Metro City's crime spree seemed unending for a few months. Robberies continued, muggings were growing in number and the number of deaths and suicides were filling the obituaries in the newspapers unlike anything seen before. Roxanne scanned the names, spotting just how young some of the people dying were. A fair few of them had PhD or other related doctrine tags to their names, and she couldn't help but wonder if other people were picking up on these connections.
A scrapbook she had been keeping of recent criminal activity was bulging, and soon it had clips of the dead scientists. She made a list out of their names, and checked over them. This would mean a trip to the library, where she could do further research. Like any smart young woman Roxanne knew to avoid the Eastern side of downtown now a days, it had become far too dangerous. That was the place where a group known as the Doom Syndicate tended to roam, run by a trio of no-gooders. There was Hot Flash, an older woman whose hair seemed to be pink flames with the added ability of controlling flames at will. Along with her was Psycho Dilec who used strange gas to send people into hallucinogenic raves and either rob them blind, or send the crazed people into the streets to make fools of themselves or ultimately hurt themselves. Last but not least was the Destruction Worker who was just a souped up, glorified bully with Destruction gear attached to him. But he also seemed to have more strength then the average human being and rumour said he had sawed off his own left hand in order to attach a bandsaw as a hand to his stump.
Either way, these guys meant business and it was easier to just avoid them then try to cut through 'their place'.
The Metro City Library was always a safe haven for Roxanne from the complicated world of high school and teenage hormones so she had a fairly good knowledge of where to look for particular genres in the book world. She reached the medical section and moved on past the dictionaries and specified studies of deadly diseases, and soon found familiar names popping up on spines. It seemed as though the doctors who had recently passed away had studied biology pretty hard, especially in the field of the immune system and what untapped resources the human brain offered.
While the intrepid journalism-intern continued to delve deeper into the deaths of scientists, a blue young man held a list holding all of the names that Roxanne was looking into and then drew a line through the second to last name on the list.
Years LaterThe exact same names were written on another persons list. Only these ones were scribbled through with thin black pen, save for two at the very bottom of the list. A black leather glove slowly brought the same black pen, and drew a thin line through the second from the bottom only leaving one single name. Bright green eyes lifted from the list to a man hanging from the ceiling. Another seamlessly completed suicide scene, he couldn't help but feel impressed at how well he was getting at them. He turned and looked up at the dead man, and smiled softly.
"Well, I hate to kill and run but I've got things to do." Megamind informed the corpse before activating his watch. Blue skin was replaced with a dark tan, he had chosen the appearance of the doctor's gardener in order to get off the grounds without being recognized. He shuffle-walked from the house and out through the back gate to where his invisible car was waiting. Only once he was in his car did he turn the disguise off, and shuddered a sigh. "You know there's nothing quite like the thrill I get after doing away with a person who caused grievous bodily and mental harm all throughout the childhood." he announced.
Besides him in the passenger seat was a robotic body. It was close to that of a gorilla, with strong arms, faux fur, and metallic hands and feet shaped like that of the animal. Its head however, was a clear dome that appeared (to other people) to have nothing inside. To Megamind though, he saw Minion, forever floating in the dome. "That's all but one, now Sir." he said.
"Yes, all but one..." Megaminds gaze turned to the last name on the list. Looking over his partly completed list gave him an accomplished, proud feeling in his chest. There were the men who had pained him the most, with their needles, probes, and cold hands. He had experienced nightmares for years because of their actions and seeing his fear reflected in their eyes as they realized who he was made him so, ridiculously happy. He was almost sad to see he had one left, where would he get such joy from now? It almost seemed pointless.
Almost.
He started up the car and jolted at just how loud the volume was. Man, did he always have it that loud when on this radio station or what? Commercials were always way louder than the actual music, which was pretty ridiculous. Megamind reached for the volume when the blare of the news caught him off guard again. Grasping his ears, he almost missed what was being proclaimed.
"-in a daring raid of the bank, the criminals got more than they bargained for when a young man foiled them in the streets! They were beaten, and tied up against a give way sign and left for the arrival of police. The young man didn't even wait for the police himself, and took off before anybody had a chance to stop him. So the identity of this young hero is, at the moment, a mystery to everyone."
"Young hero?" Megamind asked, sitting up more in his chair, his full attention now on the radio but she changed her topic entirely and was now talking about the weather. Megamind turned to Minion, turning down the volume as he did. "A hero Minion. A hero, in this city?"
"Well it is possible sir. As long as evil is around, good will be there to challenge it. After all Sir, what good is it being a bad guy with no good guy to fight?" the fish asked.
"Ah Minion, you are wise beyond your bowl." the blue alien smiled, and patted the glass orb before he began driving away from the suburban area back towards the city. "I want to see more of this 'hero' and find out just who he is."
"But the lady told us he left before anyone could really speak to him, or see him." Minion pointed out.
"That's true, that's true, but let's wait and see what happens. Nobody can deny the spotlight for too long, after all. We'll see, Minion. We shall see." Megamind smiled almost too cheerfully at the prospect of having a hero to fight against, and headed back towards the observatory and his faithful brain bots and baby fish.
The cloning had gone just as planned, but despite his age accelerators within the fish they were still taking their time reaching an age where they could control a robotic body. From his calculations, it would take them another year for them to get to the right age mentally to control the machines. That was suitable for him, it meant he had six years to plot and plan and gain an iron fist in which to hold the city in. Naturally though, with the arrival of a hero might mean a wrench in the works. But Megamind had always liked wrenches and their ability to do either good, or bad. Good as in fixing things, bad as in smashing someone's skull open. This hero might keep him occupied until he could unleash upon the world his robots and fish, since after all everyone needed a hobby.
The observatory had by now well transformed itself into a laboratory. All along the entranceway's wall were tanks filled of water. A homemade, spiked, filter was attached and cleaned the water as glowing fish of numerous colors floated through the water. They looked similar to Minion, but at the same time they had their own shapes as well as eye colors. They all swam to one side of the tank as Megamind arrived home and made gurgle noises through the water, having yet to receive their translator antennas like Minion did.
"Hello babies," Megamind greeted as he pressed his hands against the glass. "how are you all, are you hungry? Yes you're hungry aren't you, yes you are."
Minion watched as his master sprinkled fish food into the tank, and the little fish all hurried to the surface to eat as much of the food as they could get before their siblings got to it first. Lumbering over to the television remote he picked it up and turned it onto the news channel that, naturally, was showing the scenes of the robbery that had been foiled. It showed the three men, de-masked, being led away by cops while others loitered around the give way sign.
"-commissioner Henry Low here with us. Commissioner, what are your views on the public taking actions into their own hands?" asked the reporter to the commissioner, who was standing in a way that meant he was important and he wanted those around him to know it.
"While we appreciate the effort that went into this, I must voice my opinion that we do not condone citizens to take the law into their own hands. We urge the one responsible for this to not take this lightly. You may have gotten away this time but the next, you might not be so lucky." Henry Low said into the camera. "The police will handle the situation."
"Commissioner Low, you are aware of the city's disapproval of the recent gang related violence aren't you? Robberies and break ins are at an all time high. Don't you think it's time this city got a hero?" asked the reporter before shoving the microphone into the tall man's face.
He frowned, glaring at her and then the camera. "This city does have heroes. The police out on the street, the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep you safe and protect the streets. I repeat, vigilantes are not wanted here."
"Oh it's so pathetic I could cry." Megamind said as he walked up to stand besides Minion. "Look at them, so concerned about people taking the law into their own hands. And honestly, they think it's a crime spree now a days? Just wait until they get a load of me!" he laughed.
"But Sir, shouldn't we be worried? This hero took down three armed men, and they look like the big butch type!" Minion said, looking over the video footage of the men being shoved into police paddy wagons.
"Please. With the right training anybody could defend themselves against advisories larger and older than them. You know, the whole using their own strength against them. Even I could do that. But I won't. Because it's a waste of energy and time." Megamind crossed his arms over his chest and snorted.
"Sir, I've been meaning to ask. Are you growing a beard?" Minion asked, "It's just you haven't been shaving lately and you're getting kind of fuzzy around the chin. I thought you had just run out of razors..."
Megamind blinked, then smiled faintly. "Why yes. I am." he smoothed his hand over his growing beard. "I was thinking of growing one like my fathers... maybe a little more pointy you get what I'm saying?" he gestured to his beard that by now was just a little bushy but still close to his jaw. "Like, right here."
"Ooh I see Sir. Very stylish." Minion complimented. "You'll be the top of the most stylish villains list in my book, Sir."
"Aren't I already?"
"Of course!"
Roxanne groaned as she dropped down into her chair and pushed her shoes off of her feet. Despite them being her favourite pair they had still caused serious sores on her feet today from running around all over the city. Naturally, the media was in a up roar over the appearance of a hero who had decided to take the law into his own hands. In her opinion, it was about damn time. Crime was gripping the city so badly it had been compared to Chicago in the times of Al Capone and honestly, she could see the resemblance. After dark it was almost considered suicide to walk the streets unless you were either armed, or in a group.
She herself had been mugged more times then she would care to count, but had never been hurt. Roxanne was smart enough to throw her purse away from her when the assailant would ask for it, since majority of the time they were more interested in her money then she as a person.
"Man what a day am I right?" Hal, her camera man asked as he set his video camera down on her desk carefully not wanting to destroy either the expensive equipment or her desk. "So what do you think, 'bout this hero guy running around?"
"I think it's about time." she admitted truthfully as she grabbed a comb and began to brush the knots out of her long hair. "The police have no control over this city, so it's about time that somebody do something..."
"I think it's a little crazy." the red haired man admitted, lifting a hand and scratching at the back of his head. "I mean what if he gets killed? Another win for the bad guys am I right?"
Roxanne grunted as she tugged at a particularly bad knot in her hair before continuing. "You got to stop being so negative Hal. This whole city's been negative for too long, and already people are ready to run the only positive thing into the ground before it's truly had a chance to make a change to things."
Hal shrugged his shoulders loosely before opening the video camera and took out the memory chip for everything they had done that day. Roxanne had ran around the city interviewing police, criminals on the street, and ordinary citizens to learn their opinions on the unknown hero running around town. Many appeared to be in favor of him, at least those who weren't police or criminals. Who would want a guy ruining their plans, or their jobs? Not many, that was for sure.
"Being realistic doesn't mean I'm being negative..." he mumbled as he left the room to deliver the footage to the editorial room.
Her comb getting caught in her hair again, Roxanne gave a frustrated grunt and ripped it out. The comb took a good few chunks of her hair with it, to which she screamed in alarm.
"That's it, I'm getting a haircut!" she screamed and hurled the comb against the room but with so much force it flew right through the open door out into the hallway.
"Woah careful!" said a voice and in walked the last person she expected to find in the office.
Wayne Scott was well known throughout Metro City. Not only was he a millionaire play boy in charge of a company that brought in millions by the year, but he was also incredibly handsome. Today he was wearing a tan brown suit with black tie and white shirt, and looked incredibly fetching standing there in the doorway despite holding her comb which was matted in hair.
"Oh! Oh my gosh I'm sorry!" Roxanne got up from her desk and hurried around to him, taking the comb off of him.
"Hey it's all right. Casual day, is it?" he asked as he glanced down at her bared feet.
"...no, no. Long day. Sore feet. You know how it is." she replied then mentally scolded herself. How could he know what it was like? He was in an office all day long! "So you're here for that article on the expansion of the Scott Foundation?"
"That I am." Wayne nodded his head before backing out of her office. "Speaking of I'd hate to keep the big guy waiting."
"I still don't see why you didn't let him go to you, I mean... you are Wayne Scott after all." Roxanne pointed out.
Wayne laughed and shook his head. "I still like to appreciate the 'little people' as most would refer to you people as. I don't see anything little about any of you though. Besides, can't live in my gildered palace all my life now, can I? Just not healthy. Catch you later, Roxanne." with that he waved, and walked out of her office.
Roxanne stood there after he left, before snorting and putting a hand to her forhead. "God get a hold of yourself Roxy. You've run into men like him every damn day..." she muttered before going back to her desk, and putting her shoes back on.
As the days passed, more and more incidents of the unknown hero were happening practically every other days. Robberies were being foiled, gangs broken up, and bad guys literally delivered to the front of police stations with notes reading 'Please Deliver to Commissioner Low' with a simple 'M' for a signature. This automatically got the attention of the whole city, finally they had a letter to reprsent the new hero! Was the M for Metro City? Was he the embodiment of justice and law in a city which had fallen by the way side so far?
Either way, this man known as M was getting around. He even had the Doom Syndicate running scarred, which was a great relief to the people of downtown. The three ring leaders, Hot Flash, Psycho Delic and the Destruction Worker along with their goons had fled underground (almost literally) to avoid the pummeling fists of M.
"I don't know what's the world coming to?" Hot Flash asked as she fussed with her nails, shaping them easily.
"A year back nobody dare mess with us like this." the Destruction Worker grumbled as he polished the circular saw he had for a hand. "Now people are walkin' the streets like they own it!"
"Yeah man it's a real let down." Psycho Delic muttered as he played absently with the feather of his hat that sat in his lap. "Can't even mug a fella without thinkin' that M brother's gonna lay a beat down."
"So whaddya think we should do?" Destruction Worker asked, looking to his allies. They had been running downtown like it was theirs for years, and loosing it over a couple of months was a real let down for all of them. Even their goons had been turning in their digs and returning to a normal, average life.
That normally ended with Hot Flash burning their homes down, with or without their ex-goons inside.
Hot Flash shrugged before blowing on her nails.
Psycho Delic was silent for a moment before a memory came to him. Several years ago he had happened upon that big headed blue kid in the leather and straps. He had all but ordered Psycho off of 'his turf' yet he had no recollection of the blue kid ever appearing on the news or anything. Was he a sleeper villain? Was he plotting things, and was preparing for an all out attack on the city?
"Hey yo, wait up gang. I don't think we been beaten just yet." he said, pulling his hat onto his bald purple head.
"Oh? Do tell us your ideal Psycho less it involves more drugs and more 'vegging out'" Hot Flash snorted as she put her nail file down and gave the purple skinned man some attention.
"Years back I'm hangin' round the old observatory. Ya'll know the spot right?" Psycho asked.
"I did the foundation on that place." Destruction Worker said wistfully.
"I know of it." Hot Flash replied, not that she had ever been near the place. Studying the skies weren't in her best interest, unless it was her hororscope in the daily newspaper.
"Well, way back I ran into a little dude who'd called dibs on the joint. Was real strange lookin' too. Head big like a blueberry 'n the skin to match. Said it was his 'n to not go messin' round on it." Psycho Delic explained, gesturing to his shoulder pads as if trying to display the spiked display that the alien had worn.
"Blue?" Hot Flash asked, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow.
"Yeah blue! Blue like the sky man. All decked out in black 'n leather." Psycho said.
"Then how comes we ain't never heard of him?" asked Destruction Worker.
Psycho shrugged. "Maybe he's still planning? He ain't been bothered cuz he's layin' low. He might know more 'bout what's goin' on than the rest of us combined. If that big ole' head of his was any sign he's like Einstein and Tesla combined."
"Who's Tesla?" Destruction Worker asked.
"Some virgin who made a bunch of stuff." Hot Flash replied.
"Oh."
"So, Psycho darling, how do we find this guy?" Hot Flash asked, crossing her legs.
"Easy. Cause trouble 'round his joint. If that don't call him out he's either left, or dead." Psycho replied as he got up out of his chair and pulled his big purple jacket off from where he'd hung it by the door way and pulled it on.
"We'll have to be careful." Hot Flash said as she got out of her chair and smoothed out her costume. "Or else that M will have us plastered all over the news again."
"It'll be easy as pie, sugar. Don't you worry." Psycho assured her as he pulled the door open. "We'll find this blue boy one way or another."
To be continued