her a time, but if she had to wait for him all day then she would. Soon her job would be complete, and she would never have to worry about this guy again.

When she arrived at the cemetery no one was there. Bubbles shrugged to herself, assuming she would have to wait a while. She sat on the bench at the entrance gate and started people watching. Each time someone passed she wondered if it was him, especially if it was a man that was overweight. How would she recognize him? Would he recognize her and chicken out?

Realizing she should probably wear a disguise, Bubbles used her super speed to race to the costume store. She quickly bought a black hat and veil, and then raced back to the bench and put it on. There. Now she looked like a mourner, and therefore not suspicious.

Bubbles couldn't help but laugh at her own impulsive behavior. Since when did she have to worry about being suspicious? She was the good guy here. She shouldn't be the one who was scared. Then again, most citizens in Townsville were good people, and without Blossom around to save the day they would be scared all the time. Sometimes she had to remind herself that fear was a normal emotion, and not just something felt by the criminals she used to beat up.

Bubbles shook her head, realizing that she was contributing to this problem. Normal citizens were afraid because they were helpless. She could easily save the day…she just didn't anymore.

"Excuse me, are you Bunny Bravo?" A feminine voice asked her.

Bubbles turned around and saw Femme Fatale standing next to her, holding her gun at her side and staring Bubbles down.

"I am," Bubbles replied coolly, "I was told Mr. Big was going to meet with me. Who are you?"

Femme Fatale scowled, knowing this was Bubbles and knowing the young woman knew who she was. The moment passed quickly however, and Femme Fatale managed a malicious smile.

"I'm sorry Bunny, but Mr. Big couldn't be here," Femme Fatale said patronizingly, "He had to meet an old friend for lunch. Perhaps you've met…"

Femme Fatale then showed Bubbles her phone, and the photo displayed caused Bubbles to bolt up from her seat.

"Professor!" Bubbles screamed in horror.

The poor man was tied to a chair with a table of food in front of him, and the calendar behind him had the current date circled in gold.

"Now that we understand each other, Bunny," Femme Fatale mocked, "I'm going to give you a chance to save your father. Mr. Big is expecting you, so I wouldn't disappoint him. The address is 9704 Uppercrust Lane."

"That's right next door to Princess," Bubbles noted, "Wait, he was that close all this time?"

"Listen, Powerpuff!" Femme Fatale snapped, "I don't feel like fighting you today, and you don't have time to fight me. I'm tired of this job, and every other stupid errand I've had to run this week. So just go face down that stupid ugly ogre and get this over with!"

With that Femme Fatale turned around and got into a Lamborghini Conthatch. She drove away, and Bubbles didn't bother to chase her down. Femme Fatale was right. If Bubbles was going to save the professor from Mr. Big, then she had to hurry.

Professor Utonium awoke with a painful headache and an achy neck. As he roused he noted two things in his groggy mind. One, he was sitting upright instead of laying down. Two, he could hear men talking.

"Why did you use a blackjack?" A confused voice asked.

"You wanted him alive, right boss?" Someone else replied.

"Well…yes," The first man conceded, "Thank you."

The professor opened his eyes to see three men standing around him wearing tailored suits and holstering guns. His memory was starting to return. The professor left the motel to get groceries, and then suddenly everything went black. Logic concluded that he was knocked out by these men, who were clearly members of organized crime. Given the trouble his family had been going through…

"Let me guess…" The professor said, his voice raspy from sleep, "…you're the Saga Cartel."

The men turned to regard him, and the largest of the three smiled at him. A smile with hidden eyes was unnerving in itself, but the professor's fear came more from the fact that he knew this ominous figure was most likely Mr. Big.

"Good. You're awake," Mr. Big said, his voice almost predatory, "I'm sorry we had to tie up your legs, but if you're hungry we left your arms free."

The professor reflexively tested this statement, and sure enough his waist and legs were tied to the chair. Given he could easily untie himself however, he knew all he had to do was wait out Mr. Big and outsmart him. He would just have to keep a cool head and seek out his next opportunity to escape.

"You should eat something," Mr. Big insisted, "The chef made chicken breast and steamed broccoli. You like chicken and broccoli, don't you?"

"It's…something I make every week," The professor replied, a sickening feeling pooling in his stomach, "How long have you been spying on our house?"

Mr. Big didn't reply to the professor. Rather he just sat down next to the scientist and began to eat a plate of chicken. The professor knew this was likely a ploy to get to his girls, and he couldn't let that happen. He would have to keep Mr. Big talking if he was going to figure out a way to save his daughters and himself.

"If you think you're going to get away with this, well…you won't!"

The professor clenched his fist next to his forehead in embarrassment. That sounded like dialogue from a Saturday morning cartoon! If he was going to learn anything useful he needed something better than empty threats. He needed questions. What could he ask this guy though? What would get him talking?

"You're not eating," Mr. Big noticed, his voice holding a dark edge.

"I don't exactly trust the staff," The professor rebutted, "How do I know this isn't poisoned?"

"That's not a good way to kill someone," Mr. Big replied as he stabbed his chicken with a fork and twirled it around, "It takes too long. Nobody wants to wait forever to die. That's just mean. The best way is to either shoot someone, or grab their neck and wait for the bones to snap. It makes a really loud noise that lets you know you're doing it right. Wait, actually, do Powerpuff Girls have neck bones?"

Mr. Big turned to the professor as he asked this question, and it seemed to be asked with genuine curiosity. The professor expected someone malicious given everything he put the Utonium family through, but this behavior was even more twisted than what the professor could have imagined. Mr. Big was cruel, yes, but there was also a sense that he legitimately didn't understand how disgusting this line of thought would sound to the father of his potential targets.

"Why are you doing this?" The professor asked point blank, "Blossom is the only one who saves the day anymore, and she's barely touched your operation. Buttercup mostly fights crime on Monster Island now, and poor Bubbles is convinced that all of this is somehow her fault."

"Good," Mr. Big interjected harshly. "Then she knows."

"Knows what?" The professor asked desperately, "What could Bubbles have ever done to you? She's a sweet sensitive young woman that has dedicated her entire life to the betterment of others. What grudge could you possibly have against her that would cause you to go this far?"

"She knows," Mr. Big replied vaguely.

Mr. Big went back to eating his chicken, and the professor felt any sense of progress float away. Bubbles was right. This loathsome creature was stalking her. The professor didn't have the physical strength to overcome bullets or even the might of most other men, so if he was going to save his children he would have to use his cunning mind. The problem was that he couldn't figure anything out if he couldn't keep this creep talking, and he was running out of things to say.

"So this is about revenge?" The professor guessed.

"Hm?" Mr. Big grunted, his mouth full. He then nodded before resuming his meal.

"Well then please, tell me, what is this all about?"

The professor tried to sound patient and understanding, a real feat when what he really wanted was to kick the crap out of this guy. Still, perhaps if he pretended to be understanding then he could buy time. Time for what though, the professor wasn't sure yet.

"It ain't your business," Mr. Big warned him, "Look, you ain't got long, and Bubbles ain't got long. You should eat."

"So you're going to kill me too," The professor stated rather than asked.

"You made them," Mr. Big said bitterly, "You did this. You did all this. You ruined Townsville. They gotta die. Then The Smiths gotta die. Mr. Big has to avenge everyone that was lost. Buttercup was quick, and Blossom will be quick too. Bubbles won't be quick though. She'll watch you die, and then she'll wish it had been her. Don't worry. Mr. Big will be quick with you too."

The professor could feel goosebumps forming as he listened to Mr. Big's words, cold as ice and determined. The professor knew his daughters dealt with evil on a regular basis, and they were even more involved with the seedier elements of Townsville as children. It always secretly scared the professor, but he didn't hinder them because he knew they were special. Still, when he thought about them being anywhere near someone as evil as Mr. Big, it made his skin crawl.

"Please don't do this," The professor tried one more time, "My girls are everything to me. If you want revenge or whatever it is driving you, then I'm right here. You said it yourself. I did this. Me. Don't punish my girls just for being born. I'll do anything you want, just name it. Just don't hurt them, please."

Mr. Big didn't reply to the professor, didn't even turn around to look at him. Once his plate of chicken was gone, Mr. Big pushed the plate away and stood up. The professor could feel his chance to save his girls slipping away, but he didn't know what else to do. Clearly this man couldn't be reasoned with. He could only hope that Blossom and Bubbles were smart enough, strong enough, and crafty enough to be able to save themselves.

Before Mr. Big could leave the room, Fingers got a message on his smartwatch. He looked at it for a moment, and then turned back to the others.

"Automatic alarm," Fingers announced, "We got a visitor. It's the blue Puff."

Mr. Big smiled a wicked smile then. Bubbles was here to rescue her daddy, ready for his ultimate plan. He was going to relish this moment.

"Showtime."