Chapter 20

Warden Sam Wilcott sat at his desk working on a stack of paperwork with a cup of coffee beside him. Well, to be more precise he was trying to work on some paperwork, but wasn't having much luck. A guard rapped on the door and Sam looked up with a frown, though he was actually glad to be interupted. "Well? Speak up, man! Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Sorry sir, a Miss Ritchi is here to see you. Should I send her away?" the guard asked.

"No, send her in " Sam pushed the papers aside and took a drink of coffee.

"Yes sir." The guard showed Miss Ritchi into his office then left to do his rounds.

"Good afternoon, Sam. Am I interupting something?" Roxanne asked.

Sam sighed and shook his head. "All you're doing is saving me from dull paperwork. Please sit down. Coffee?"

Roxanne sat down. "No, thanks. I just thought you might have something."

"I wish I did. Megamind has been missing for three days and we have no leads. Abby is very upset, she loves that boy like he was her own." He sighed a bit. "So do I despite how he behaves," Sam said.

Roxanne nodded. "What was he like as a child? Off the record and just between us."

Sam studied her then nodded, "He was very affectionate, eager to please, very smart."

Roxanne smiled. "So it wasn't just bragging?"

Sam chuckled. "No, he's every bit as smart as he claims to be, probably smarter." He drank some coffee. "At three months old he bujlt a working tricycle out of license plates and some power source then blasted a hole in a wall. He released a bunch of prisoners. He didn't mean any real malice, according to him he wanted to make them happy. He also wanted to play outside. It wasn't funny then, it is now."

Roxanne laughed. "It sounds like he was a handful."

Sam chuckled. "Oh, yes indeed. He was constantly taking things apart to see how they worked, the microwave, my computer, whatever he could find. It was a real challenge to keep him entertainsd and out of trouble. Once he learned to read he plowed through the prison library and any books Abby and I brought to him. He loved building sets and most of the things he bullt were amazing."

Roxanne giggled. "I have been amazed at his creations even though I don't say so. His ego doesn't need a boost, but did he really grow up here?"

Sam nodded.

Roxanne frowned thoughtfully. "But why not try to find a home for him? Certainly there was a foster family that could have taken him in and raised him."

Sam finished his coffee and sighed. "I would have loved to find a normal home, but I feared what mjght happen if the wrong sort of people got their hands on him."

Roxanne nodded slowly. "Like crime bosses?"

"Yes, but also people who just take in foster kids for money or would turn him over to the goverment. Of course, there are also inmates that need to be kept away from him. He's not in a solitary, high security cell to keep him in prison, Roxanne. He's in it to keep him safe."

"I can understand that." Roxanne said and she did. There were bad foster homes out there that neglected and abused the chjldren they were trusted with. No child deserved that, they deserved to be loved. Certainly there were inmates that would also not hesitate to harm a child.

Sam shook his head. "Abby and I are his legal guardians, which makes Megamind a legal citizen of the United States. It gives him rignts to keep from being taken by any government officials not just ours. Think what would happen if any other country or terror groups got him as a child. A genius child that would be easy to exploit because he was to young to know better. A child that could be controlled and locked away and never be missed."

Roxanne paled at the thought. She had never even considered that. "It would have been awful."

Sam nodded. "Yes, as bad as people think it is now it could have been far worse."

Roxanne nodded. "Yes, I can see what you mean." She sighed. "All to well."

The phone rang. "Excuse me a minute, Roxanne." Sam picked up the phone. "Warden Willcot speaking...alright, I'll be right there." He hung up the phone. "I'm sorry, Roxanne. Duty calls." Sam escorted Roxanne to the guard house then went to tend to business.

Roxanne walked slowly to the news van and drove back to the news station. She parked and went inside. Like it or not, she still had work to do.

It was five in the afternoon, quiting time for Roxanne. Just as she was getting ready to leave her office phone rang. She sighed, ignoring it wasn't an option. She picked it up. "Hello, this is Ms. Ritchi. Can I help you?" No answer then a soft click. "Hmph, wrong number." She hung up the pone and left. She was walking into her apartment fifteen minutes later, closing the door.

Suddenly a cold, damp rag was clamped over her mouth and nose. She clawed at the hand, but got only rubber. She tried to scream, but it was muffled by the rag then everything went black.

Ten minutes later two men wearing shirts that said Metro City Carpets left the building carrying a rolled up rug. They loaded the rug into the back of a white van also with Metro City Carpets wrote on it, got in and drove off.

AN-Welcome to my new reviewers! R/R please!