William Wilkins.

A former alias I used once for five months. Back when I was with the Cromwell Mafia Family. After a job went wrong I faked my death in order to escape.

And it worked! Until I stupidly revealed myself to Don Clyde at that damn masquerade ball.

And now I have a bounty. I know deserting isn't good and all but is that seriously worth a whole whopping $300,000 on my head?!

That's more than I've earned since joining Mother Wasp! Not that she hasn't paid me handsomely, but it almost makes me want to turn myself in.

Hey hey hey, I said almost. Don't look at me like that.

"So, where at villain-con should we explore next?" I hummed to myself, walking with Sophie and Mother Wasp.

"Ah, if it isn't Mother Wasp." A voice came from our left. I turned to the side to see who it was, only to freeze.

"Plague, it's been a while." Mother Wasp greeted.

The man wore a long, dark trenchcoat with a plague doctor mask and a top hat on. He had black tactical boots and black gloves to fully finish the look. There was a belt slung across his chest holding multiple green vials.

That's The Plague right there. The first villain I ever worked for.

Please stop bringing every person from my past to bite me in the ass all at once...

"Congratulations on achieving Threat Level 2." He stated, before turning to me. "And who is this one here?"

"This is my partner." Mother Wasp grinned, wrapping an arm around me.

I guess second in command does mean partner in crime, huh?

"I see. Congrats once again." The Plague replied. "I suppose you wouldn't be willing to lend him to me for some...experiments, then?"

"Afraid not." Mother Wasp smiled, a dangerous edge to it.

"Unfortunate." The Plague muttered, walking away. "It is so difficult to find test subjects..."

"You can't tense up every time a villain appears, my little worker wasp." Mother Wasp spoke. "Us villains feed off of fear. But either way, I'll protect you."

"Thanks..." I sweatdropped.

"Master." Sophie tugged on my shirt to make me look at her. "I will also protect you. Better."

"Right. Well, uh, that seems interesting!" I pointed to something random to change the topic before another fight broke out.

Eventually they're going to get physical at this rate...

We ended up finding a place selling different kinds of armor. Mother Wasp got me a bulletproof vest, which I then started wearing under my hoodie.

After that we checked out a few other things, such as an arm wrestling area where the tables kept getting broken, a pool filled to the brim with piranhas, and a villain looking for henchmen which Mother Wasp promptly dragged me away from.

As we were walking I noticed something strange up ahead. Throughout the crowd of people was a group walking uniformly, each and every single one of them in a black suit with a red tie. They were walking the opposite direction of us, meaning that they were getting closer.

And then, through a gap of the crowd I saw who exactly it was. That's the Cromwell Mafia Family. Of course they're here.

I quickly pivoted to the side, moving over to the nearest stand where there was another illegal weapon maker. Though looking at this stuff, it didn't seem as good as Trey's.

Then again, what do I know?

After the mafia guys walked past I stopped pretending to look at the items and continued my way through all of the different things here at this villain-con.

Who knew villains could have fun?

I even spotted some more villains, ones that I simply recognized from the news and online rather than ones I personally knew.

Now what is this? A hitman hiring service? Quite a few people here at this one.

I felt Mother Wasp's arms wrap around me. "You know, if you need someone dead you could always ask~"

"Yeah...thanks." I sweatdropped. "There's no one."

There is one.

Yeah, but no one seems to know of the damn guy.

Not any villains, not the Cromwells, and not even freaking Davon.

And Davon is one of the best information brokers out there. I don't think getting more connections is going to change that. Well, I suppose it doesn't hurt.

And now I'm talking to myself.

Great.

"If it isn't Mother Wasp." Another voice greeted.

I turned to see another villain, this one wearing a heavy purple fur coat with a black latex suit under and black high heels. She had long black hair and her lower face was covered with a mask.

"Shadow Raven. It's been a while." Mother Wasp greeted.

"Yes it has. I see you have some lackeys now..." She stated, eyes hovering over Sophie and I for only a second. "...though you have a lot of room to improve."

"I appreciate the input, Shadow Raven." Mother Wasp tensely replied. "I can assure you, however, that I know how to pick them."

"I somehow doubt that." Shadow Raven replied, glancing at me.

Sophie noticed, now staring at Shadow Raven as she turned back to Mother Wasp and the two started talking? Arguing? Whatever the hell that was.

Another odd feeling went down my spine. I turned around, only to see a familiar face I hadn't seen since the masquerade ball. It's kind of hard not to recognize the face that has a red heart tattoo on the cheek.

Bloodwraith shot her hand up, covering my mouth and dragging me away. I really could've struggled but I'd rather not test the greatest hitman in Champion City and have that lead to my death.

She dragged me a short distance away, pushing me against the wall and then slamming one of her feet against it, an odd way of pinning me to the wall.

"Hey handsome~" She grinned. "Isn't this fun?"

"I do love the kind of woman who will just kill me." I grinned. "How's my favorite hot topic gal doing?"

I seriously need to shut up sometimes.

She licked her lips. "Doing well...though it was getting a little irritating seeing those two hanging onto you so much."

"And why would that be?" I questioned.

"Because..." She leaned in with a grin. "...I'm starting to like you."

Wut.

Hold on, can we pause for a seconds? Can I just like, pick up the remote and pause all of reality for a few seconds so I can sink this in.

Excuse me?

"There's no need to look so shocked." She smirked. "Are you scared I'll kill you?"

"You would've already killed me." I bluffed.

"You catch on quick." She giggled.

Yes I do-

Wait, I was right? Seriously?

"Could I possibly ask why you're starting to like me?" I replied. "Other than the fact of my stunning charms?"

"I think I've finally found an equal." She smirked, poking a finger to my chest and then trailing it up to my chin. "You saw my face and survived. You evaded the Stellar. And you can even tell when I'm watching you."

So you're that strange feeling I've been getting?!

"It's a bonus that I..." She leaned in close. "...think you're pretty delectable as well."

She bit down onto my neck. I grunted as I felt her teeth digging onto my skin for a few seconds, before she finally let go with the victory of a small amount of my blood.

She licked her lips, looking at the bite mark that was now left on my neck.

"And now you're mine~" She mischievously grinned. "I can't wait for them to see my mark."

"What are you, some kinda vampire?" I questioned.

"Oh, I wish." She smirked. "I just like blood. Your blood, love."

"Love?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes..." She leaned in closely, staring straight into my eyes with her intense gray irises. "...I finally decided that I want you, so I marked you."

A crazy grin grew on her face. "You're mine now, love."

"Master. What is this?" A voice came from behind Bloodwraith.

Bloodwraith brought her leg down from the wall, stepping to the side to reveal Sophie intensely staring at us and Mother Wasp with an angry, twitching grin.

"Oh my, it seems they found us already." Bloodwraith giggled, before looking back at me. "See you again soon, my love~"

With that she suddenly threw a knife that seemingly came from out of nowhere. I watched as Sophie and Mother Wasp weakly dodged it, but as we turned back to Bloodwraith she had already disappeared somehow.

I slowly looked back at the other two, feeling a cold sweat down my back.

Ohhhhhhh shit...

"Master..." Sophie took a few steps forwards. Her eyes were more empty than usual, giving a suffocating feeling. I would've backed up, if my back wasn't literally against a wall.

"Ditching us to have fun with another girl, hm?" Mother Wasp's smile radiated a dangerous aura as her eyes darkened. "Did you forget I said I'd take care of your every need?"

"I will keep a closer eye on you from now on, Master." Sophie's eyes narrowed.

"Hold on...I can explain..." I nervously spoke.

Mother Wasp got close, tracing my neck with her finger. "To think you'd let some random bitch mark you...seems like I need to discipline you by overriding her mark with my own..."

Mother Wasp leaned in, only to be cut off as as an explosion sounded from the other end of the large underground room.

"Heroes?!" Someone screamed.

"This isn't over, dearie." Mother Wasp whispered into my ear.

Sophie activated her jets, flying into the air and looking over in the distance. She quickly dropped back down again.

"There are four heroes." Sophie answered. "Stellar, Foxfire, Frostbolt, and Fortify."

"Shit." I muttered, pulling out my emergency tactical ski mask and pulling it over my head. "Do you know where the nearest exit is, boss?"

"We just need to follow the wall until we find a door." Answered Mother Wasp.

I was suddenly picked up as Sophie put me over her shoulder like a potato sack. "No more getting stolen, Master." She stated.

Mother Wasp and Sophie started to run, not stopping for anyone and following the wall as I got to watch our backs from how Sophie carried me.

"There's a door up ahead." Sophie stated.

We continued running towards the door, only for it to suddenly be blasted with ice. An ice wall then formed in front of us, and landing on top of it was the hero known as Frostbolt.

"Mother Wasp. The Maid." He coolly stated. "Have either of you happened to be setting multiple fires recently?"

"You must be Frostbolt." Mother Wasp stated. "I'd advise you get out of the way."

"I will take that as a no." He replied. "And I cannot do that. Please cease your kidnapping."

"Sophie." Mother Wasp glanced towards her. "It's your turn."

"You don't get to tell me what I do." Sophie stated, placing me back down onto the ground. "But I shall take care of him for Master."

Sophie stepped in front of us. Frostbolt shot a line of ice towards us, only for Sophie's arm to morph into a white metal blaster. Instead of the sonic blast I expected a laser shot out of the blaster, turning the ice into steam before it even got close.

Since when could she do that?!

"Let's go." Mother Wasp stated.

"I can't leave her." I replied.

"I could." Mother Wasp grumpily mumbled. "Anyways, she'll be fine. We need to find an exit that hasn't been blocked while she takes care of that."

"Fine." I sighed. "You hear that...Maid?!"

I can't believe I have to call her that...

Sophie dodged another blast of ice from Frostbolt, now flying around using her jets as Frostbolt created an ice bridge to slide on.

"Understood, Master!" Sophie replied.

Her other hand morphed into the sonic cannon, shooting a blast at Frostbolt. He quickly formed a wall of ice in front of him, blocking the blast.

"Over that way seems to be the other heroes against the villains." Mother Wasp stated. "So let's go this way."

I followed Mother Wasp, dashing past where Sophie went toe to toe with Frostbolt. We ran past common henchmen and grunts, finding an exit that they were fighting to squeeze themselves through.

"We found it." I grinned. "Sophie could probably knock all of these people out of the way easily. Now we just-"

I was cut off as something slammed into the ground in front of us. A circle of grunts and henchman formed around, staring at the person who stood up.

Stellar stood there in a proud, heroic stance as she wiped a small cut off of her cheek. Her eyes stared straight into mine as she frowned.

"Ski Mask." She growled.

Oh you gotta be kidding me-!

"What did you do to her?" Mother Wasp eyed me suspiciously.

"Nothing!" I swore.

"You aren't getting away this time." Stellar stated. "You and your accomplices."

"Oh please, my hopeful fool, we both know how this always ends up." I grinned.

I don't know if I can fake my way out of this one...