The Return! Part 4

Ben is finally free of Servantis's control, but Riley gets severely hurt in the process.

Plot
Ten minutes ago. Riley and Facs are still fighting to the death even when they were teleported away.

Riley: Facs, come on! Can't you see that Nega Ben, the Rooters, and Warlord Ben are just using you?

Facs: No one uses me. Once I'm done with you, I'll move on to them.

Riley: Not while I'm around. We're far out of range from that teleporter so...

Facs rams again at Riley, but like before, he encases Facs in a crystal prison. Riley: That'll do for now. I have to get back to Earth as fast as I can.

So by combing his Aerofibian, Kineceleran, and every ounce of speed he has to make his way back to Earth. He is just like a living rocket, but moving even faster than that. He gets closer and closer and closer, but soon he sees Ben as Atomix trying to kill Rook and Max.

Riley: NO! I won't make it! Unless....

Without even a second though, he activates his Chronosapien powers to slow down time just enough for him to get in front of the blast. It is a direct hit after all, but soon the smoke clears.

Atomix: What?!

Rook: We are unharmed?

Max: We are, Rook, but look!

They see that it was Riley who got in front of the blast and took the blow instead of them.

Max: No, Riley!

Atomix: Riley...

Riley: Max....I know who's behind this....

However Riley passes out from exhaustion.

Max: Riley, son, get up. Get up please!

Atomix: Riley....

Something in Ben's mind is finally beginning to click and he manages to finally escape Servantis's programming. He then reverts back to his human form to then run to Riley. Ben puts Riley in his arms.

Ben: Wake up please, Riley! Wake up!

Riley doesn't move a muscle.

Ben: No, what have I done?

Servantis: Exactly what was feared, Ben Tennyson. You just now proved it! You are the on coming storm that we all should have been afraid of! By the authority of the Rooters, you are all under arrest!

Max: What?!

Servantis: You deliberately tried to hinder our investigation regarding your grandson, Magister Tennyson. You too are coming with us.

Max: Like heck we are!

Servantis: Then we will take you by force!

Ben: No, they're not, Servantis! Grandpa, it was Servantis who made me a psycho!

Max: What?

Ben: The Rooters along with Nega Ben and Warlord Ben are behind it all!

Max: What?

Servantis: Pay him of no mind! These are ravings of a madman.

Rook: I am fairly certain that is untrue. It begins to make sense now: you allied with Nega Ben and Warlord Ben to get revenge on Ben. You wanted to finally prove that Ben was a threat to the safety of the universe so you altered his mind with your Cerebrocrustacean powers to do it!

Max: Then you're not going anywhere, Proctor! I'll make sure to have the Magistrata do worse than decommission you.

Voice: Oh, you might be right about that one, Max.

Voice 2: Yeah, old man, Servantis and his Rooter chums didn't hold up to their part of the bargain.

Ben: I know those voices.

Nega Ben: Of course you do, Ben. Which by the way, grandpa, the Magistrata has been removed from office. Say hello to the new Magistratus: me!

Max: What?

Nega Ben: Yeah, you see I also used Servantis's powers to gain control of her. She renounced her commission and gave me and Warlord Ben her position. You work for us now.

Rook: Never!

Nega Ben: Afraid so, Magister Rook Blonko. You either work for me or you'll be dismissed.

Rook: Then consider my resignation!

Max: Ditto!

Mad Ben: Then take them down, now, Proctor!

Servantis: Fine! But this isn't over, Tennysons!

Rook: Sir, we must retreat. There are too many of them and I fear we cannot win this fight with both Riley and Ben in their position.

Max: You're right, son. We got to go.

Rook: Yes. Activating emergency teleport, now.

The four of them teleport away in an instant.

Nega Ben: Do not sit there. Find them! Catch them!

Servantis: AAHHHH! Fine! Rooters, find them, now!

The four of them managed to teleport to Undertown in Argit's so called legit business place. Riley is currently hooked up to an operating table.

Argit: Don't worry, guys, your boy Riley here will be fixed up in no time.

Rook: Good, but how did you come across medical equipment of this kind, Argit?

Argit: Oh you know here and there.

Rook: I am sure.

Max: Easy, son. Let's focus on Riley for now, then we can discuss Argit's so called legit business ventures.

Argit: It is legit, Maxxy. I'm on the up and up.

Max: Doubt it, but where's Ben?

Argit: Poor guy locked himself in my living chamber. Curled up like a little ball.

Rook: Unfortunate. I feel sorry for him, but not maybe as much as I should. His actions down there and what he told me of the Civil War stirred something in my mind.

Max: Me too, I'm beginning to remember as well. We were on opposite sides on that fight. Rook: Yes, but now that does not matter, Magister Tennyson. We know our true enemy and in time they will come to us.

Max: They will, but we know where Nega Ben and Warlord Ben are held up. We should go on the offensive.

Argit: You nuts? Of what you told me, they have the whole Plumber HQ in their midst. You won't make there or back alive.

Max: That's a chance we'll have to take.

Rook: Agreed. However I am going to speak with Ben. I have to try and reach him.

Max: You do that, Rook. To be honest at times you've proven to be a much wiser man than this old dog.

Rook: Thank you, Magister Tennyson.

Rook soon walks into Argit's living chamber and as he said, Ben is indeed in there. He's laying on the bed in the fetal position, but he is not wearing his Omnitrix. It's on a desk.

Rook: You removed your Omnitrix.

Ben: Because I don't deserve it.

Rook: Ben, you must not live in self pity like this. You managed to break free of your programming, Servantis gave you.

Ben: I don't care, Rook. Look what I did to Riley. I put him in a coma.

Rook: The healing bed and his natural healing factor will keep him alive, Ben. He will make it.

Ben: That doesn't make me feel better. I'm the one who put him there after all.

Rook: Ben, you must get up! Your two evil counterparts have Plumber Central under their command. With those resources, they can conquer the Earth and possibly the rest of the known universe.

Ben: Then you better get to work, Rook. From this day forward, Ben 10 is no more.

Rook: You can't be serious?

Ben: More than serious.

Rook: Ben, we need you out there! You are my partner, so I need you too! The day we met, I admit I was in awe of your reputation, but down the line, I am proud to be your friend and I was proud to be yours. I know you can be reckless, but when Bellwood needed a superhero, not a Plumber, you got the job done.

Ben: Thanks, but I'm no hero. Servantis and even Azmuth was right. I don't deserve that title.

Rook: Perhaps you are right.

Rook leaves angrier than ever at Ben, who will not listen to reason.

Max: How'd it go, son?

Rook: Please do not ask, Magister Tennyson. We shall have to go on the mission ourselves. I suggest we leave immediately.

Max: What about Ben?

Rook: What about him?

So then Max and Rook soon begin to make their leave, but again at the Galactic Plumber HQ again.

Mad Ben: Crud! Crud! Crud! Crud! Max and Rook will be here soon! We blew it!

Nega Ben: Oh, shut up, you girl! Ben is out of commission and so is his meddling clone! The old man and alien will be of no threat to us.

Mad Ben: You better be right about this one, chum, because if we don't succeed in this mission, I'll rip your arms out.

Nega Ben: Don't make me revoke the power I gave you, you fool. Because then I'll throw you into the nearest black hole!

Mad Ben: Try it.

Nega Ben: I just might.

Drone: Masters!

Nega/Mad Ben: WHAT?!

Drone: A vessel approaches.

Mad Ben: Visual.

They see an image on a monitor.

Nega Ben: That's Rook's ship.

Mad Ben: And with no defenses, they'll just swoop right in.

Nega Ben: Then send out an army of drones you fool!

Mad Ben: Fine, but I'll lead the assault.

Nega Ben: Go ahead then.

Mad Ben: Fine. Come on, you mindless drones.

Mad Ben takes the drones to face Max and Rook.

Nega Ben: Oh, I hope they kill that smug pain in my rear end.

Max and Rook make it on board.

Rook: Our arrival was too easy.

Max: Agreed.

Rook: The base defenses were all destroyed by something.

Max: Come on, we need to find the Magistrata first, Rook. If we can get to her then we can get her back into power and stop the bad Bens.

Mad Ben: Not going to happen, gramps. Even in this dimension, you've proved to be a major thorn in my side, Grandpa Max.

Max: I guess my counterpart was never tough on you and tried to get you on the right path, did he?

Mad Ben: Oh, he tried, but he failed. Now you mechanical fools, kill them!

There are dozens of drones and soon many more begin to appear, but back on Earth in his healing bed, Riley's eyes finally open up.

TO BE CONCLUDED.....

Characters
Heroes
 * Riley Twist
 * Rook Blonko
 * Max Tennyson
 * Ben Tennyson

Villains
 * Ben Tennyson (Dimension 3)
 * Mad Ben Tennyson
 * Proctor Servantis
 * Facs

Aliens Used
By Ben
 * Atomix

Major Events

 * Ben is finally free of his programming.
 * Riley is near fatally wounded by Ben.