Grimace stood atop the worn countertop of the former Taco Bell. Even after more than a year since that salmonella outbreak, the place still smelled of greasy refried beans and artificial cheeses. Around the dusty tables sat the various other fast food mascots who had managed to sneak past the patrols of Ronalds for this meeting. As Grimace looked at them, he didn’t see the same proud champions of Fast Food that he’d once known; they were a grim, defeated lot.

“We’ve tried everything,” Wendy sobbed. Tear streaks stained her freckled, rosy cheeks. “People just don’t like square burgers as much as they used to. Nooo. Now they all want them round. If only I ha…” Her voice trailed off, and she buried her face into the King’s cape. Her whole body was wracked with sobs.

“She’s right,” Little Caesar chimed up, standing on his chair so that everyone would be able to see him. His formerly green olive branch crown was now withered and brown. “No one wants my pizzas either when they can get a quarter-pounder for almost nothing! It’s that damn secret sauce of theirs!” He looked around, waiting for some reaction. "Pizza pizza," he added for good measure.

“Duh… We can beat them!” Grimace raised his thick purple arms in the air, trying to encourage the others. Most of them only glared back. Not that he could blame them for their mistrust of him; up until a few months ago, he had been one of Ronald McDonald’s closest confidants. He’d thought he was fighting the good food fight… all the way up until the invasion started. “You all have your strengths too!” He pointed to the King. “Burger King, your Whoppers are almost as good as a Big Mac, right?” The King rolled his eyes, but everyone else murmered in agreement. “And Wendy, your shakes are far better than any McFlurry.” He turned to the other side of the room. “Carl’s Junior, your onions rings are better than any fries. And you, Arby’s... uhhh…you….” Grimace trailed off, unable to really think of anything. Luckily, he was interrupted by the Jack in the Box.

“Grimace is right!” His massive head rose over the crowd as he got to his feet. “We need to work together to bring down the Ronalds!”

“But how?” Wendy asked, tears still glistening in her eyes. “I’m barely even a nationwide change, and McDonald’s is worldwide! And even then, we still won’t have the secret sauce! How could a Whopper ever compete without that?”

Grimace smiled. “I’ve thought of that too.” He turned and looked over his shoulder toward the old Taco Bell kitchen, where a dark mask peered out from under a wide-brimmed black hat. It hadn’t been easy to find the man that had eluded Ronald for all these years, but Grimace had finally done it. He turned back to the assembled fast food mascots as the figure stepped forward. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to The Hamburglar.”