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Can't Trust the Weather, Man is the thirty-third episode of Back in Action: Alien Universe.

Story[]

Wikitext Issues
Hey, thanks for reading! Copy-pasting directly from Word leads to weird formatting errors in the editor, so I use a custom script to convert Word's styling to Wikitext! Sometimes this doesn't come out perfectly and Visual Editor bugs cause lines to disappear, so if you see text that seems out of place, or is unformatted or not formatted properly, please give me a heads-up! <3 Enjoy

Part I[]

[Galvan Mark II at Azmuth’s headquarters: Azmuth and Eunice don full biohazard suits and chit-chat as they teleport away. On Azmuth’s array of Omnitrix monitoring screens, however, alarms blare. Surveillance shows Wavelength from multiple angles.]

[City Hall of Bellwood, 12:58PM: In the background of an active newscast, a distant empty podium is before a crowd of raving fans. A federal limousine pulls up, armed with the seal of the President of the United States and surrounded by two other black federal vehicles. A Senator emerges, whose signature hairstyle is accompanied by graying towards the ears, stylized to his advantage.

The caster, after watching the Senator pass through, speaks to a woman in the audience, holding up a picket-sign reading “Vance for America.”]

Caster
Tell me, Miss, I’ve seen you shaking and shouting for this past hour here. What do you expect out of Vance Vetteroy’s big announcement today?
Woman (still holding up her sign)
Ma’am, that’s *Senator* Vetteroy to any of us, and I know I’m like everyone else when I say I want him to challenge the President!

Senator Vetteroy takes the stage. He’s certainly gotten a little wider with age, but the navy blue suit negates this. He clasps his hands around either edge of the podium and leans into the microphone.

Senator Vetteroy
I know why you’re here…

The crowd screams and shouts. He flattens his hand to his side to lower their volume, eyeing his assistant at the edge of the stage.

Senator Vetteroy (leaning out, facing the crowd)
Unfortunately, the rumors aren’t true. I will not be challenging the President. But I have brought great respect to towns like Bellwood, and the great state of-

[An hour on: The Senator has wrapped up and is en route to his next event. Within his sleek black vehicle is a comfortable leather interior. In spite of how advanced it is, with several screens, high-speed charging ports, and built-in broadband, only his assistant takes full advantage, armed with his laptop, smartwatch, and two cell phones. The Senator revels in a local newspaper. He feels the ride jump onto a curb.]

Senator Vetteroy (casually turning a page, monotone)
Everything alright up there?

The tinted window dividing the front seats and back rolls down. The Senator continues skimming when the driver catches his eye, pointing a gun right at the Senator.

He drops his newspaper.

The Senator’s door flies open. Another agent stands outside with a weapon targeting him, so he jumps out of the vehicle with his hands up to find every member of his detail pointing at him. Soon, his assistant is flung out of the vehicle as well.

Agent (holding open the Senator’s door)
Sir, I can’t move. I- I can’t move.

The Senator swallows, eyeing his assistant. The two make their way forward down an alley. This withering neighborhood sports brick upon brick peeling off the walls of bygone buildings of yester-century. He turns back around to find his entire detail has shifted forward, nudging him further forward. But he’s reached a dead end.

At once the agents regain self-control, lowering their weapons and looking around in a daze. Then a rift tears open in the wall, they raise their weapons and one even fires as an arm reaches out and pulls him in. The rift shuts before the nearby assistant or any agent can join.

On the other side of the brick wall is Streak, clearly more feminine in shape and of a black and white color scheme.

Senator Vetteroy (lowering his hands a tad)
I knew I should’ve snuck my pistol on me. I mean, first you decline my invitation, then you kidnap me?

Rather than respond, this alternate Streak bears its hidden Omnitrix symbol, raising out of their skin. It’s distinctive: an entrancing purple swirl rather than the intergalactic symbol of peace.

Senator Vetteroy
Well, that’s… new, Mr. Tennyson.
Streak
I am not “Mr. Tennyson.”
Senator Vetteroy
So the rumors are true. The President gave me this Secret Service detail instead of me using city police because of – among other things – you.
Streak
And how’s that working out for you? Before you answer that: pretty well, actually.
Senator Vetteroy
How’s me getting kidnapped me doing “pretty well?”
Streak
Because I know you desire power and I know how to get you that power.
Senator Vetteroy
I can wait on being President. If that’s all you have—

A purple projection emanates from this Streak’s badge, depicting seven year old events: Vance Vetteroy, then an ambitious anchorman, accidentally terrorizing Chicago with his haywire weather machine, turned elemental monster, named S.A.M. Every moment seems to be from the young Ben’s perspective. The projection shuts off.

Senator Vetteroy (lowering his arms)
You have to be kidding me.
Streak
Keep your arms up.
Senator Vetteroy
You have all that power in that device and you’re going to use it to blackmail me? And of all things, with that? My team knows precisely how to weather that when the news gets out.
Streak
It’s not blackmail. It’s not extortion. I’m merely begging the question: what if you could have that power again?

The Senator eyes this warped Streak for a moment, scanning his expressionless face and bouncing his pupils around as he mulls it over.

Senator Vetteroy (crossing his arms)
No, not interested. Those dreams set sail a lifetime ago.
Streak
Really?

Another projection, this time minus video, overlaying audio on a sonograph.

Senator Vetteroy (voice, recording)
It’s this or nothing.
Assistant (voice, recording)
Sir, you can announce you’re running for President. You can announce you’re all hands on deck with climate change. But you can’t announce you’re going to tackle it with an imaginary weather machine.
Senator Vetteroy (recording)
Ah, but it’s not imaginary. The President already promised it to me.
Assistant (recording)
And so the President would still give it to you if you announced you were challenging him?
Senator Vetteroy (recording)
If I announced that he already agreed to it, then he’d have to.
Assistant (recording)
Sir, if you run on this, I will respectfully have to resign. You can go on stage and make your announcement and do it with that weather machine, but just know, I won’t be here afterward.
Senator Vetteroy (recording)
Then so be it.

While unseen, the recording makes his walking away on the wooden stage audible. The projection shuts off.

Streak
That was just an hour ago. If that’s how you measure a lifetime, I’m curious to see how you measure a year.

The Senator unfolds his arms. One last projection appears: a photo of an older man’s mug shot, of the name “Dr. Aloysius J. Animo.”

Streak
I know how to get you that power.

[Max’s Plumbing department store in Bellwood: The federal limousine screeches to a stop out front. Senator Vetteroy, flanked by two of his agents, enter the shop. Product lines the organized shelves, but at the checkout desk, there is nobody in sight. “Ring for assistance,” reads a sign below a bell on the desk, and so the Senator rings.]

[Plumber HQ, below Max’s Plumbing: Max, in his classic Hawaiian shirt and baggy brown slacks, is trailing behind a group of Plumbers in the midst of transporting Animo to a new cell block. He keeps one hand hovering over a holstered Ulam laser pistol. Other items on his assorted Plumber utility belt include an ID Mask and a wrench. His comm headset is on, speaking to Rook.]

Rook (call)
He would have made a great fit, Magister.
Max
I know, and I’m willing to give him another shot but—One second, Rook, I’m getting another call.

Max taps his headset.

Plumber (call)
Magister Tennyson, sorry to bother, but you have a customer upstairs.
Max
Just play the tape for them.

[Max’s Plumbing: Said tape begins to play.]

Max (recording)
I'll be right out—just dealing with this leaky drain.

The Senator looks around for where Max could be, spotting a locked bathroom behind the registers. As part of the illusion, the sound of a pipe bursting plays over Max’s straining.

Max (straining, recording)
Might be a minute; you should come back later.

The recording stops there. The Senator eyes his two agents and nods. As he steps towards the bathroom, one pulls his hand back and shakes her head. He yanks his hand out from her grip and goes off, with or without them. Standing in front of the bathroom door, his agents reluctantly approach him, guard up and weapons drawn.

Senator Vetteroy
Don't worry; I'll wait.

The Senator scans the room, eyeing a surveillance camera mounted on the ceiling in a corner.

[Inside the Plumber base: Animo tries to make a break for it from his transport guards. They’re chasing after him with Max in tow when Max receives another call.]

Max (jogging)
Rook, hold again, please.

He taps his headset.

Plumber (call)
Sir, the gentleman upstairs said he’ll wait.
Max (drawing his Ulam)
Okay, patch me into the store intercom.
Plumber (call)
You’ll need to use your badge’s speaker.

The call ends and he removes his headset, pulling out his Plumber badge and affixing it to his chest. As Dr. Animo swats at a Plumber trying to contain him, Max fires the Ulam laser. Rather than injuring the doctor, it contains him in a bubble for as long as Max holds down the trigger. A draining bar on the barrel seems to indicate battery is waning.

Max pulls out his badge, providing to him his surveillance camera’s view of Senator Vetteroy in his store.

[Upstairs.]

Max (call, sounding as clear as if he was physically inside the bathroom)
Wait a second, Vance Vetteroy, is that you? How long has it been?

The Senator’s brows angle aggressively.

Senator Vetteroy
I’m not here to chat. Open up.

[Downstairs: Max taps his badge to play a clogged flushing sound.]

[Upstairs.]

Max (call)
It’s not safe in here. Someone did a number on it.

The Senator rolls his eyes. He motions bashing his elbow into the door and steps back as the agents follow that lead. On each agent’s right hand, they count down: 3.

[Downstairs: Max witnesses. He swiftly hands a nearby Plumber his containment gun, being careful not to let go of the trigger and rips an ID Mask out of his pocket.]

[Upstairs: 2.]

[Downstairs: Max dashes around the corner and off to the elevator.]

[Upstairs: 1.]

[The elevator platform arrives on the other side of the bathroom door. A toilet manifests, as well as the rest of the bathroom façade. Max slaps his ID Mask on, which extends to transforming his badge into a plunger.

The agents signal each other, and more than simply elbow the door, they kick it right open. Max steps out of the murkily lit bathroom, in unsettlingly stained overalls and a belt of more earthly utilities. He acts unnerved by the break-in, focused on plunging the toilet.]

Max (flatly)
Well, well, it really is you.

He extends a hand.

Max
Put her there, Senator.

The Senator eyes the dripping hand, which Max sees and partly wipes off onto his overalls.

Senator Vetteroy (recoiling)
I’m alright, thank you.
Max
What can I do you for?

The Senator pulls a rolled-up paper from his back pocket and uncurls it. Like a Wild West wanted ad, Dr. Animo’s mug shot is layered over a red background.

Senator Vetteroy
Where are you keeping this felon?
Max
I don’t know what you’re suggesting, but I certainly don’t have him in this bathroom.
Senator Vetteroy
I know there is an underground base for your organization here – which, by the way, violates various segments of U.S. code as it’s treated as a separate nation occupying sovereign land.
Max
Well, Senator, that’s unfortunate to hear. We’ve always been welcome by the U.S. government. They even helped to keep us hidden. And we’ve helped by always turning over human criminals to the authorities and only keeping the less-containable aliens.
Senator Vetteroy
Really? So you’re not in the process of transporting this hostage to a new cell?
Max (squinting and losing his faux happy-go-lucky tune)
No, I’m not. But it does sound like you’re spying on my guys – and spying badly, at that.

The Senator sighs and turns to the door.

Senator Vetteroy
Play it that way then.

He and the agents proceed toward the door.

Plumber (call, on speaker through the Plumber badge)
Sir, Dr. Animo isn’t playing nice!

The Senator stops in his tracks and mutters something inaudible.

Max (stern)
Excuse me?
Senator Vetteroy (still facing the door)
Liar!

He whips around and marches over to Max, who steps to behind the service desk.

Senator Vetteroy
Release Dr. Animo right now.
Max
Not on my life.
Senator Vetteroy
Who do you think you are?
Max
An authority. You are a legislator. You make laws; you don’t enforce them.
Senator Vetteroy
So you admit you’re breaking the law. Agents, detain him.

The agents keep their weapons to their sides but remain still.

Max
I heard you were supposed to have a police detail. You should’ve kept them, because they could’ve done something to me. The Secret Service? They just have to protect you.
Senator Vetteroy
I AM A U.S. SENATOR. I have power, and I will have Dr. Animo.
Max (leaning over the counter)
You may be a Senator, but you don’t have power.

The Senator grits his teeth and slams his fist on the counter before storming out to his limo. His escort opens the door for him and inside, he seats himself with his assistant and the well-armored Dawn.

Dawn (not batting an eye to him)
Empty-handed.
Senator Vetteroy (mockingly)
I’m “a legislator.” I “make laws; not enforce them.”
Dawn
Excuses.
Senator Vetteroy
Well, I can’t do anything.
Dawn
Then I’ll do it myself.
Senator Vetteroy (shouting)
No!

Dawn looks to him.

Senator Vetteroy (at a normal pitch)
The police, we’ll call them. They can threaten his arrest or take the doctor.
Dawn
They’ll take Animo. We need him freed into our custody; not theirs.
Senator Vetteroy
The Mayor, then. She has power.

Dawn nods.

Dawn
Make it happen. But be on the alert next time as Ben already knows that you’re up to something.

[Ben’s bedroom: He’s still actively playing SuMMO, as the sticker reads on his custom console controller and Sumo Slammers-branded headset, while the phone on his bed buzzes on. His match ends, and the voice chat becomes peep-silent, so he notices the call just in time. “Grandpa.” He gulps, shakes his head, and silences the ringer just before the ring ends.]

[END OF PART]

Part II[]

[An hour later: A bedroom, fit for a teenager, by the spacefaring knickknacks and clothing thrown on the walls, ceiling, and floor. An unmade bed is where Ben sits, legs crossed, in his white socks, Sumo Slammers-patterned boxers, and iconic white tee with a black line running right down the center.

Most significant is his Omnitrix, or the arm-covering gauntlet would be, if it wasn’t being ignored by hands mashing buttons on a controller and if its user wasn’t yelling at his TV.]

Ben (username: “Omnitrixter”)
Kenko is way overpowered! He’s a tank that does way too much damage!
Kevin (over voice chat, username: “SuperCleverName94”)
Just stop him!
Ben
Well, thanks, I didn’t think of that!
Jimmy (over voice chat, username: “freedomoftherest”)
Shinobi can disable his attack, B—
Ben
Ah-ah, what’s my name?
Jimmy (sighing, voice chat)
Omnitrixter…
Kevin (voice chat)
You act like someone’s going to really recognize you on here.
Ben
Lots of talking, not enough killing Kenko!
Kevin (voice chat)
Switch already!

Ben’s phone rings again. He glances the caller ID, double-taking when he sees the name. Ben slaps his headset’s microphone mute button and sweeps his phone up.

Ben
Rook, what’s up?
Rook (call, on speakerphone)
Up? The sky of Revonnah, the mountain peak of—
Ben
No, what’s happening? Why did you call?
Rook (call)
Oh, I am merely inquiring about your wellbeing, Ben.
Ben
Really? And you just so happen to be doing that after I missed Grandpa’s call?
Rook
Um…
Kevin (voice chat)
Dude, we’re going to lose the match. What are you doing?
Ben
Look, I’m in the middle of something. Just tell Grandpa I’ll talk to him later.
Rook
Respectively, Ben, I will not relay that message. I believe he deserves more than that.

Ben gulps, eyeing a photo on his desk of the summer that started it all.

Rook
He also requires assistance. A member of your Earth government is trying to free Dr. Animo.
Ben
What’s his name?
Rook
Vance Vetteroy. Your grandfather says you—
Ben
Beat him, seven years ago.
Kevin (voice chat)
BEN! PAY ATTENTION!
Player (on the team, voice chat)
Is Omnitrixter really Ben 10?!

Ben turns on his mic.

Ben (walking over to the console under his TV)
That’s Super Ben!

He manually powers down his console.

Ben (to Rook)
Well, ‘guess I’m free now.

[Outside, minutes later: Ben is wearing a tee that’s half-white, half-black, separated vertically. His olive green cargo pants seem to be a size too big but he doesn’t care as he walks to his car, the well-washed DX Mark 10, and sits inside.

Into a mount on his dashboard, he locks his phone. It briefly flickers on, revealing the wallpaper of himself and one long-lost girl who wore pink sweaters all too often. The screen quickly fades off.

He snaps on his seatbelt and starts driving.]

Eli
So, how are we going to solve this crisis?

Ben shrieks, almost veering into some parked cars in his narrow neighborhood. When he regains control, he eyes his rear-view mirror, reflecting Eli in the backseat.

Ben
Were you living in my car?!
Eli
No, that would be absurd; we’ve been staying at Mr. Hook’s apartment.
Ben (uneasily)
“We?”

A tap on Ben’s shoulder.

Ben
No.

At the corner of his eye, Aion has manifested in his front passenger seat. Both he and Eli are dressed casually, though Aion continues to mask his face from the mouth up with part of his knight’s helmet.

Eli
Yes! Aion and I saw you needed some assistance, my king.
Ben
I’m not your king.
Eli
Forever President?
Ben
Forever nothing.
Eli
You will need some title if you are to be our leader.
Ben
I never agreed to be!
Eli (winking)
But you haven’t disagreed to be.

The car screeches to a halt, Eli’s unbuckled seating causing him to bang his head into the center console.

Ben (unbuckling, changing gears and removing his key)
Should probably have put your seatbelt on.
Eli
Hilarious. I could have hurt myself.

Ben is distracted, watching just outside his car at Max’s Plumbing. Inside, the Senator is present again, this time with the Mayor of Bellwood behind him, facing off against Max just at the storefront’s entrance. Members of the Senator’s Secret Service detail are leaving with Dr. Animo hand- and ankle-cuffed.

Eli
Why have you been hiding from him?
Ben (scrolling through his Omnitrix playlist)
I haven’t been.

Ben becomes an alien polar bear, with ice-covered fingers, antler-like ears also born of ice, and a snowflake pattern about his belly. He steps out of the vehicle and makes his way into Max’s Plumbing.

Eli (in the car, to Aion, sarcastically)
He’s not hiding; just afraid to show his face. Big difference.

Within the store, Ben’s alien polar bear is used to produce snowballs and erect a wall of snow at the exit door.

Polar Bear Alien
Alrighty, nobody’s leaving this snow fort until I get a word of what’s happening here.

All present continue arguing, ignoring Ben’s transformation entirely. To garner more attention, he forms another snowball and lobs it into the Senator’s face.

Senator Vetteroy (wiping off the snow)
Agents, can I ask what your job really is?
Polar Bear Alien
Now that I have your attention—
Senator Vetteroy
You do not have my attention. You’re treating this as a joke. You’re a polar bear, for Pete’s sake.

Ben’s eye twitches. He switches to Streak, scratching a rift into the doorway instead.

Streak
You think Koldiak is a joke? Fine.

He points to the exit. One of the two Secret Service agents draws his weapon on Ben.

Streak
This is now a zero-way door. You go out—

He puts his hand through, which comes right back out.

Streak
You just end up coming right back in. Now, what’s going on?
Senator Vetteroy
Your organization is holding this man hostage.
Streak
This is not my organization. And it’s not yours either, so how did you find out?
Senator Vetteroy
That is neither here nor there. We are taking him into proper custody now.
Max
But he knows he’s not allowed to do that. He’s a lawmaker, not a law enforcer.
Mayor of Bellwood
And I’m the mayor.
Max
No disrespect, Madame Mayor, but you are an executive. You still don’t have that power.
Mayor of Bellwood
Maxwell, you have been an honored part of this town for over a decade. You have provided exotic dinners for police celebrations and chaperoned for your grandchildren. Why do you choose now to act out?
Senator Vetteroy
Don’t you see, Mayor? You just found out that there has been a facility under this town. Who knows what lurks beneath our feet?
Mayor of Bellwood
We don’t have evidence of anything else.
Senator Vetteroy
But we have evidence of at least one.
Streak
Excuse me, but—
Senator Vetteroy
You are excused. Mr. Tennyson already provided us with the doctor, and we were on our way out. So if you’ll please move.

Streak stands his ground.

Max receives a call that he takes on his badge.

Plumber (call, on speaker)
Magister, Reginald Poe is here.

The Mayor’s eyes gape.

Max
What’s he doing here?
Plumber (call, taking a moment to retrieve an answer)
He says Rook phoned him to come, that it’s urgent. He came as quickly as he could.
Max (sighing)
Is he outside?

The Plumber’s projection over Max’s badge nods. Max looks to Streak, who scoffs before taking down his portal for a brief moment to let one Reginald Poe inside. A darker-toned man with curly black hair, suited from head-to-toe in navy blue.

Reginald
I came as quickly as I could.

He pans the room. Many eyes look to him, not one with a smile. He steps over to the mayor and shakes her hand.

Reginald
A pleasure to properly meet you, Madame Mayor. I’ve heard so much about you.
Mayor of Bellwood (courteously)
Mr. Poe.
Streak
Kid, Rook Blonko called you?

Reginald nods, and Streak rolls his eyes, offended that Rook would call them both.

Senator Vetteroy (disrespected by the lack of a handshake)
Would you like to phone another friend, Mr. Tennyson?
Max (harshly)
I didn’t phone anybody. And we are done here; you can take Dr. Animo.
Reginald Poe
Well, actually, you may not, Mr. Senator. Madame Mayor, I am sorry you found involvement in this, but if you wish to take Dr. Animo, you are going to need the police to do so. It is not the Secret Service’s mission, and truthfully, I don’t think it even the police’s. Bring the Chief, and then the Plumbers will gladly discuss releasing this criminal – who, by the by, has utilized countless forms of alien technology and would be tough to contain by any earthly means.

The Senator audibly clears his throat.

Senator Vetteroy
Due disrespect, we are taking this man you’ve been unlawfully holding.
Mayor of Bellwood
Senator… I think we should drop this.
Senator Vetteroy
What, why? You’re not really going to fall for his handshake.
Reginald Poe
Madame Mayor, you know you need the Chief.

She nods.

Mayor of Bellwood
Tell your agents to let him go.

Max stands behind the unconscious Animo and takes him, moving to the bathroom HQ entrance. Meanwhile, Streak’s zero-way door closes.

Streak
After you.

If he could curl his lips into a devilish smile, Streak absolutely would have. His expressionless face doesn’t do him justice. The Mayor proceeds out of the building.

Outside, the Senator chats with the Mayor before she enters her own vehicle – a sedan of a chestnut color anointed with the Seal of Bellwood on the hood.

Senator Vetteroy
Judy—
Mayor of Bellwood (sitting in the back of the mayoral sedan)
Please drop this, Vance.
Senator Vetteroy
I can’t sway the Chief without you.
Mayor of Bellwood
You can’t sway him at all.

She shuts her door and signals her driver to leave. The Senator kicks the curb as part of a temper tantrum.

In the Senator’s periphery, Eli and Aion depart from Ben’s car. The zero-way door having blocked them before, they now enter the store easily, where Reginald engages Streak.

Reginald Poe (extending a hand)
A pleasure to meet you, Ben. I’m a fan.

Streak is apprehensive at first, but finally reverts to human. Reginald is roughly a head taller than him, Ben notes as he shakes hands.

Ben
I see Rook didn’t think I could take care of this.
Reginald Poe
Not alone; that’s why we did it together. We both have what it takes, so I’m still surprised to hear Magister Tennyson was picking me over you.
Ben
Picking you…? For what?
Reginald Poe
The Squad Leader position? It’s been open for awhile, but my gut said I wasn’t ready for it.
Ben
And what makes you think you’re ready now?
Reginald Poe
Well, the Magister reached out to me, and I got it.
Ben (exerting an awkward grin)
Oh, congratulations!
Reginald Poe
I appreciate it, but I wish you had answered the call. There are big shoes to fill.
Ben
You’ll fill them.
Eli
Or, you could just give Ben the spot, since he was Max’s first choice.

Ben elbows Eli.

Reginald Poe (eyeing Aion’s helmet, chuckling)
I see Ben’s aligned himself with the Forever Knights.
Ben
It’s a long story, but basically, they won’t stop following me around.
Reginald Poe
Regardless. I would be glad to regift you my spot.
Eli
You mean give back Ben’s sp—

Body blow.

Ben
Ignore him.
Reginald Poe
The offer stands.

We hear the bathroom elevator “flush,” signaling its return to this floor.

Reginald Poe
We just have to tell the Magister.

Max departs from it and wobbles over. Upon sighting him, Ben masks himself as Streak. His grandfather stands next to Reginald, at arm’s length from Streak, and stares daggers into him.

Streak
Grandpa Max, I…

Max, shedding a tear, embraces him in a bear hug.

[END OF PART]

Part III[]

[Max’s Plumbing: Streak reverts to human and accepts. Max pulls away for a second.]

Max
I’m sure you want to talk, Ben.

Ben shakes his head.

Max
Whenever you want to – if you ever want to. I’m still here.

Max turns to Reginald.

Max (uneasy, rubbing his neck)
You’ve met Reggie!
Reggie (Reginald Poe)
Yes, we were just talking about the Squad Leader position and…

Ben can spot Reggie playing with his fingers and glancing back and forth between the floor and Ben. He walks up to him and lays his hand gently onto Reggie’s back.

Ben (grinning part-sincerely)
We think you made the right choice, Grandpa, for whatever this squad is for.
Reggie (eyes lighting up)
The squad that will bridge the gap. We’re going to make history; this squad is going to work with the Bellwood Police to make the Plumbers the new police.
Ben
Oh…
Reggie
I will do justice to this role, Ben. I’ll do it as you would have. I will make a team like yours.

Eli murmurs something quickly and quietly.

Max
Now, who do we have here?

Max approaches Eli and Aion.

Reggie
Forever Knights. The most genial I’ve ever seen.
Eli
We’re not Forever Knights.
Reggie (gesturing to his own face)
But the mask? It’s not generic, and it’s a tad early for Halloween costumes—
Eli
We are continuing the Knights’ legacy under a new name. We are better than the Knights ever were. Right, Ben?

Max and Reggie eye Ben with judgmentally raised brows.

Ben
I’m not a part of this.
Reggie
Would you like the Plumbers to escort them away? I’m sure the Magister can—
Ben
No, whoa, it’s not that serious.
Eli (to Reggie)
I’m sure you would love for us to be taken away. You think you can do whatever you want.
Ben
Eli, please go back to the car while I finish up here.
Eli (unsheathing a well-hidden blade along the length of his pants)
I refuse to let our King stay here with this—

Ben cups a hand over Eli’s mouth and pushes his sword back down.

Reggie (to himself)
King…?
Ben (nervously, to Reggie and Max, pushing Eli toward the exit)
I’m sorry; we’ll have to pick this back up later.
Reggie
Well, if duty doesn’t call, come pick this back up at my Commencement Part, Ben. I officially start tonight. And feel free to bring your partner here.

Max gives some form of side-eye to Reggie’s rather inclusive invitation.

Ben
We’ll be there! Or, at least I’ll be there!

[Outside: Ben shuts Eli’s door after having kicked him in and stomps around the car to get into his own seat. As soon as he shuts the door, before even buckling his seatbelt, he starts off.]

Eli (insulted)
Are you mad at me?
Ben
Well, now, why on Earth would I be mad at you? It’s not like you hitched a ride and made a fool out of me in front of the guy who got my— who just became a Squad Leader.
Eli
You deserved that more than that outsider. Who even is that guy?
Ben
Does that matter? We should accept all people.
Eli
He’s not all people.
Ben
He’s a leader, like me.
Eli
He’s not like you.
Ben
What’s that supposed to mean?

Eli is silent.

Ben
I thought so. I’m bringing you guys with me tonight to his commencement, and you’re going to apologize. Gosh, I feel like Gwen right now. I guess you guys know why, right?

Ben glances the inside of the car, with Aion and Eli now mystically gone.

[Mr. Hook’s Candy Emporium, upstairs apartment: Mr. Hook stands idly by with a platter of food waiting. Eli and Aion ignore this and head into a bedroom.]

Eli
Don’t look at me like that.

Aion scans the room bewilderingly before pointing to himself.

Eli
Yes, you. You remember him, too.

Aion’s violet lips gape, as if to almost say “what?”

Eli
Show me that Reginald guy.

The room around them becomes a simulation of five minutes beforehand, with Ben chatting with Reggie.

Eli
I know I’ve seen him before, and I know that I can’t have met him back in the UK. So, you know what that means?

Aion nods. The simulation zooms out, but rather than physically out to the stars, it turns this simulation into one of many on a linear timeline of Ben’s life, Carl’s life, Max’s life, and many Tennysons before.

Eli
Focus on Ben’s. That kid is certainly his age.

Moments from Ben’s life manifest as square-inch videos in this space now.

Eli
So you’re really not going to help me at all. You’re not going to speak or anything.

Aion stops the simulation.

Eli
I really doubt you can only do one at a time. Go ahead, now that you’re not doing that, speak.

Aion crosses his arms.

Eli
Just do the thing.

Aion taps a finger on one of the crossed arms.

Eli (grating his teeth)
Please.

The simulation erupts.

Eli (moving throughout the room, analyzing each individual clip from Ben’s life)
Alright, I’ll do this myself. Where are you, Mr. Reginald Poe…?

He stops.

Eli
“Poe…”
Aion
Hmm?
Eli
Go back to the family tree. And don’t tease me with sounds, Aion. Speak, buddy.

The simulation pans back out.

Eli
What does “Poe” remind you of?

Aion stays silent.

Eli
Exactly. Edgar Allan Poe! Take me back to his lifetime, just before George and Matilda.

The simulation scrolls across the linear timeline like scrubbing across timestamps on a video. It halts in 1827, focused on a toddler.

Eli
George Tennyson’s father was born around this decade… Play through the rest of his life at 200x speed.

The simulation plays the rest of this Tennyson’s life, right up to the end in his 60s.

Eli
Again, 100x speed.

[Hours later, Eli, stands with notebook in hand and quill stuffed behind one ear. His hair is ruffled, and sheets from the notebook have flown off the book and suspended in the air like objects floating through space.

The simulation stops, with George Tennyson at his father’s bedside in the 1880s. Eli tries to organize all the papers but they crash to the floor, with Aion pointing behind Eli.]

Eli
Ben, nice of you to join us.
Streak (portal open behind him, a tuxedo covering part of his body)
Seriously? I’ve been searching for you guys.
Eli
I told you where to find us; why didn’t you check here?
Streak
Okay, I’m not going to argue this. Are you ready to go?

Ben’s Streak analyzes Eli and Aion – both dressed exactly the same but appearing now even more casual because of the messy hair.

Streak
I’m going to give you five minutes to get dre—

Aion pauses time. Eli grabs a comb and tidies up his hair and grabs his Forever Knight—err, Second Gynuran— garments. Aion also joins in this, both wearing their full-body armor.

Time resumes.

Streak
--ssed.

Streak stares at them with his expressionless mug.

Streak
You have time travel powers and rather than go save a life, you use them to get dressed? And in Forever Knight armor, which you can’t wear to the party?

Eli and Aion look at each other than back to Streak and nod.

Streak
You’re not wearing that.
Eli
We are.
Streak
You’re not coming with me, then.
Eli shrugs, as Streak cups his head and sighs. Streak leaps into his portal and disappears.

[Max’s Plumbing, bathroom elevator: Ben flushes the toilet in the dark room, which raises the tank door on the back of the seat to reveal an input panel. He enters a code – E0316 – and flushes again, turning on the lights, compacting the toilet and beginning the descent of the elevator through a dark shaft into the Plumber base below.

Ben feels the tap on his shoulder.]

Ben (without turning around)
I swear if you two are wearing the armor—

Clink. The hand that tapped him pulls back, rubbing the suit of metal at the shoulders.

Eli (bombastically)
We are here to represent your Second Gynurans—
Ben (emphasizing)
—Your Second Gynurans, not mine. I’m not a part of this.
Eli
Let us compromise: “our Second Gynurans.”
Ben
As long as you don’t mention my name.

The elevator begins to slow.

Ben
I don’t even want to be slightly associated with you.

The elevator enters the base. Not unlike a ballroom, the base’s ceiling has rounded out and the normally green and white lighting is a dim, alluring violet. The round room is lined with tables at the walls, atop them balloons with holographic images of those assigned seating to each. As one approaches the center, an open checkered dance floor encircles a ten-square-foot stage with two pieces: a microphone, and the alien singer strumming away at their otherworldly eighteen-string bass.

Noting the droves of well-dressed Plumbers elegantly waltzing to the musician’s rhythm, Ben covers his blushing his face and gestures Eli and Aion to say nothing.

Eli (shouting, proudly)
GREETINGS, PLUMBERS OF EARTH.

The whole room halts, including the musician.

Ben (under his breath)
I hate him.

Aion sighs and nods, as every Plumber in the room draws a weapon at the supposed intrusion, including the musician. Even the lights transition to red.

Ben uncovers his face, Max running ahead of everyone aiming at him. They re-holster.

Max (to the singer, with his iconic smile)
Maestro, if you’d please.

Most of the room continues moving to the groove of the musician’s more upbeat song, but others dissipate, surrounding Eli and Aion.

Eli
Yes, yes, we are what once was the Forever Knights, and now—
Ben
They aren’t listening to you.

Eli, who had had his eyes closed and head pompously raised, opens to see the crowd solely enamored with Aion, to the point where Ben and Eli can no longer spot him.

Reggie
I guess they got really interested in the way I described him.

Ben and Eli turn to see Reggie, drinking some strange viscous teal refreshment – if one can even call it refreshing.

Ben raises his hand to fist-bump Reggie, who is at the same time offering a polite shake. Each switches roles: Ben adapting to a handshake, and Reggie to a bump, culminating in a rock-paper scenario of Ben cupping Reggie’s hand.

Ben (awkwardly rubbing the back of his head)
I win.

Reggie chuckles, almost spilling his drink.

Reggie
Best 2 out of 3?
Ben
And lose to you on TV? Not likely.
Reggie
I’m sorry, “on TV?”
Ben
Wait, this isn’t going on TV?
Reggie
No, why would you think that?
Ben
You’re about to be the bridge between worlds; that’s too important not to be.
Reggie
Yeah, but—

He leans into Ben to whisper.

Reggie
There’s a spy amongst us. The Magister shut off all signals to the outside world from inside—

Eli taps him on the shoulder. Reggie whirls around to see him offering a shake.

Reggie (accepting the offer)
What’s this?
Ben
I think he’s apologizing? I’m not sure. Once, in ancient Rome, he made me fall off a horse twice.

Reggie curls his brows confusingly.

Ben
Yeah, that didn’t make any sense. But he’s apologizing. We talked about it, but I’m not sure if he wants to talk about what his reservations were.

He walls a side of his mouth off from Eli’s direction to say something to Reggie.

Ben
I mostly think he wanted me to have gotten your spot.
Reggie
As I said, you could—
Ben
Water under the bridge.
Eli
You know I can hear you, right?
Reggie
Of course. You know, I thought you and Eli made a cute couple.

Eli and Ben’s faces fume red.

Ben and Eli (simultaneously)
Him?! Us?!
Eli
He might be the King, but don’t mistake me for his Queen.
Ben
I’m not the King. And Reginald, you know I am…

He trails off before snapping back to reality.

Ben
…You know I was with someone, right?
Reggie
Well, yes, but there were never any public shows of affection.

Ben slips his phone out of his pocket to display the wallpaper: as before, Julie and him together. Taken from the third person – or more particularly, taken by Gwen – they kiss on a well-lit summer night.

Reggie
Huh, you know, that was the only reason Patty never went for you.
Ben (drawing out her name in hopes of understanding)
Patty…? Wait, Patty Berkinfield? We went to the same school together?
Reggie (smirking)
I knew I could jog your memory somehow, but yeah, we absolutely did.

Eli has been focused more heavily on Aion’s popularity, but now his interest is piqued by Ben and Reggie’s conversation.

Reggie
That was my last year until I moved just outside of Bellwood. My dad’s job’s always been here, but I go to school there. Now I’m almost done with the police academy there; going to be in law enforcement just like my dad.
Ben
Wow. Congrats, that’s crazy. I mean, I know you’re not there yet – one more year for the both of us – but that’s insane. We both started in the same place, branched out, and here we are again.
Reggie
Yeah, crazy how time works.
Ben (laughing)
You’d be surprised.
Reggie (patting Ben on the back)
Remember when they had to change the school’s name to Bellwood Elementary School from J. Edgar Hoover Elementary?

Eli’s eyes gape.

Eli
Aha!

His eureka moment stops their conversation.

Eli
Excuse me a moment.

Ben lazily waves him off while continuing to chat with Reggie. Eli, however, rushes towards the huddle around Aion. Leaving the congregation is Molly Gunther, in tears laughing. Confused, Eli parts through the crowd to get to Aion and grabs him.

Eli
What was so funny?

Still unspeaking, Aion shrugs.

[Meanwhile, at the Bellwood Police Department, 2nd Precinct: The officer guarding the front desk opens the front door for the Senator.]

Officer
You know the door was open, right?
Senator Vetteroy (looking around frantically)
Yes, of course. I was waiting to be welcomed.
Officer
Of course… sir, are you okay? What seems to be the problem?
Senator Vetteroy
Where is the Chief’s office?
Officer
I’m sorry, but he’s not here right now.

The Senator examines the officer’s uniform, reading the name plaque.

Senator Vetteroy
Officer Albright, do you know who I am?
Officer (Albright) (talking down)
Not particularly, sir. Now, please, do you have an emergency?

The Senator’s Secret Service detail enters the building.

Secret Service Agent #1
Perimeter’s clear.

The officer eyes the agents’ all-black uniforms, concealed earpieces, and the mighty U.S. flag pin on their lapels, which she also spots on the Senator’s. She salutes.

Senator Vetteroy
You don’t have to salute me. Just take me to the Chief.
Officer Albright (half-lowering her salute)
I’m so sorry, sir, just give me a minute.

She grabs a walkie-talkie mounted on her belt.

Officer Albright
Chief—

[5 minutes later, the Officer motions the Senator into the Chief of Police’s dimly-lit office. The man is seated on a couch taking his time with a plate of pasta – and other things – pulled from a heavy-duty lunchbox at a coffee table.]

Chief of Police (chewing)
Sit.

Rather than on the same couch as invited, the Senator drops himself onto the adjacent sofa. He sits upright, head held high and arms-crossed. The Chief continues digging away at his food.

Senator Vetteroy (insincere, analyzing the room)
You’ve got a feast fit for a king there.

The Chief, without another word, unearths a second plate and fork from his lunchbox and plops some of his pasta – and other things – down.

Senator Vetteroy
Now, why on Earth do you have a second plate and fork in there?
Chief of Police (never looking up from his food)
More than just 2 in there. I’m no king; I’m always prepared to share.

On his last word he eyes Vetteroy.

Senator Vetteroy
Well, thank you then. This looks homemade; it reminds me of the good old days.

Officer Albright comes to the door with a light knock. The Chief looks to her, half a forkful of the pasta in his mouth.

Officer Albright
I’m sorry, sir, but you have an urgent call from the Mayor.

Both the Senator and the Chief stand up.

Officer Albright
I meant “you” as in the Chief.
Senator Vetteroy (reseating himself, embarrassed)
Right.

The Chief nods to Albright, who steps away, shutting the door.

Chief of Police (trudging over to his desk but not taking a seat, as the phone begins to ring)
This will only be a moment.

He picks up.

Chief of Police
Madame Mayor, how are you this—

The Chief squints his eyes, nodding and giving off “mhm”s. At one point, he stares straight to the Senator.

Chief of Police (sharply)
Yes… he’s here.

He continues, looking away again. The Senator stands and shoves his hands into his pockets, walking over to a closer corner of the room and analyzing a case of trophies, medals, and plaques, hoping to overhear something.

Chief of Police
I’ll keep you posted.

He hangs the ancient, wired phone up.

The Senator puts his hand to the glass, eyeing several “Most Wanted Crackdowns” plaques, one for each year before this one.

Senator Vetteroy (coveting)
So what was that about?

With no response, he turns around to look the Chief in the eyes.

Senator Vetteroy (harboring a crooked, Jack o’ Lantern-esque smile)
I know you’re always prepared to share.
Chief of Police
If you must know, she’s just verifying the former Sheriff is still in his cell.
Senator Vetteroy
Why is the Sheriff in jail?

The Chief scoops up his food and sits at his desk with it.

Chief of Police (emphasizing)
Former. Sheriff. And it’s a riveting tale.

He gestures the Senator to sit and eat.

Chief of Police (rifling through an unlocked desk drawer)
Allow me to find the paper on it. Keep eating.

[Plumber HQ, Bellwood: Eli and Aion are peering a year back, at the former J. Edgar Hoover Elementary. Amidst light protest, men in lime green and white construction gear remove the old name placard and, in its place, affix the metal lettering for “Bellwood Elementary.”

Eli swipes, which Aion takes to mean to go further back, to Ben and Reggie’s shared time at the school once honoring the former FBI leader. He scrubs across the time period like any other might scrub through a YouTube video. In all the frames and the years they represent, Eli catches something just at the end.]

Eli
What was that?

Entering the year just before there were ten, Aion stops in place. It’s New Year’s, and in Ben’s home, the “9” balloons are still up from the joint birthday party with his cousin. He crosses his arms and holds his head down in his cousin’s presence, spitting in her general direction to his parent’s chagrin.

Eli holds Aion’s hand as he helps him to finely move back some few months, before the birthdays, before the holidays and the summer. School is still in session here, when on one unfortunate day a kid is hit in the face.

Eli holds Aion’s hand as he helps him to finely move back some few months, before the birthdays, before the holidays and the summer. School is still in session here, when the bell rings for gym to begin, but Ben is hiding under a bleacher with some wide portable video game console.

[Eli leaps into this memory of Ben’s, leaping into his body and following a script.]

Ben
Just one more level.

He can hear the class assembling. The teacher can be heard saying something.

Teacher
We're missing two heads. Where's Ben and—

The familiar voice of an aspiring bully cuts in.

Bully
JT, you know where Tennyson is?

His partner-in-crime, a shorter and wider-bodied redhead, nods. They lock their sights on a set of bleachers across the room, the only set with a brown baggy on top.

Bully
Go high.

[Under the bleachers, Eli’s Ben continues facing his game, but warily eyes his periphery, knowing the bullies are coming.]

Eli (as Ben, muttering)
I can’t change this; I just have to let them-
Redheaded Bully (from above)
Boo!

Eli acts surprised, leaping out of his seat in such an exaggerated manner that he hits his head on the bleacher above. In the meantime, the taller, lanky bully unbuckles Ben’s belt and pockets it. Eli’s Ben stops rubbing his head to look up to Eli.

Ben
If you’re going to do it, just get it over with.
Lanky Bully
JT, were we gonna do something?
JT/Redheaded Bully
Nah. Cash and me just came to get you like the good noodles we are, Tennyson.
Ben
Can’t you just tell the teacher I’m not under here?
Cash/Lanky Bully
Aw, but then you’d get in trouble for ditching or something, and we don’t want that.

Cash snatches Ben’s wrist and starts dragging him out.

Cash (against Ben’s clawing)
You wouldn’t happen to know where the new kid is, right?

Ben shakes his head, to Cash’s chagrin in the form of a “hrmph.”

When they reach outside of the bleachers, JT drops down and joins them. Cash pushes Ben against a wall under a basketball hoop. A darker skinned boy in glasses joins Ben, next to a janitor.

Cash
Ah, look what the cat dragged in!
Janitor (mop in one hand, the other gripped by the other boy)
Found this little one hiding in the broom closet.
Teacher
Thank you, Mr. Enguells, I will take it from here.
Janitor
Be gentle.

Enguells, the janitor, leaves the gym.

Teacher
Okay, teams, pick your last-
Cash
Tennyson.

Ben shuffles over with a pouty lip.

JT (sighing)
C’mon, new kid.

The teacher rolls out a bin of dodgeballs and passes them out, first to Cash, then JT, who each distribute the rest to their teams.

The teacher holds up 3 fingers, drops 1, then another, and blows her whistle. Immediately the teams start chucking balls. Each player knocked out takes a spot on their respective sides’ bleachers.

Of note, the small boy in glasses keeps to the back wall under the hoop, trying to cover his face. He manages to successfully dodge throughout the game, until he’s finally hit.

Cash
Bubble boy, stop hiding!

Another kid tosses a ball at him, but he stays hiding at the back wall rather than joining the other knocked out players. The teacher looks ready to interfere.

Cash (motioning for someone to pass him a ball)
Get off the court!

When Cash realizes no one’s passing a ball to him, he turns around and sees the only player left on his team is Ben, who doesn’t want to give it to him.

Cash
Tennyson, stop hogging the ball.
Ben
He’s out; I’ll hit someone else.

Cash gets behind Ben and whispers over his shoulder.

Cash (pointing to the boy across the court)
C’mon, friend. Do it for the team.
Ben
He’s out.

Cash starts to tug on the ball. The feeble boy across the room uncovers his face to watch the altercation. The teacher begins blowing her whistle as she runs over to protect the boy, causing Ben to release the ball and Cash to accidentally toss it full force into the boy’s uncovered face.

Teacher (hovering over the boy that got hit)
Cameron.
Cash (Cameron)
It was an accident!
Teacher
Principal’s office, now!

The teacher begins muttering to herself.

Teacher (muttering)
I thought he was a good kid.

The whole room begins observing the boy, as the teacher rushes him out of the room, protecting him from visibility the whole time. What Ben expects is blood – the kind he’s seen a million times in TV and movies. But in Ben’s face is complete terror, as a brief glimpse of the child in the exit doorway reveals a teal face and tentacles.

[END OF PART]

Part IV[]

[Chief of Police’s office: The Chief finishes rifling through files as Vance chows down.]

Chief of Police (reading)
Sheriff Wyatt went mad one day; can’t truly explain it. At the same time there was a large movement to get the town elementary school renamed away from “J. Edgar Hoover” because we don’t align with his, eh, “style of leadership.” He did everything in his power to stop a rename. He lobbied councilpeople, he abused his position, the works. It ended in us replacing a Sheriff with a Chief. We built bigger precincts, like this one, to deal with the influx of crime because of Ben Tennyson-
Senator Vetteroy (mouth full)
He sure does attract it.
Chief of Police
Unfortunately. But anyhow, we had to restructure after Wyatt. Glad to have him out.
Senator Vetteroy
It sure helped you.

The Chief collapses the folder and shuffles it back in place in a file cabinet aside his desk. At the same time, a knock comes to the door – Officer Albright again.

Officer Albright
I’m sorry to bug you, sir, but the Mayor says to tune to the Harangue Nation.
Chief of Police (sarcastic, pulling a remote out and turning on his TV mounted in a corner of two walls and the ceiling)
Oh, joy.
Will Harangue
We bring you now to the Harangue Nation, where we are getting exclusive coverage of a “PlumBer” commencement. Yes, I enunciated the “b,” deal with it, kiddos.

The Chief leans forward in his seat, eyes gaping. He eyes a picture-in-picture box on the broadcast, showing the stage inside the Plumber HQ where Max is speaking (though muted).

Senator Vetteroy
Who is this guy?
Chief of Police (fixated on the TV)
Someone who always has their nose where it shouldn’t be.

[Plumber HQ: At the commencement stage, every present Plumber has gathered to watch Max introduce Reginald. In the center of the crowd are Eli and Aion.]

Eli (whispering)
The building’s signal blockers are out?

Aion nods.

Eli
Broadcast?

Aion points to a dim, pulsing red dot high up on the back wall of the room. Eli nods in response.

Eli
Didn’t think we’d find someone desperate enough to cover this at the 11th hour. Get ready.

On stage, Poe has been welcomed to the center stage.

Max
Poe, you’ve made a big difference in the town over. Everybody, wish him well, as the new leader of Omega Squad.

Everyone claps in unison. In the mayhem, Ben isn’t. He’s taking a call.

Ben
Chelsey, slow down, what’s he reporting on? … Wait, that’s not possible. … I’ve gotta let Grandpa know.

Ben tries to shove through the crowd, but the big bodies around him make it difficult. He becomes Brawnoceros.

Brawnoceros
GET OUT OF MY WAY!!

In the same breath, every Plumber draws their weapon. Eli and Aion make their move. With Eli pointing to the stage, Aion leaps and blasts Reggie right in the face, causing him to collapse to the ground. Everyone sets their sights on Eli and Aion, as Aion wraps him and Eli in his cloak and dissipate. They all stand, confused, until the microphone-blasted groan of Reggie from the stage takes their attention.

Max tries to conceal him, but Reggie pushes him out of the way, revealing a forest green array of tentacles on a humanoid body, taller than the human form that used to be there. He kneels over an ID mask, that from Aion’s blast was swiftly aged.

After a moment, Reggie looks up to the crowd. He stands up, revealing the green body of a Vilgaxian.

Reggie (grabbing a microphone, furious)
Is this what you wanted, Tennyson?
Brawnoceros
ME?!
Reggie
You brought them!
Molly Gunther (from the center of the crowd, hostile, aiming at Reggie)
Keep it steady right now, kid. We will not hesitate.
Reggie
Hesitate to what?

Max snatches the mic from him and stands with his arms out to protect him. Every Plumber maintains a weapon on Max.

Max
Molly.
Molly Gunther
None of us agreed to his kind being here.
Max
Well, it’s time you get on board. The Plumbers are working to reform their planet. Vilgax is in jail. And even if both of those things weren’t true-

Max keeps one arm up while having the other on Reginald’s shoulder.

Max
Reggie has lived here, among us, as one of us, for seventeen long years. He’s one of us.

Everyone maintains their aim. Molly Gunther, however, leads in slightly lowering her weapon. She taps a neighbor’s shoulder, and gradually everyone else does the same.

Max (eyeing Brawnoceros)
Some of you may still not agree. If that’s the case, you know the way out.

Brawnoceros reverts to human.

Ben
Wait, I had nothing to do with this.
Max (distrusting)
I didn’t name names. The only one I wanted to say tonight – to honor tonight – is Reginald Poe right here, our new Omega Squad Leader.

Silence.

Molly approaches the stage. She removes the badge on her chest and places it at Max’s feet, level with her chest, looking disappointedly at her own feet.

Max
Molly, don’t do this-
Molly
I can’t believe I drew my weapon on an innocent kid, Magister. If that’s how I act, I don’t deserve to hold my rank. Reginald, I apologize.

A hand with a strange texture taps her shoulder. She looks up to see it’s Reggie’s.

Reggie (crouched, leaning to hand Molly back her badge)
You deserve this badge as much as I do.
Molly
You had to go through a lot to get that.
Reggie
And I’ll go through a lot more to keep it.

Reggie stands up, Max passing him the mic.

Reggie (to light applause)
I’ll do a lot more, if you’ll all respect that. I’ll name my Squad members soon.

In the minutes that follow, Max approaches Ben in the back of the room.

Ben
Grandpa, I swear I had nothing to do with this.

[Bellwood PD, Precinct 2: Vance pats himself down then makes his way to the door.]

Senator Vetteroy
Reginald Poe is an alien living among us, huh?

The Chief swallows, still taken aback and mouth agape from the broadcast.

Senator Vetteroy
And what was your name again?

The Chief stands in the way of the name plaque as Vetteroy eyes that direction.

Senator Vetteroy
Oh, you seem to be blocking it. That’s okay.

He steps outside to view the plaque adjacent the door.

Senator Vetteroy
“Bellwood Chief of Police Francis J. Poe.”

The Senator holds forward his suit jacket lapels.

Senator Vetteroy
I’m sure you have Max Tennyson on speed dial. Give him a ring, will you?
Chief Poe
Why?
Senator Vetteroy
Because I said so. And because we’re heading over.
Chief Poe
Who’s “we?”

[Max’s Plumbing: Vetteroy furiously mashes a bell on the checkout counter. Behind him: a group of policers, at the back of which is the Chief.]

[Downstairs, in the Plumbers HQ: Max gulps. He turns to Ben.]

Max
They’re here.
Ben
Grandpa, I’m sorry, I had no idea they were going to do this.
Max
Ben, whatever you did or didn’t do, it’s about what you do now. Who were those two that were with you?
Ben
Forever Knights.

Max raises a brow.

Ben
They’ve been following me around.
Max
So nothing’s changed. I’d like a word with your new friends, when you find them.

[Upstairs: Vetteroy points to the bathroom door and orders a charge. The group bashes down the door and finds just the toilet.]

[Downstairs.]

Max (to Ben)
They’re almost in. Greet them, will ya?
Ben
But they’ll find out about-
Max
Let them.

[Upstairs: The police officers frantically tear up the bathroom, removing the faucet of the sink, and beginning to dismantle the toilet. From within the toilet, Ben is teleported up.]

Senator Vetteroy
A teleporter! Ingenious.

Ben sighs, directing the group to it.

They enter, one at a time. The Chief stays outside, a look of defeat casting his eyes down to the tiles.

[Minutes later: They all exit, with Animo in tow. Along with them come Max and Reggie.]

Max
You’re making a mistake!
Chief Poe (blocking Max, and Reggie, from leaving the bathroom)
Maxwell, my apologies, but the Mayor’s on his side. It’s over.

Max shoves past the Chief’s human barricade and continues to berate Vetteroy, but the Chief continues blocking the door for his son.

Reggie
Dad, I’m sorry.
Chief Poe
None of this is your fault. It’s mine. Now I have to deal with it, but I need your help.
Reggie
How so?

[Middle of the night, Precinct 2: In a cell is a pile of makeshift tech in one corner and Dr. James Aloysius Animo right in the center. He rubs two rocks together. Beyond the cell bars are two heavily armed guards – maybe SWAT.]

Animo
A-ha!

The guards instantly point their red-dot sights at Animo’s head.

Animo (displaying the rear of one of the rocks, engraved with scribbles from his meticulous rubbing)
Rock art!

The two guards sigh and return to firm stances looking away.

[Beyond the back wall of the windowed cell is the exterior of the precinct.]

Invisible Voice #1 (feminine, outside)
How many nights do we have to do this?

Three other voices, belonging to invisible parties, shush her.

Reggie/Invisible Voice #2 (whispering)
Until he’s back in Plumber custody.
Invisible Voice #1
And why don’t we just-

Shush.

Invisible Voice #1 (whispering, whining)
And why don’t we just take him ourselves? I think we can handle some Level 2 gears.
Invisible Voice #3 (feminine, deeper)
I thought I was impatient.

A final male voice chuckles.

Reggie
Mars, Graca, we have a job to do. My dad’s counting on us to watch him.
Mars/Invisible Voice #1
What’s so special about this guy that two military looking dudes aren’t enough to watch him?
Reggie
Shh, I hear something.
Mars (raising her voice)
You were just talking-!
Reggie (briefly visible through his cloaking)
I hear something inside.

A loud whirring from within the cell.

Reggie (disabling cloaking, revealing himself in orange Plumber armor from the neck-down)
He’s making a move!

The owner of the third voice, a 5’4” young adult also in Plumber gear, also reveals himself as he transforms from a human into a white and black Loboan.

Reggie
Do it!

Everyone plugs their ears as the humanoid wolf lets out a piercing howl, localized in a sphere facing the wall of the precinct in Animo’s cell. When it gets damaged, Graca – the owner of the third voice – becomes visible as she reveals her extra two Tetramand arms. She knocks through the wall.

The group is stunned.

Animo is gone. The guards outside the cell are down. No visible escape route and no broken bars.

A group of more SWAT-looking guards approach the cell from opposite the bars, sights set on the squad.

Reggie
Ah, crap.

[Dawn’s headquarters, undisclosed location in Bellwood, moved since the last location was compromised: an ocular rift opens in the room, a variety of black lines drawing from it so as to appear corrupted. Animo walks out, and behind him comes Dawn’s Streak. Senator Vetteroy meets the two.]

Senator Vetteroy (ecstatic, shaking the doctor’s hand)
Dr. Animo, the pleasure’s all mine.
Animo (confused)
The pleasure?
Streak
There’s a cost to your rescue. You help give the good Senator here what he wants.
Animo
There is very little I can provide.
Senator Vetteroy
That very little is all we need.
Animo
What did you have in mind?
Streak
If I’m correct, you’re capable of merging humans with alien DNA given an Omnitrix’s DNA refractor, correct?
Animo
Well, yes… but as far as I’ve gleaned, Ben Tennyson’s newest toys don’t have such a piece.
Streak (grabbing Animo’s shirt and facing the rift behind her)
Then you are useless, doctor. Back to the cage.
Animo
Wait! I have a tool capable of combining any one thing’s DNA with any other. What is our target specimen?
Senator Vetteroy (proudly posing)
Me.
Animo (rubbing his chin)
Interesting.

Animo looks to Streak.

Streak
Where is this “tool” you need?
Animo
In my cage.
Streak
What’s it look like?
Animo (breathy)
Like the most beautiful thing you’ve ever laid your eyes on.

Streak rolls their eyes to the best of their static face’s ability as they reenter the portal.

[Precinct 2, Animo’s former cell: Reggie, Mars, Graca and the Loboan named Armando are escorted in cuffs out of the cell and down the hall.

A slash through reality brings a rift back to the room, releasing Dawn’s Streak again. The purple-toned feminine Chronospect variant of the alien scoops up Animo’s “beautiful” pile of garbage in his solid holographic arms. In making his way to the rift, Armando, being shoved forward by one guard, spots Streak. Dawn, unable to simply wink, salutes the wolf as he’s pushed out of view. Streak slips back into the rift.]

[Back in Dawn’s HQ: Streak comes through a fresh rift and holds out his pile over Animo, releasing it with only barely enough time for Animo to properly catch it.

Animo affixes the tool to Vetteroy, which appears like a rudimentary Omnitrix. A red circle is in the center, in a thick dome. Thick coils, covered in dirt, wrap around the body.]

Senator Vetteroy
What is this?
Dawn (angered)
What is that, an Omnitrix?
Animo
My Regulator. It is an *original* invention, all my idea. And you, Senator, it is your ticket to power.

Animo turns to Streak.

Animo
Lastly, I’ll need the sample of whatever we’re merging with. I take it that’s your current form.
Streak
No. One of Tennyson’s.
Animo
Ah, then we have a dilemma. We’ll need that, Miss-
Streak
It’s Mister.
Animo
Mr. What?

Streak approaches Animo and holds the latter’s head up with the point of his fingers. Animo gulps.

Streak
Leave the sample to me.

[Mr. Hook’s Emporium: Second floor apartment. Eli and Aion sit in the dark, thinking. Something crashes through their window, breaking the silence. They turn on the light to see a thick disc now lodged in the ceiling. It wobbles and wiggles like a worm struggling for freedom. A moment of that passes before it stops and a loud autotuned scream raises in volume. Frisbit comes flying hand-first through the window and stops when he’s got a hand on his frisbee.]

Frisbit
I had no clue I could do that!

Frisbit reverts to human. With the frisbee no longer serving as his anchor, he falls eight feet to the floor.

Ben (laying on the floor)
We’re okay!

After a moment, Ben leaps to his feet.

Ben
You two are in a world of trouble.
Eli
Why?
Ben (flabbergasted)
“Why?” Look what you did to Reggie! Name one good reason for that.

A car crash sounds from several blocks away. Ben keeps his attention locked on Eli.

Eli
Are you going to help with that?
Ben
I’m not the police. Now answer me, unless you don’t have a good reason.
Eli
Ben- My King-
Ben
I’m not your king.
Eli
When Vilgax came to Earth and declared a battle for it-
Ben
I saved us all.
Eli
And none of us had any say in the situation. We had no idea who saved it. We didn’t even get to see the fight. We didn’t want there to be a duel for the planet.
Ben
Well, Grandpa had to prevent the broadcast so my identity wouldn’t get out, not that that matters anymore. But you know that was why you didn’t get to see it.
Eli
Yes, I know *now.* But not then. Ben, that was before I became a Knight and before I met Aion here. I was just a kid afraid of world domination; the threat we saw in Saturday morning cartoons from supervillains was becoming real.
Ben
I’m sorry, really, but what does that have to do with any of this?
Eli
Your reaction, that’s what. You have to step back and look from a different perspective than the Plumbers’. How I felt is how the world felt. And now there’s one of them – one of the Vilgaxians just living among us. My liege-
Ben
Stop it.
Eli
-The rest of us don’t want him here. He’s been hiding as one of us. What is he up to? What is he planning?
Ben
He was raised here, dude.
Eli
Raised by whom?
Ben
The Bellwood Chief of Police.
Eli
You had no clue that guy was one of them. Is he a hybrid? Is he all Vilgaxian? Is his dad? He probably taught him. Do you know the culture of their home world?
Ben
I’ve been.
Eli
Then you must know they’re the whole reason the Galactic Code of Conduct let you battle for a planet – until they finally did away with that last year. The Vilgaxian males believe that being a warrior is a sacred duty and that battle is the solution to all problems.
Ben
You just met Reginald. You know he’s not like that.
Eli
You pretty much just him, too. Politely, neither of us know him.

Another crash a mile away.

Ben (looking to the window)
What is going…?

Ben looks back to Eli.

Ben (sighing)
We’re not done here. Grandpa Max needs to talk to both of you, ASAP. So use your little time teleport-y magic whatever and go to the Plumber base.
Eli
If we teleport in, we’d get imprisoned. And even if not, politely, no. We do not owe anything to any Plumber.

Ben scrunches up his lips.

Ben
We’re not done here.

[Dead of night, approaching the morning in Downtown Bellwood: Vertigo levitates in a meditative position at the center of an intersection. For every car that comes, they absorb that momentum and cast it into a different object – a traffic light, a fire hydrant, and so forth.

Above, Frisbit makes his entrance. He leaps off his frisbee, which he continues to remotely control to bash Vertigo in the head. While Vertigo recuperates, Ben’s robotic transformation lands straight on the villain’s head, knocking them down to the ground. Frisbit recalls his enhanced frisbee and latches it onto Vertigo’s purple Omnitrix badge. Spider-like legs cup the symbol and begin tinkering, visibly producing sparks.

But Vertigo’s newer Omnitrix fights back. A purple spark leaves Frisbit screaming, damaging his frisbee and by extension him. While he’s writhing, Vertigo catches their breath. From a short distance, they wrench their hands. Using a short-distance form of telekinesis, they twist the dial on Ben’s own Omnitrix symbol, located on his frisbee. Commanding it down transforms the robot into the hulking rhinoceros form-]

Brawnoceros
WRONG ANSWER, BUDDY!

He lifts Vertigo up and proceeds to smack him into the ground, pick him up ,and smack him back down left and right for a solid minute. Vertigo, with only a moment to spare before their head crashes yet again into the pavement, casts the momentum of an oncoming vehicle into a parked car. The parabolic flight pattern that Vertigo chooses for this idle vehicle sends the vehicle right onto Brawnoceros. He notices, drops Vertigo and attempts to catch the car. Failing to do it in time, he is crushed, laying on his back with the vehicle on top of him.

Vertigo hovers over and manually twists the dial through the transformations, until they land on the lanky bottled-up transformation of Wavelength. Vertigo smacks down, turning Brawnoceros into the glass hurricane. Before he can get up, Dawn cups both Omnitrices, placing them in Scan Mode, as denoted by their newfound yellow tinge.

Vertigo takes on a curly grin. After both devices return to their respective colors, he takes on the form of Streak and leaves once more. Wavelength, casting a local storm, removes the vehicle from himself.

[Dawn’s HQ, where Vance and Animo each inspect the robots on the back wall.]

Streak (arriving)
Animo.

Dawn’s Streak becomes Wavelength. Almost no changes are made to adjust for gender.

Wavelength
We’re ready.
[END OF PART]

Part V[]

[Dawn’s HQ: The poorly maintained headquarters has lights flickering. A metal rod rolls through the room. Animo ensures the Regulator is tightly on the Senator.]

Animo (to Senator Vetteroy)
This will keep you safe from DNA corruption.
Senator Vetteroy
Let’s get this over with; there’s so much to do. There’s a world to save.
Animo (clicking a strap, mocking)
“A world to save?” Hah! We have ourselves a little hero.
Senator Vetteroy
Yes. It is I and only I who can do this good work.
Animo (to himself)
Okay, crazy…

Animo looks up to see Vetteroy’s brows furrowed at him.

Animo
Mister Purple Spooky.
Wavelength (Dawn)
“Dawn” is fine.
Animo
Mr. Dawn-
Dawn Wavelength (grating teeth)
“Dawn.” Is. Fine.
Animo
Dawn, my apologies.

He grabs a syringe and approaches Dawn.

Animo
This may sting a little… if it can.

He attempts to prick Wavelength but fails.

Animo
Ah… I see.
Dawn Wavelength
You see what, Doctor?
Animo (motioning to Wavelength’s glass bottle)
This container is in our way. What we need is what’s in the bottle. Probably a safety measure.
Senator Vetteroy
What’s going on?
Animo
I will need to break the Dawn’s cage to acquire a sample.
Senator Vetteroy
Then what are we waiting for?

Animo points inside the bottle.

Animo
Whatever is inside that protection would kill us if we open it.
Senator Vetteroy
I’ll take that chance.
Dawn Wavelength
You’re an idiot.
Animo and Senator Vetteroy (in unison)
Hey!
Dawn Wavelength
I really only meant one of you but if the shoe fits…

Dawn rotates their Omnitrix symbol, which unlike a standard one is a black swirl on a purple background.

Dawn Wavelength (to their Omnitrix)
Alpha, mute your voice responses.

The Alphaline Omnitrix makes two light pings. Wavelength looks up to inquisitive faces on Dr. Animo and the Senator.

Dawn Wavelength
The last thing I want to hear is the sound of my own voice. Senator, back up. Animo, approach.

Vetteroy runs behind a series of pods. Animo picks up a wayward metal rod sitting on the floor. Dawn turns back to the Omnitrix.

Dawn Wavelength
Alpha, reboot in 30 seconds.

The Omnitrix pings again.

Dawn Wavelength (the Omnitrix pinging for each elapsed second)
Break the glass. Take the sample.
Animo
That’s dangero-

Dawn’s bottled hurricane grabs Animo by the neck and stares its googly eyes at the (supposed) doctor.

Animo
I can’t take you seriously with those-
Dawn Wavelength (shouting)
DO IT!

Animo pulls his arm back swiftly. He stares hesitantly at the bottle, inhales, then swings. Wavelength drops Animo. A crack forms in the bottle that in no time busts the thing open. Animo drops the rod and whips out his syringe, attempting to grab something physical like blood. Though he doesn’t manage this impossible feat – to make a hurricane bleed – he does convince some of the torrent into the syringe on its own. Quickly, though, it gets out of control and begins to grow in strength, demolishing parts of the already dilapidated headquarters and whisking Animo up into the air.

With Animo fifteen feet in the air, he prepares for the worst. Dust and blinding winds blur the area for him and the Senator, who tries everything to protect his face from the growing onslaught of debris. In the mayhem, a pair of antennae grow out of Animo’s head. Their red tips glow, and simultaneously, the Regulator on Vetteroy unstraps. Its body swivels around and boosts itself over to Animo, strapping onto him.

Dawn’s Omnitrix deactivates, reverting them to their armor-covered human form. Animo is on the floor, his Regulator detached and to his side, and the antennae still poking out of his head.

Senator Vetteroy (peeking out, coughing)
James, let’s go!

Dawn walks up to Animo, picks him up by the chest of his shirt, and slaps each cheek until he regains consciousness.

Dawn
Wake up, fool.

They toss the doctor back. The Senator comes up behind him.

Senator Vetteroy
Your little invention seems to have come off in the storm. Make sure it stays on this time. Strap it tighter. And what are those things sticking out of your head?
Animo (groggy, retracting the antennae)
None of your concern.

He sloppily reattaches the device, accidentally catching a piece of Vetteroy’s suit in one of its arms.

Senator Vetteroy
Pay attention, you halfwit!
Animo
You cannot do this without me!

Dawn’s Omnitrix pings, signaling its completed reboot. They become Streak, casting a portal in front of Animo, inside which is his former prison cell.

Streak
We will do this with you because you, Doctor, have the most to gain from this.
Animo
You mean my freedom? Those cages are my home now.
Streak
I mean so much more. You got into this because you were wronged. The world knows the Animo name, but they don’t know why. They don’t know that you got passed over for the Verity Award.

A projection appears before Animo, cast from Streak’s Omnitrix, of a portly gray-haired man proudly displaying his award. In a lab coat, a younger, more average looking Dr. Animo grits his teeth.

Animo (beginning to latch the Regualator on with more care)
Kelly.
Streak
You will have friends in high places. An Omnitrix wearer. A Senator. Why, I heard he was going to get an investigation started into a Dr. Kelly from DC. I heard Kelly has an untold history of impropriety that would be very nasty for his reputation.

The Senator seems completely unaware of this as Dawn goads him into agreement.

Senator Vetteroy (awkwardly)
Uh, yes. Very scandalous. They’d have to rethink the winner.

Animo’s ears perk up, and Dawn leans in over his shoulder.

Streak
They may even have to rename the Kelly Institute.

Animo grabs the vial containing Wavelength’s DNA sample and clicks it into a port at the top of the Regulator.

Streak
Maybe after someone with more rugged good looks-

Animo strokes his chin, grinning.

Streak
An inventor heard of the world over but not yet understood. An inventor who’s done so much with so little. Oh, imagine what they could do with actual funding.

Streak closes the portal but continues speaking telepathically solely to Animo.

Streak (telepathically, to Animo alone)
I know that thing you’re going to use on him will let you control his every move. Be wise.

Streak backs up and reverts to their armored human form.

Animo (jubilantly)
The transformation is ready. Say goodbye to your mortal form, Senator.
Senator Vetteroy
It’s a mere sack of meat, a vessel to get me to this moment.
Animo (disinterested)
When you transform, you will be in a similar glass bottle to what we just broke.
Senator Vetteroy
Come again? All the power is inside!
Dawn
There is plenty of power even bottled up, Senator. Moderation.
Senator Vetteroy
Hrmph.

[Outside the headquarters: Vetteroy’s screams and a bright red glow as the transformation begins.]

[Precinct 2: Combustiball rolls up to the stairs where a cop blocks him. They point to scorch marks still burnt into the stairway from the last time he went in in that form. The alien rolls his eyes and reverts to human to ascend the front stairs and enter. Inside, Max greets Ben.]

Ben
What’s up, Grandpa?
Max
Are you in a rush?
Ben
Kinda.
Max
Looking for those Knights?
Ben (looking down)
They weren’t home.
Max (squinting)
Look again.
Ben (fiddling with the Omnitrix)
I don’t think they’re the top priority.

He presents the hologram of Wavelength.

Ben
Do you recognize this guy?

Max squints. Ben clicks the dial twice to expand the projection’s size.

Max
That’s interesting. Doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen.
Ben
Alright… that’s not good. Dawn appeared. She copied the transformation, and I don’t know why.
Max
It seems like we’re 3 steps behind whatever they’re planning, Ben.

Ben holds up his phone with aerial photos of the exterior of Dawn’s headquarters, one when it was pristine (or at least, as pristine as it could be), one with Wavelength’s hurricane growing, and another with Animo’s red glow.

Ben
Well, I might finally be able to get the drop on them.
Max (scrolling on the phone)
What are these?
Ben
Dawn.
Max
How could you tell?
Ben
I think she might have used the powers. And the red glow screams Animo.
Max (breathing in heavily then nodding)
Animo, you think? Alright, the Knights are priority 2, this is priority 1. Take care of it.

Ben salutes, running to the door and rolling out as Combustiball, the police outside waving their fists angrily at him.

Inside, the Mayor of Bellwood appears and welcomes Max into the holding cell segment of the precinct. They talk as they walk down the hall.

Mayor (shaking her head, looking forward, walking)
I’m not happy, Maxwell.
Max
I told you this would happen.
Mayor
“I told you so” would be appropriate if you didn’t break him out yourself.
Max (stopping, looking to the Mayor)
Come again?

The mayor points to the cell adjacent her, containing Reggie. Max peeks down the aisle to see Mars, Graca, and Armando in the subsequent ones.

Max
Why are there in here?
Mayor
Keep your kids in line, Max. Because of you, Animo is free. We want him back in here, ASAP.
Max
I-
Mayor
ASAP.

She steps away.

Max (to Reggie)
What did you do?
Reggie
Magister, I can explain.
Max
You better.
Reggie
We came here last night to protect Animo.
Max
And how’d that go for you?
Reggie
Look, Magister, my dad asked me to help.
Max
Reginald, you need to treat me like your superior – because I am. If It’s Plumber business, and you have to choose between listening to your dad and listening to me, it’s me. There is no choice.
Reggie
Yeah… I take full responsibility.
Max (looking down the row)
And who are these three?
Reggie
My squad. My best friends In the local Plumbers and the squad I want to have. You can throw the book at me for not running them by you, but they’re the team I want.

Max sighs and leans towards the bars.

Max
Why are you wearing that?
Reggie (eyeing his Plumber outfit)
It was as a squad, so we-
Max
Not that.

He points to Reggie’s face. He touches the skin of his human cheeks.

Max
You have to stop hiding, Reg’.
Reggie
Magister… you don’t understand.

He briefly pulls the ID mask off his face to show his true form again.

Reggie (Vilgaxian)
People still associate me with Vilgax.
Max
They’re going to need to learn otherwise.

[City Hall of Bellwood: News network vans surround a large crowd yet again at the foot of the steps. Vance Vetteroy – clean, human, in his suit, and no Regulator to be seen – cuts through the side of the crowd, brushing past his irritated assistant, to make it to the podium where he stands upright and proudly. To the ruckus of his adoring fanatics, he waves a hand to lower the volume.]

Senator Vetteroy
To the people of Bellwood, to the people of this great state, this great nation, and this great planet, I thank you.

The crowd cheers.

Senator Vetteroy
At last, I am able to share with you some of the greatest news in our history.

His assistant crosses their arms.

Senator Vetteroy (holding his palm out facing the sky, fingers curled a bit inward)
I can say, with confidence, that all our troubles with the weather, this climate, and this doomed, burning planet are over. We have, at last, a way to cool this world.

The cheers subside partly and are joined by bewilderment.

Senator Vetteroy (pulling off an ID mask to reveal his new alien form)
Starting now, I’m the only weatherman you can trust.

The crowd, as well as the assistant, begins to disperse as clouds roll in. Pockets of snowfall soon transform into hard cubes of piercing hail.

Wavelength Vetteroy
All Hail the King.

[The Bellwood home of Frank, Natalie, and Gwen Tennyson: In the driveway, a white sedan pulls up behind a parked SUV. When the car shuts off, from it depart its passenger Kevin and its driver Gwen. The latter has a pep in her step as she approaches the front door of the home.]

Kevin (watching Gwen rifle through her keys)
You seem happy.
Gwen
How could I not be! That car, Kevin-

The door unlocks.

Gwen (dazed, entering the home)
-It’s just… wow….
Kevin (entering with Gwen, to himself)
You never say that about my car…

Gwen’s father Frank sits at a recliner in the living room with a large tablet in his hand.

Frank
Gwendolyn, just who I wanted to see!
Gwen
What’s up?
Frank
Something urgent’s going on.
Gwen (serious, her hands suddenly alight)
What’s the situation?
Frank
I went to the kitchen, tablet’s working just fine, then I came back and-

Frank turns his tablet to Gwen.

Frank
Boom, everything’s upside-down.

Gwen resists the urge to bring her dimming palms full speed to her face. She walks over, picks up the tablet and rotates before returning it to her father.

Frank (trying to hide his embarrassment)
Ah, I see…

He leans back.

Frank
So, do anything interesting while you were out?
Kevin
We literally just drove around Bellwood over and over.
Frank
Really?
Gwen (joy back in her voice)
Yes! And we weren’t just driving around Bellwood; we were experiencing that beautiful car, dad. It drives like a dream. Can I pleeease have it, Daddy?
Frank
I-
Gwen (sweetly)
Don’t you want me to be able to drive around this summer?
Frank
Aren’t you going back to school in Blue Lake, where Kevin lives?
Gwen (muttering, crossing her arms)
Well, yes…
Frank
Gwen, I’m sorry, my hands are tied. The lease is almost up, and we have to give it back. And don’t Kevin and Ben have sports cars? You can drive those.
Kevin
That’s what I’m saying!

Gwen gives Kevin a stink face.

Kevin
What? I did say that.

Outside the house, Gwen and Kevin make their way for his car.

Gwen
I just want a car that is mine, for myself.

Something lightly hits her on the head, but she ignores it and proceeds.

Gwen
I still can’t believe you got Ben a car and not me. I’m not saying it’s not a nice gesture, but can I get one, too?
Kevin
But then you could abandon me…

Gwen half-chuckles, unsure if the very controlling sentiment was sincere or a joke.

Gwen (hands glowing)
Kevin, I could teleport anywhere in the universe if I wanted to be. But I’d rather be right here.
Kevin (leaning into her face)
Smooth.
Gwen (cocky)
I know.

Another piece of something hits them. Clouds roll over, then a rapid storm of hail bombards them. Each person rushes to protect a car – Gwen casting a bubble over herself and her dream car while she stands next to it, and Kevin absorbing a piece of pavement to form a box around himself and his still-amazing muscle car.

[A coffee shop in Bellwood: Low jazz hums through the spruce wooded interior. Inside, at window seats, Chelsey and her new boyfriend sit at either side of a narrow table.]

Chelsey’s Boyfriend (clear, average tone)
It sounds like she’s not the best friend to have.
Chelsey (frantic)
No, no, no, you don’t get it. Like, yes, she tried to kill my cousins when we were all kids, but they tried to kill her, too. And granted, that was just because she was doing stuff that put them in danger, but uhh…

Her boyfriend puts an open palm up on the table between them. Chelsey puts one hand in his and he cups it with his other.

Chelsey’s Boyfriend
I’m here for you, Chelsey. But, your best friend sounds… not great.
Chelsey (sighing)
She just has a lot going on. She always has.

She grins as she scans him. He’s a pale boy with a smooth face, thin jaw, and shoulder-length brown hair.

Chelsey
This place is so quiet, it’s so you.
Chelsey’s Boyfriend (chuckling)
What’s that supposed to mean?
Chelsey
Yeah. It’s so… normal and relaxing. You take this all so lightly. The whole craziness of my life, the aliens, the magic…
Chelsey’s Boyfriend
It’s the world we live in. You either catch up or get left behind. Or crushed by a car.
Chelsey (chuckling)
Hopefully not that.

She looks up above him to a muted TV. The newscast displays Vance’s speech as it happened, and in short order, the hail begins to tap the window. Chelsey’s bo sees where her attention is drawn and takes in the news as well.

Chelsey’s Boyfriend
Duty calls.

Chelsey nods, stands up and kisses him on the forehead. She then spawns a sword built of mana, as well as a set of mana earmuffs around her head, and charges screaming out of the window that was about to burst from hail damage.

The boy pulls out a book and turns a page.

[Dawn’s headquarters: The roof, previously cracked open by Dawn’s Wavelength, is very visible as Ben makes his way inside. The building was already falling apart but now a broken pipe spills water gradually into the main room. Lights flicker as well. As Alkamine, he uses several gel sacs to create a slime ball that he remotely controls and rides ahead to just under the roof hole.

Empty pods stick out, each open and smoking. A pin pad next to them shows a green confirmation message. He makes his way over to it and, with one new gel sac, scrubs the pad.]

Alkamine (turning the sac over, to himself)
There should be some kind of fingerprint on this we can use back at HQ…

He looks at the rest of the room.

Alkamine
In case the rest of this room falls apart.

Snatch.

Alkamine (someone else’s arms crossed around his torso, disabling his movement)
HEY!
Voice of Darkstar
Well, well, well…

Darkstar steps out of the shadows ahead.

Darkstar
C’mon, Tennyson, transform to get out of his clutches.
Alkamine (squirming)
Who is holding me?!

He looks up behind him to see the spitting image of Darkstar, in the same armor, right down to the helm.

Alkamine (perfectly still, confused)
What?

He looks back to the talking Darkstar.

Alkamine
But- How?
Darkstar
Transform, and maybe I’ll tell you.

Alkamine remains perfectly still.

Darkstar
Strange. You’re normally so eager to tap that little watch a thousand times in a single fight, just to beat little old me. Where’s your buddy that makes portals, by the way?

He steps up to Alkamine and reaches his hand out for Alkamine’s left, where he holds the gel sac with the fingerprint.

Darkstar
Are you hesitant because you don’t want to lose this?

Darkstar hears a hissing, watching the acidity of the gel sac increase in Alkamine’s hand. The tall and sinister fallen star snaps his hand back to his side. Taken aback, he returns to his place farther away.

Darkstar (facing away from Ben)
You know, Dawn told me a little bit about what happens when that little toy on your wrist is touched the wrong way. Do you know what happens?
Alkamine (breathing heavily)
Michael, don’t-

Darkstar nearly gives himself whiplash with the speed he twirls around to look Ben in the eye.

Darkstar (terse, his hands glowing)
IT’S DARKSTAR.

He pulls himself back.

Darkstar (hands still glowing)
Because of you and your little cousin.

He starts firing a continuous beam out of one hand at the Omnitrix.

Darkstar
I’m going to ask you one more time, do you know what I’m talking about?

Gradually, a ball of energy starts to grow around the Omnitrix.

Alkamine
Dude, if you do this, you could trigger the Self-Destruction Mode that can wipe out the universe. At the very least, you will cause SERIOUS DAMAGE-
Darkstar (confidently)
Enough to destroy evidence!

He adds his other hand in to fire at Alkamine’s chin-mounted badge. Alkamine returns to shaking furiously.

Alkamine (screaming)
You’ll get hurt!

Darkstar simply utters a positive grunt as the size of the energy blasts reaches a critical mass. Too large and too blinding for Alkamine to see out of, Darkstar stops firing. The Darkstar clone escapes the ball of light and grabs the real Darkstar. The clone’s feet then transform to add jet boots, with which the two vampires depart out of the hole in the ceiling once created by Dawn’s Wavelength.

The Omnitrix’s feedback finally gives way, bursting and destroying a sizeable portion of the room.

When the dust settles, much of the building is collapsed. Underneath the rubble, Alkamine is suspended, as if an object in gelatine, in the middle of a giant gel sac. He continues to grip in one hand the smaller sac with someone’s fingerprints on it. The building continues to try and push through the bigger sac Alkamine is, though, gradually making his position more tenuous.

To make matters worse, the Assault Omnitrix crackles.

Assault Omnitrix (in Ben’s human voice)
For user safety, Trion Lockdown Mode activated.
Alkamine
Please, not now.
Assault Omnitrix
Reboot imminent.
Alkamine
Omnitrix, please… I don’t ask for much.

The Omnitrix beeps.

Alkamine
Okay, I ask for a lot. I ask for you to work all the time, and I’m grateful you’ve been pretty good lately, really, seriously. But in my hands here is possibly my best bet to find someone else that got my girlfriend killed.

The Omnitrix beeps.

It powers down.

Assault Omnitrix (volume and tone lowering)
Reboot in progress.

The collapsing ceiling ruptures Alkamine’s containing sac.

Alkamine
I’m sorry, Julie…

From an outside perspective of the collapsed building, there is a bright green burst.

[END OF PART]

Part VI[]

[Just beyond Bellwood: Darkstar and his clone bot fly into an open manhole cover, deep into sewers, and finally arrive at a deep underground area. Things are thrown together, clearly impermanent. Dawn’s other bots are present, and in the room’s center are Dawn and Animo. Darkstar and his clone land in the corner, where the press of a button reverts the bot into a clone of the armored Dawn.]

Darkstar (aiming for Dawn’s attention)
Sorry, I took so long getting the last bot. Tennyson came in the way.
Dawn
What?
Darkstar
I had to blow the old place to pieces to hide any evidence.
Dawn (relieved)
Thank you.

Darkstar steps up to Dawn’s side to look around.

Dawn
Wipe that grin off your face.
Darkstar (slightly chuckling)
How can you-? I’m wearing a mask.
Dawn
I know you. I can tell you’re grinning under there.
Darkstar
I’m not-

He sighs then straightens up. Looking ahead, he notices Animo’s movements, twirling in the air and moving his hands like he’s playing the piano.

Darkstar (serious)
Has the nut finally cracked? He looks like he’s playing with imaginary puppets.
Dawn
Not imaginary.

[Close-up of Senator Vetteroy’s Regulator.

Pan out to a TV behind the checkout counter of Max’s Plumbing. Standing before the counter is Senator Vetteroy’s impatient assistant, staring scornfully at the screen. He mashes the bell. In that moment, Gwen, Kevin and Chelsey all enter the store as well, bickering. Gwen dispels with a mana covering, punctured several times over on the walk inside by the pounding hail.]

Gwen
Surely, I’m not crazy for wanting my own car.
Chelsey
Yeah, independence doesn’t hurt.

The assistant comes to the entrance and presses the phone against Kevin’s chest.

Kevin (disgusted)
What’s wrong with y-?
Assistant
You three can get Max Tennyson. I need him. Now.
Kevin
Jeez, ever heard of “please” before?
Chelsey
Yeah and who are you anyways?
Gwen (brushing past him)
Guys, ignore him. We have more important things to deal with.
Assistant (turning to her)
Like the Senator?
Kevin
How did you know?
Gwen
Kevin, it’s on every screen in town.
Assistant (flush)
I was there! Stop speaking like I’m not here, I was there and the Senator needs your help!
Kevin
What are you, one of his adoring fans? The only help we’re giving him is the kind you don’t get back up from.
Gwen
Kevin!
Kevin
What? He’s got what’s coming to him.
Assistant
I am his assistant, and that man – that thing – that just jumped on stage is not my Senator!
Gwen (half turning around)
What do you mean, as in he’s a clone?

The assistant raises their phone up to a photo taken earlier.

Assistant
That thing on his chest-
Kevin
One of Animo’s gizmos.
Assistant
I knew getting involved with this Animo stuff was a mistake…
Kevin
Being the reason Dr. Animo went free? Yeah, definitely a mistake.
Assistant
Okay, well, no need to tell me so. I’m not the one who freed him. But I swear to you all, that thing on his chest – that creation of Dr. Animo – is controlling him. This Animo guy is controlling him with that thing.
Chelsey
Sounds like a tall order. Why should we buy it’s not just Vance Vetteroy on the same weather tear he’s been on his whole life.
Assistant
Because he believes in people. He believes in real change. And if none of that means anything to you-

He zooms into the eyes of the photo of the Wavelength-transformed Senator Vetteroy.

Assistant
His eyes aren’t supposed to be red.

Chelsey eyes Kevin then Gwen.

Chelsey (flailing her arms)
If we did believe you, what do you propose we do? He’s destroying Bellwood.
Assistant (cheerful)
Destroy that thing on his chest – save him – and I guarantee you, the real Senator will not abuse his powers.

Chelsey breathes a sigh of relief.

Chelsey
I’m not going to take a life if I don’t have to.
Gwen
Agreed.

Having waited a moment for his response, Chelsey and Gwen glare at Kevin.

Kevin (rolling his eyes)
Aw, okay.

At that moment, XLR8 dashes into the store. He pauses and looks at everyone.

XLR8
Let me guess, we’re all looking for Grandpa Max?

Everyone nods.

XLR8
I know where else to look.
Gwen (headed for the door, throwing up a mana umbrella once more)
I’ll fill you in on the way.

[Precinct 2: In the holding area, Max and the Mayor stand side by side, a couple cells down from where the Omega Squad are held.]

Mayor
You have to keep your people in line, Maxwell.
Max
I-
Mayor (crossing her arms, turning her back towards the exit to the lobby)
I don’t want to hear it. First, the Vilgax kid, and now, this.
Max
Mayor Rivera, they-
Mayor Rivera (making her way for the door)
They belong in cells.
Max (losing his temper, shouting)
Marie! I agree with you!

The mayor turns around.

Max
They should be. I’m very disappointed in them, and I had no part in their plan. They will not be taking part in recapturing Animo or getting Senator Vetteroy. I’d actually prefer they stay here.
Mayor Rivera (stepping back towards him)
I didn’t mean these cells, Max. We don’t have the facilities to keep them from leaving.
Max
Which is exactly why you shouldn’t have had Doctor Animo here.
Mayor Rivera
Aloysius Animo is a human and an American. He belongs in a federal prison – a town one temporarily – but not an alien one.
Max
Then, he’ll escape every time.
Mayor Rivera
If your children have no part in it, I’m not so sure about that.
Max
I have it on good authority Animo only got out because of an alien that teleported in.
Mayor Rivera
Good authority? Your imagination isn’t-
Max
Ben. Ben is the good authority.

The mayor eyes Max, darting her eyes between his before sighing and losing her upright posture. She drops her head into her palm.

Mayor Rivera
Why isn’t your grandson leading this little team of yours?
Max (biting his tongue)
This is the team we have, and I need you to accept that.
Mayor Rivera
I accepted it when I had to find out about the Plumbers six summers ago when an alien made of fire was caught transforming into an eleven year old school kid in the dead of winter. I accepted it because I was the only one who had to hide it. But now, the state is bearing down on me, Maxwell. And if you take in Vance Vetteroy – if you take in a federal official, a Senator – I guarantee you the President is coming after you next. I will only be able to protect you for so long.
Max
Then give me that.
Mayor Rivera
Give you what?
Max
That protection, for “so long.”

Marie Rivera nods, shaking Max’s hand before he starts to make his way to the door.

Mayor Rivera
Maxwell?
Max
I have to go deal with our weather crisis.
Mayor Rivera
What am I supposed to do about them? We don’t have the facilities for them.
Max
They’ll stay put.
Mayor Rivera
They could leave any time. What guarantee do I have they won’t?
Max (shouting for the Omega Squad to hear)
Trust.

The mayor sighs.

[In the lobby of Precinct 2, Max comes from the holding area. Ben as Alkamine is joined by Gwen, Kevin, Chelsey, and Vance Vetteroy’s assistant.]

Max
I see everyone’s ready.

Everyone nods.

Max (looking to the assistant)
And who are you?
Assistant
I’m Vance Vetteroy’s top aide. I implore you not to end my boss’s life.
Max
We’re not killers. And we don’t plan to change that. But if it comes to it, you do know what he did years ago, right?
Assistant
That was a mistake, and you know it. He became a Senator to make a difference in people’s lives, to save the world the same as you lot. He does not want to hurt people.
Kevin
Are you trying to say he’s some kind of hero?
Assistant
He could be-

He turns back to Max.

Assistant
-If you trust him.

Max nods.

[Inside the holding room, the Mayor gets off the phone with her office and looks to the Omega Squad’s cells. Each is opened, with a trail of ink dripping from each padlock.]

[Bellwood City Hall, the upper floor room: Mayor Rivera’s office is guarded by his Secret Service who have still yet to receive the order to stop defending the demented Senator. Inside the room, the Wavelength form of Vance Vetteroy peers out of a window, admiring his work and blasting hail at any who attempt to approach the building.

Outside, the gang shows up and joins the police at a safe distance from the building. Vance blows open the window of Rivera’s office with a gust of wind. As the wind brushes past the gang, the air around them whistles in his voice.]

Wavelength Vetteroy (voice, through the winds)
You’re only making fools of yourselves!
Alkamine
If we weren’t in danger, I’d say that’s a really cool power. But Animo, the jig is up. We know you’re controlling him. And we’re not afraid to break some things to free Vetteroy.
Assistant (running past Alkamine)
Let the Senator go!

The police hold him back from entering unsafe ground. From his safe area, Vetteroy retreats into the room.

Alkamine
We gave him his warning. Now, we’re going in.

He rotates the Omnitrix to a slight right then slams it down, becoming XLR8.

Assistant (defeated)
Please, don’t hurt him.
Kevin
We never said we weren’t going to rough him up a bit. Just that he’ll live.

Gwen elbows him.

XLR8
I’ll meet the rest of you inside. Assistant guy, don’t follow us.

XLR8 dashes through the lower level doors, up a flight of stairs, and stops before the two Secret Servicemen.

XLR8
I have only 3 transformations right now, and I’m very tired of how this day’s going. So I’m going to give you both one chance-

They open fire at him, forcing him to strafe through the bullet paths to snatch their handguns.

XLR8
Okay, you see how that was rude, right?

He races past them, smacking them unconscious. He slams right into the locked door, however. Unable to make his way through, he transforms into Alkamine and uses a gel sac to melt through the doorknob. He slaps the door open with his tail, but as soon as he does, Vetteroy, waiting on the other side, blasts him off of the upper floor railing with a mix of heavy winds and hail.

Alkamine (landing on his back on the lower floor)
Why?

As he tries to get up, Vetteroy lunges from the upper floor onto Alkamine’s torso.

Alkamine (strained)
You know, fun fact: ow!

The front door at this point bursts open, with Gwen tossing a very weak mana blast at Vetteroy. Unfazed, he keeps a hold on Alkamine while raising a glass hand to blast hail at them. To save herself, she erects a wall, twirling with a mix of gymnastics and martial arts finesse as she hurls a stronger ball of energy at him. This time, it is enough to push him just slightly off of Ben’s transformation.

Gwen (to the downed Vetteroy)
We don’t want to hurt you!

Kevin rushes over and picks the Jade Friboozell up, but Vetteroy takes a shot at Kevin. Gwen, unable to save him from her angle, attempts to get a better vantage point, but instead Chelsey, wearing a pair of mana-made earmuffs, protects him in summoning a trio of Stone Creatures.

Gwen (amazed)
Since when could you do that?!
Chelsey
It’s a new trick.
Gwen
Teach it to me sometime.
Chelsey
When Bellwood’s not in danger.

She jumps on one of the Stone Creature’s backs and rides it forward into the fight.

Gwen
Wait, when isn’t it in danger?

[Outside, Max chats with the Chief Poe, who’s establishing a “DO NOT CROSS” line of police tape.]

Chief Poe
You should be in there, Max.
Max
I’m hands-off with those kids. I taught them everything they know. They’re individually as good as I am. And together? They’re our best.

One cop murmurs while another points to the roof of City Hall.

Chief Poe (looking up)
What’s going-?
Max
No, that can’t be.

The Chief grabs a pair of binoculars, with which he’s able to clearly make out the Omega Squad. Mars creates a platform out of ink for them to jump down onto and make it into the open window to the mayor’s office.

Max
Francis, please tell me I need glasses.
Chief Poe (dropping the binoculars and grabbing his phone)
I’m calling this child right now.

[Inside the mayor’s office: Reggie whispers for everyone to halt as he taps the Plumber’s badge on his chest, linked to his phone.]

Reggie (deeper than normal)
Who is this?
Chief Poe (from the badge’s speaker)
Reginald, what are you doing?
Reggie
Making up for letting Animo go.

The sound of the phone on the other end getting shuffled around is heard.

Max (from the badge’s speaker)
Reggie, you don’t need to make it up. I know it wasn’t your fault.
Mars
Well, us going on that stupid mission was definitely his fault.

Graca slaps her shoulder. Armando laughs.

Mars
What if I spit ink in your face right now?

Graca’s third and fourth arms unravel. Mars rolls her eyes as she backs up.

Reggie (to Max)
It was our fault. But we’re neutralizing this guy now.
Max
No, that’s not the-

Reggie taps his badge, ringing out two beeps as the call ends.

He gestures with two fingers forward. The group proceeds out into the hallway, looking over the collapsed railing to the battle downstairs.

Chelsey rides on the back of a Stone Creature that runs on all fours. She has a spear, created with mana, in hand facing forward as she charges into Vetteroy.

Kevin (in safety, next to Gwen; absorbing a metal object on a table at the foot of the staircase)
Hey, do you remember how we broke the Diagon’s mind control?

Kevin makes a mad dash for Vetteroy while he’s distracted with Chelsey. Having successfully baited her, the Wavelength doppelganger blows a gust when she’s close that knocks her off of the rock monster. As he readjusts after, Kevin makes a metallic helmet that he places over Vetteroy’s head. He stops moving for a moment and stands upright.

Kevin
Well, would you look at that!

Kevin is thrown onto the floor, the Senator tossing the cap off of himself. He prepares to blow a gust of wind, but Alkamine throws a gel sac onto his face, increasing the acidity solely to melt his fake mustache off while he runs over and picks up Kevin. In the meantime, Gwen lifts Chelsey in a bubble of mana out of her precarious spot in Vetteroy’s area.

Gwen
You shouldn’t have tried that.
Kevin
Then why didn’t you tell me?
Gwen
Still kinda miffed about the Kevin 11,000 stuff.
Kevin
Are you serious, that was like years ago!
Gwen
Kevin, that was like two weeks ago.

A gust of wind blows Alkamine right onto Gwen.

Alkamine
You know, Gwen, when we’re done with this, I’m gonna need you to track Darkstar.
Gwen
1. Get off me. 2. Do you have something for me to track him with?
Alkamine
Well, no, but surely you can-
Gwen
Ben, I can’t just track people because I feel like it.
Alkamine
Okay, we should really keep, like, I don’t know, jars of hair from everyone we fight to make it easier to keep track of them.

Gwen is taken aback.

Alkamine
What?
Gwen
So you want to watch their every move?
Alkamine (defensively)
Hey, the government does it!
Kevin (trying to get close enough for hand-to-hand combat with Vetteroy)
Yeah, and as far as we’ve heard, they’re the reason we’re in this situation right now!
Alkamine
Look, if we find Darkstar, we find Dawn.
Gwen
Okay, final answer: I’m not keeping locks of my vampire stalker’s hair at all times.

Alkamine throws gel sac after gel sac at Vetteroy’s Regulator, covering it completely.

Wavelength Vetteroy
What are you-?
Alkamine
You’re boxed in. I’ve completely blocked all signals from leaving my pod thingies. You’re free.
Wavelength Vetteroy
You did WHAT?!

[Dawn’s new sewer headquarters: Animo stops twisting about randomly.]

Dawn
Animo, what’s going on?
Animo (rubbing his head and retracting his antennae)
He… he reversed it on me.
Darkstar
What do you mean?
Animo
That piece of work reversed the connection, so he was controlling me!
Darkstar
How?
Animo
I have no clue. What I do know is that he is very determined to get what he wants. And those kids are moments away from giving it to him.
Dawn
He’s already achieved power and they’re trying to stop him. Why should we care?
Animo
They’re going to break my Regulator, which is the only thing keeping him contained in that glass. And I suspect, outside of it, he’ll be beyond anyone’s control.
[END OF PART]

Part VII[]

Darkstar lifts his hand and nods.

[Bellwood City Hall, lower floor lobby: Alkamine tries to communicate with the Wavelength form of Vance Vetteroy. His Regulator is still encapsulated in gel sacs.]

Wavelength Vetteroy
You guys are coming in the way of something grand.

Kevin gets up behind him and creates a metal casing gluing a foot to the floor.

Alkamine
Are you Vance Vetteroy or Dr. Animo?
Gwen
His eyes aren’t red.
Alkamine
So this is all him.
Wavelength Vetteroy
It has been this whole time.

Alkamine taps his Omnitrix to communicate with Max.

Alkamine
Grandpa, it’s all Vance. He’s in control, and he’s doing this all willingly.

Alkamine gets no response, remembering his Omnitrix is out of commission beyond his three-transformation playlist. He begins to throw more sacs with one hand as the other mashes the badge to turn on. The sacs coagulate to create a giant bubble for the Senator.

Familiar Voice
Good job, Ben.

Alkamine turns toward the entrance.

Alkamine
Mercedes? How did you get past here? Why are you here?
Mercedes/Familiar Voice
I snuck in. I wanted to see you.
Alkamine
Now is very much not the time.
Reggie (from upstairs)
Omega Squad, go!

The four members of his team drop down from the upper floor, drawing the attention of everyone else in the room. Reggie elongates the tentacles on his body to pierce the gelatin container, as Graca embraces her full Tetramand powers and begins wailing on the Regulator.

Gwen and Chelsey, bewildered, begin tossing mana at them.

Alkamine
What are you doing!
Reggie
Finishing what we caused!

Kevin tries to draw Graca’s attention, forming massive metal fists to pound her head in. Before contacting her face, he ends up covered in ink. After wiping his face, he sees Mars – visibly resembling a fox – raising a small battalion of ink-based soldiers. They each chase after him.

Alkamine
What in the heck is that!
Kevin (creating a mallet to whack each soldier)
Spartisan ink monsters!
Alkamine
I am so taking that!

Alkamine looks down to his Omnitrix intending to activate Scan Mode, but it’s still powered down.

Alkamine
Okay, I hate what you’re doing, but please let me scan you when I get the chance!
Mars
Not a chance.

Armando steps into the center of the room and clears his throat loudly. Everyone pauses to look at him.

Armando
Sorry, something in my throat.

His face quickly transforms into that of a Loboan, the four quadrants of his mouth peeling open to reveal the supersonic-supporting inner layers. His ensuing howls are so powerful, each and every individual ahead of him is launched into the walls. Chelsey is even flung out of the building, watching, as she flies, Graca successfully break the Regulator. With it, the hurricane within Vetteroy’s glass chamber breaks free.

Outside, Max runs to Chelsey’s aid, picking her head up.

Max
What’s up, kiddo? Are you alright?

Chelsey simply shakes her head before knocking out. Max looks up as the top of the building is destroyed. He turns to the band of police behind him.

Max
Now, everybody, I know you want to-
Random Officer
RUN!

Vance’s hurricane bursts through the front of the building, hurling members of Ben’s team in the meantime. The officers outside the building dash away. Max, not so eager to die, grabs an item from his utility belt that acts as a very short-range grappling hook. He uses it to get onto a lamp post, but uses the extra momentum to get a little farther down the street. All the while, he’s carrying Chelsey over his shoulder.

Max (communicating over his chest-mounted badge)
To all Plumbers in the Bellwood area: we’re going to need a ton of land support. We’ve got a rogue, living hurricane that’s taken at least one life.

He looks back to the assistant, who upon saying that is gobbled up by the hurricane Vetteroy.

Max (repeatedly grappling for distance, running, then grappling again)
And possibly more. We have reason to believe parts of the 10 Squad are… down for the count.
Gwen (over comms)
Don’t count us out yet, Grandpa!
Max (fighting back tears)
Oh, Gwen, you’re safe!
Gwen
Yes, but we’ve got a problem.
Max
I see that.
Gwen
No, a Ben problem.

Max turns back to the hurricane to see a blue blur circling the thing over and over.

Max
What is he doing?
Gwen
He saw Mercedes get tossed by Vance… and he had a complete meltdown.
Max
Oh, no. We can’t lose another one.

Another blue blur makes its way to Max from the opposite side of town. It stops in front of him to reveal another Kineceleran, the always welcome Magister Karin Frikton.

Karin
Magister, climb on, I’m here to take you to safety.
Max
No time for that. I need you to get a message to Ben: Mercedes is okay, and she’s getting patched up right now.
Gwen
Wait, you found her?
Max
No, but I’m going to hope we do, for Ben’s sake.
Karin
I don’t know about this.
Gwen
Ben swirling around that thing is only going to change its direction, not slow it down. Either way, it’s going to make its way to water, destroying everything in its path before becoming strong enough to rip the country apart.
Karin
So how do we stop it?
Gwen
Tell Ben to chill out or we don’t.

Karin sighs then dashes straight into the mayhem. She watches the hurricane briefly shrink in size but then explode back up to full height, now facing a different direction. Seeing this, she joins XLR8 in circling the drain so that they end up side-by-side.

XLR8 (angrily)
Karin, what are you doing here?
Karin
You have to get out of here, Ben. You’re making things worse.
XLR8
Worse than losing people?
Karin
You’re making it possible for us to lose more people.
XLR8
I… how?
Karin
You’re reversing Vance’s direction towards other, bigger cities.
XLR8 (running quicker)
No matter what I do, we lose people.
Karin
Sometimes, yeah, no matter what you do, you’ll lose people. But we save lives, not just throw them away.
XLR8
So what do I do?
Karin
Slow down. Trust us. Your cousin might have a way for us to prevent that.

XLR8 nods, leaving the hurricane’s epicenter with Karin to rejoin Gwen.

XLR8
I'm sorry about Cooper, Karin.
Karin (one eye tearing)
Sometimes… no matter what you do, Ben.

XLR8 nods, as Karin swiftly turns around to wipe her eye, then looks to Gwen.

Karin (to Gwen, whispering)
Fun fact, I didn’t have to lie to him.
Gwen (in person, to Ben, elbowing Karin playfully)
Ben, you know you just made things worse, right?
XLR8
Huh?

He turns around to see Vetteroy’s size increased, and headed for a coastline in the distance.

XLR8
Ah, jeez, what can we do about him?
Gwen
Where’s the band of Merry Men I heard were following you around?
XLR8 (scratching the back of his head)
Ah, you heard about that.

A Plumber Humvee rolls up aside them, stopping in a close proximity to the hurricane. Stepping out are Molly Gunther and her esteemed squad. Following behind her are a number of other Humvees, all but one bringing battalions of Plumbers. XLR8 pumps a fist, while Gwen tries to get him to contain his excitement by holding him back.

Molly Gunther
Slaps!

A Tetramand, in a red Plumber suit with an orange streak diagonally across his torso, jumps into action. He gets extremely close to the hurricane, pulls his arms back and claps powerfully. The hurricane takes in the powerful winds, only speeding it up.

Max
Squads, we’re not trying to make it stronger! Slaps, pull back! Why is everyone so close?

A garden variety of aliens and humans unleash what they can on the hurricane.

XLR8 (dropping his head)
Of course, a bunch of free transformations when I’m locked out of scanning them.

At one point, victory seems secure, but the ground around the hurricane up until the surrounding humvees begins to rumble. A ring of the ground sinks as the hurricane doubles down. The body of heavy winds looks shorter as it does this, and more so when again it pulses the ground, capturing a few Plumbers and flinging them.

Max
Looks like it has some kind of sentience!
XLR8
I can run in and-
Gwen (glowing, throwing a mana wall up in front of XLR8)
Ben, no. That’s dangerous.
XLR8
So we do nothing?!
Max
We do what we can to prevent the worst.
Gwen
Yeah. He’s heading for a coast. If he gets there – and gets to water – I can only imagine what he’ll be capable of doing.
Max
Really? As it stands, I’m hearing extreme tides the world over.
Gwen
Which means he’s doing more than just being a hurricane.

She points to the sky.

Gwen
He’s even shifting the moon.
XLR8
He can do that?!
Gwen
Without that bottle, maybe.

The last of the Plumbers are gobbled up by the hurricane and thrown across town. Gwen catches some with bubbles of mana. One of them, Slaps, is carefully let down in front of Max.

Max (kneeling to the unconscious Tetramand)
Slaps, stay with me!
XLR8
Wait, look…

Staring out to the epicenter of chaos, a lone Flourana stands their ground. Their wide-bodied stance roots them deeply into the ground. They infinitely extend their vine-like arms, wrapping around and around the hurricane, capturing and slowing it.

Max
No way…
XLR8
Who is that?

A close-up of the Plumber’s green armor. A badge of honor on his torso is addressed to “Pax.” After prolonged struggling, he is ripped from his roots, the hurricane picking up speed and again launching him into the distance. Gwen catches this Florauna as well and lowers them.

Max
Pax, why did you guys drive so close up?
Pax (groaning)
It was on… Ben’s orders.
XLR8
ME?! I don’t even have comms! How could I have-?

The final Humvee, which elected to take a position adjacent the Tennysons and Magister Frikton, lets out. Rather than Plumbers, however, out pour Eli, Aion, and three freshly minted Knights. Two of the newer knights wear matching Comedy and Tragedy-style golden masks. The other is maskless, revealing a very rounded girl’s face and pulled back blonde hair. Each of the newer three carries a shimmering pink sword.

Eli (valiantly)
On Forever King Ben Tennyson’s order-
XLR8 (shaking his hands furiously)
No, no, no, no, no, that is not me and I never ordered anything!
Eli
We are Gynurans forever...
Comedy Knight, Tragedy Knight, and Blonde Knight (in unison)
And forever Gynurans!

Aion raises his glowing hands and converts the Knights’ weapons. The Comedy Knight's weapon becomes a long, sharpened sword. Next, Tragedy Knight's weapon becomes a wide shield. Finally, Blonde Knight's into a large mallet. Armed, they charge into Hurricane Vance.

XLR8 (reaching his hand out)
Wait, NO!

The Comedy Knight steps up beyond the other two and clutches his blade valiantly. At that moment, something is hurled from the eye of the Splat! Tragedy Knight blocks it with his shield, shattering the egg on impact. Assorted debris spills out. As more eggs are spewed out, the Tragedy Knight blocks. In between shots, Comedy frantically sweeps his sword in the air, sending energy beams into the hurricane. Said energy beams are worthless.

XLR8 (flustered)
What are they doing? Whoever they are they're in danger!
Eli
Those are your new Knights, my King.

XLR8 looks to the pair of time traveling Knights to his side. Aion continues magical gestures at his waist to power up his allies' weapons. Eli, standing to his side, merely fidgets with a set of keys.

XLR8
I'm not your King. And are you at least going to help them?!

He attempts to race over to the Knights to save them from their dangerous positioning, but mid-movement, Aion captures XLR8, from the neck down, in a box frozen in time.

Eli (incredulously)
Gosh, no, they're in danger! You don’t want to go over there either.
XLR8 (astonished, clutching his head)
Then why are they out there?!
Eli
You could stop all of this with one command.

XLR8 bites his tongue.

XLR8
I order you to stop!
Eli (chuckling)
Oh, why did you not say so sooner?

Aion rises into the air. He raises his hands back over his head.

Aion fires a beam out of his hands. As XLR8 is freed from his own shackles, Aion constructs a new time stasis around the hurricane, capturing the whole of it. The hurricane is halted in its place.

Eli
I think we're done here.
Max (stunned, smiling)
I can't believe it. The knights might actually be good for something.
XLR8
What did you do?
Eli
We've locked him in place. He'll be trapped in his current position so long as-

The box starts to break from the inside.

Eli
No, that's not possible.

Aion leans deeper into his gestures, toughening his grip. Holes popping up along the box’s exterior are patched immediately. Within the box, though, Hurricane Vance begins to spin, though infinitely slower than before.

Eli
No… He is frozen in time; that’s not possible.

The newer holes the hurricane makes are patched more lazily, Aion covering them with duct tape-like inaccuracy.

Eli
He’s… Consuming time itself. How could we stop him?

The box finally breaks. With it, Aion drops from the sky, with Eli catching him.

Each of the Knights on the frontlines loses their weapons. They attempt to run from the engagement but are quickly engulfed by it. Before it throws them, XLR8 catches the Comedy Knight, races back to the group, and repeats for the other two.

With their safety set, the team prepares to make a new plan. But Dawn falls from the sky, transforming into Vertigo on the way down, tossing their downward momentum into a car that collapses. They land gracefully, while Darkstar is dropped onto the scene by a Dawndroid.

XLR8
YOU!

He races over to Dawn’s Vertigo. An inch away, Vertigo casts his momentum elsewhere, causing XLR8 to abruptly stop and, from a lack of control, fall over.

Vertigo cackles, as the transformation is incapable of direct speech. They revert to their suited disguise. Sticking out are green and purple glowing cracks emanating from their Omnitrix.

While XLR8 is pinned down, Dawn speaks.

Dawn (stepping on XLR8’s leg to prevent him from getting away)
Hey, idiot, do you want to fight right now or save the planet?
XLR8
Says you! You caused this!
Dawn
Did I? Whose Knights outed that alien kid? Who was it that got Animo right where I needed him?
XLR8
They’re not my Knights!
Dawn
Of course, they’re not. You just decided to take them with you.

XLR8 attempts a comeback but nothing comes out. Gwen, Chelsey and Max stand idly by behind them.

Gwen (battle ready)
Let him go.
Dawn
Not until we have a plan.
Max
What if you two each change into that thing and overwhelm Vance?
Gwen
That won’t work.
Dawn
Correct. We don’t have nearly enough power when we’re contained. And outside of the glass, I have no control.

They point to Ben.

Dawn
Can’t imagine he does either.
XLR8 (still squirming)
I couldn’t if I wanted to. My Omnitrix is rebooting because of SOMEONE’s friend, so I’ve only got a few transformations.

Dawn shrugs, fully understanding Darkstar is at fault.

Gwen (stepping up)
What do you have?

XLR8 reverts to Alkamine.

Gwen
What else?
Alkamine
One more.

He becomes his titanium-plated alien, bearing armor similar to but taller than Dawn’s.

Titanium Alien
This guy.
Gwen
What’s he do?
Dawn
I remember him. I recall beating him up fairly easily.
Gwen
Great.
Titanium Alien (to Dawn, bearing a fist)
Want to try that again?
Gwen
Oh, wait a minute…

Through the eye slits of his armor plating, the titanium alien contorts his brow-less eyes in confusion. He looks to the side of his hands to see a few rocks floating around his hands.

Titanium Alien
No way…

He raises both his hands up, commanding pillars of rock to rise out of the ground, perfectly surrounding Dawn in the process.

Titanium Alien
Earth powers, finally! It only took, what, seven years?
Dawn
I still don’t see how that’s gonna help us.
Gwen
You don’t need to.

[Minutes have passed, and the continued destruction of Hurricane Vance has sped it up to the point of nearly reaching a coast. Ben, Dawn, Gwen, and Kevin – rejoining the group along the way – have closely followed the warpath.

A Will Harangue national newscast spins Hurricane Vance as the target of “political brainwashing” or “cloning” to ruin his reputation.

Gwen’s plan, spoken before they followed the hurricane, serves as narration as the group executes.]

Gwen (narration, past)
Earlier, when Ben spun around Vance and reversed its course, it briefly lost a bit of steam. It can’t be stopped by changing its direction, but it can be slowed down.

Ben’s XLR8 zooms after Vance and twirls around him, beginning to reverse its course again.

Gwen
When something a bit scarier got to Vance, he started to double down. Insert a Wildvine. When Pax tried to capture it, he slowed things down even more, shrinking him even more.

Dawn’s Wildvine, rooting like Pax, wrapping around Vance. The hurricane doubles down again, shaking the ground and briefly throwing XLR8’s balance. Dawn holds on as best they can.

Gwen
But eventually…

Dawn’s legs snap, unrooting, getting captured and thrown away. By controlling the direction of the hurricane back at Gwen and Kevin, the hurricane throws Dawn in their direction.

Kevin (having absorbed the ground)
I got it!

He creates a giant baseball glove, catching Dawn’s brown-rooted Wildvine, curling them up and throwing them back out.

Gwen
But now we have an edge. If XLR8 keeps the speed down by quickly changing direction, Vance can’t move too much. And if there’s one thing that’s gotta be true about this hurricane and all others, if it likes water for how easy it can move, it’s because it hates the ground.

Mid-air, Dawn becomes the titanium alien. They land before the hurricane, attempting to withstand the still-extreme winds.

Gwen
Start to build some containment out of the earth.

Dawn holds their hands up, raising inch-high pillars around the hurricane before finally being whisked away, cracking pieces of their armor with flying debris.

Gwen (present, afar)
Oh, no…

As Dawn’s titanium alien is whisked up, XLR8, still running, grabs them and runs from Vance, breaking Dawn’s rock chains.

XLR8
Tag out!
Dawn Titanium Alien
No, I can do this!
XLR8
Ya gotta trust me!

Dawn sighs, becoming XLR8 instead. Ben’s XLR8 helps them back to the ground so they can run in his place. Ben’s XLR8 then becomes the Titanium Alien.

Gwen (narration, past)
What do you call that guy anyways?

As the titanium alien, Ben runs head first into the hurricane. Feet away, like Dawn was before him, he braces to be whisked away. He starts lifting the pillars further, but just before pulled up, he locks his feet to the ground by wrapping them in the earth itself. He’s rooted, like Pax and Dawn’s Wildvine before him. He finally raises the pillars of the earth, ignoring the seismic disruption beneath his feet.

Ben XLR8 (narration, past)
Seismix.

The hurricane shrinks, as Dawn’s XLR8 backs off. Eventually, it fits into a 10-by-10 cube of rock.

Kevin sweeps Gwen and spins her around as they cheer together.

Ben XLR8 (narration, past)
I guess there is a reason you got into college early.

Ben’s Seismix detaches from the ground as Dawn’s XLR8 runs him back to Kevin and Gwen.

Gwen
Not bad at all, you guys.
Ben Seismix
Thank you! If only we knew what purpose CREATING this served.

Seismix, Gwen and Kevin each look to Dawn’s XLR8.

Dawn XLR8 (visor down)
It’s nothing that concerns any of you. I promise, none of you will be harmed.
Ben Seismix
This almost killed all of us, so sorry if we don’t believe you.
Dawn XLR8
Believe me: if I wanted to kill any one of you, I could do it any night of the week. Especially you, “Super Ben,” Mr. 221 Duffie Lane.

Seismix gasps.

Gwen
You wouldn’t dare.
Dawn XLR8
No, you’re all safe, as I just said. Now, if you’ll excuse me.

Seismix captures Dawn’s XLR8’s tail in rocks.

Dawn XLR8
What are you-?
Ben Seismix
You don’t deserve that watch.

He taps his own badge to ensure the Omnitrix is still off, then nods.

Ben Seismix
Alphaline Omnitrix, decouple!

It merely beeps twice.

Dawn XLR8
It’s not going to listen to you!

They become Vertigo. They cast momentum from a distant car equally into Seismix, Gwen, and Kevin. Kevin catches Gwen in another mitt and Gwen catches the two of them in a bubble. Meanwhile, Seismix is unmoved, having strapped himself back in the ground. He again locks Dawn down, this time growing pillars of rock around Vertigo from their hovering waist-down.

Ben Seismix
If you knew how to use that thing, you’d know those beeps mean it did listen to me. It’s just busted. Alphaline, self-destruct in seven days-

Dawn’s Vertigo shrieks.

Ben Seismix
Command code zero, zero, zero, destruct, zero.

The Alphaline clicks in. Orange lines curve around the top and bottom regions of purple hourglass.

Dawn, flustered, becomes their blue-skinned gladiator Four Arms, punching through their rocky shackles.

Dawn Four Arms
Alphaline, cancel self-destruct!

It makes no sound.

Ben Seismix
Oh, there’s one great feature in the Omnitrix. You see, if the SDM is set by voice, only that person can cancel it. It was intentional, in case the creator wanted to destroy one of these.
Dawn Four Arms (desperately, holding Seismix up)
No! Take me to him, take me to the creator!
Ben Seismix
I couldn’t if I wanted to.

He taps his powered-down Omnitrix.

Ben Seismix
Someone’s friend shut my only communicator off.

Panicked, Dawn releases Seismix and leaps into the air, transforming into Starhavoc and dissipating in the process.

Ben Seismix (yelling)
You can run, but you’ve only got seven days to hide!

Gwen and Kevin make it close enough to him.

Gwen (in fear)
Ben, what have you done?
Ben Seismix
They’re gonna have to come to me now. I have the upper hand.
Gwen
Do you?

Seismix gulps.

Ben Seismix
I hope so…

Azmuth’s voice suddenly booms.

Azmuth’s Voice
BEN TENNYSON!

Azmuth teleports into the area, on a floating teleporter pad.

Azmuth
I leave you unsupervised and you nearly destroy a planet?!
Seismix
Me?! I just saved the world.
Azmuth
Because you let your Transtella transformation fall into the wrong hands!
Gwen
Alright, to be fair, you trusted him with that thing.
Kevin
Yeah, kinda your mistake. And what the heck’s a Transtella anyway? That thing was shooting eggs, moving planets-
Gwen
The moon’s not a planet.
Kevin
I mean, he could probably do it, right?

Gwen shrugs.

Kevin
What gives, Azmuth?
Azmuth
The Transtella is the embodiment of the sentient cosmic storms.
Kevin
Oh, no way, that’s pretty cool.
Azmuth
The eggs you are referencing are supposed to be curated from cosmic entities and converted over time into To’kustars.
Gwen
And you thought that would be perfect for Ben…. Why?
Azmuth
That doesn’t matter. I see you don’t deserve it.

He hovers over to the Omnitrix and taps it.

Azmuth
What is this-? Why is this-? Why is the Trion Lockdown Mode on?
Seismix
Look, this thing is really sensitive. It’s been like this for hours.
Azmuth
Hours?

Azmuth sighs heavily, pulling the Omnitrix apart for a brief moment and clicking a piece of a miniscule circuit board. He then puts the pieces back together and taps the Omnitrix’s face. It powers back on and reverts Ben to human.

Azmuth
Omnitrix, disable Transtella.
Ben
Wait, what?!
Gwen
That’s not really fair.
Azmuth
Life’s not fair. Don’t fail me again, Ben Tennyson.

He pulls back and teleports away.

Ben
Great, save the world, and what do you get? Minus 1 alien.

The group looks over the earthy container of Vance as Plumbers arrive to extract him.

Ben
What are they gonna do with him?
Kevin
I don’t think we wanna know.

[Null Void Incarcecon: Vilgax enters the courtyard. Everyone immediately straightens out and quiets down. Malevolence, who only possesses one full arm, follows the towering squid alien.]

Malevolence
Yes, know fear, each and every one of you.

Vilgax and Malevolence move up to their usual table, where a group of new inmates sits, chatting. Everyone outside stares at them. Those sitting turn around.

Sitting Inmate #1
May I help you?

With his one full arm, he slaps the inmate so hard he falls out of his seat. The other four there get up or crawl away to other tables. Vilgax and Malevolence fall into their seats.

Everyone returns to their chatter, keeping close eyes on the malicious pair.

Malevolence
We’ll soon return to a life much like this, where we are only feared.
Vilgax
I don’t think of it as fear. It is respect. My people – they respected me. Soon, I will be back to save them.
Malevolence
Respect? You beat four people up yesterday when your amber ogia juice spilled yesterday – and I’m pretty sure you-

Vilgax raises a harsh brow at him.

Malevolence (correcting himself)
-And I’m pretty sure it fell on its own.
Vilgax
They needed to know respect.

In the background, there is distant commotion – cheering by the courtyard entryway from inside the prison.

Malevolence (giving up)
Okay.
Vilgax
What’s going on behind me?
Malevolence
You know, you have eyes, too.

Vilgax smashes the table.

Malevolence
Just like a Vilgaxian, you want everything just given to you.
Vilgax
On my world, we believe the exact opposite. We fight for glory – and by that, I mean we FIGHT. We take what is ours.
Malevolence
Yes, you do.
Vilgax
What’s that supposed to mean, Mechamorph?
Malevolence
It was one of your kind that ripped my throne from me.

Vilgax turns and leans into Malevolence’s face. He scans his whole face, watching the purple-lined Mechamorph began to shake a bit.

Vilgax
Boo. Hoo. You’re pathetic. When we get out of here, you will have your throne again, but you will not have my respect. Now, what’s going on behind me?
Malevolence (angered)
They’re cheering for someone.

Vilgax stands and turns around to see a wide-bodied Vaxasaurian male standing at the door, many surrounding him. He laughs with them. Vilgax stands up and walks over, beginning to hear chants of the dinosaur-esque alien’s name.

Crowd
Jefe! Jefe! Jefe!

Vilgax shoves through them to reach the middle. Along the way, he hears rumblings about him.

Crowd Member #1
He’s a former Plumber. He’s the first to get kicked out for whistleblowing!
Crowd Member #2
He doesn’t belong in here. He’s a hero!
Crowd Member #3
Finally, Jefe’s back!

Only further angered, he powerfully shoves a group out of his way, stopping at Jefe.

Jefe (amicably)
Wow, is that the mighty conqueror Vilgax.
Vilgax
Plumber scum.
Jefe (joined by a crowd of boos)
Whoa, testy.

[Vilgax throws a punch at Jefe’s face. The crowd backs up in a circle distanced around the Chimeran and Vaxasaurian prisoners. As a battle begins, narration of Vilgax asking Malevolence about him is overlayed.]

Vilgax (narration, past)
Who is he?
Malevolence (narration, past)
Jefe, discharged former Plumber.
Vilgax
A weakling.
Malevolence
I don’t disagree. They say he ends up back in here sporadically, because he’s still challenging the lawfulness of outing a bunch of Plumber secrets. As far as reasons to be in here, he’s the most goody-goody of all of us.
Vilgax
He doesn’t deserve their praise.
Malevolence
Well, people here like him. You haven’t been here long enough to see the way he… inspires people.
Vilgax
And I never will see it.
Malevolence
Wait, he’s not to be trifled with. You don’t stand a chance against him, without your weapons.
Vilgax
On my world, my throne was stolen. The new ruler bars weapons from battle. That will not stop me. I have a weapon, Malevolence, and you know that.

Malevolence’s past galp can be heard.

Jefe, in the present, prepares to land a knockout blow on Vilgax in the present.

Vilgax (bloodied, present)
Yield!
Jefe (present, mostly just scraped)
Vilgax, I don’t want to do this.
Vilgax
I do. You need to be taught a lesson.

Jefe shakes his head and goes in for it, Vilgax attempting to counter but missing. As Jefe’s shot nears connection, Malevolence cuts in. He manages to contort and transform, creating a sword for Vilgax that cuts right into Jefe’s chest. The Vaxasaurian back peddles and falls down, pierced and holding his torso.

Jefe (struggling to breathe)
Of course… you can’t fight fair.
Vilgax
You do what you must… to win.

Guards spot this and rush over, taking Malevolence.

Null Void Incarcecon Guard #1
How did you break through your inhibitor?!

They slap another inhibitor on Malevolence, noticing the complete absence of his current one. They also attempt to take Vilgax, putting the blame for the final blow on him. He shakes them off, knowing full well they intend to do with him.

They keep attempting to capture him, as he walks into the prison, up the stairs and enters solitary confinement himself. The guards, perplexed, lock the cell and work on Jefe’s recovery and containing Malevolence.

[The Mother System: Scarogus’s enters an unlit room in the back of his small vessel. A feminine voice speaks out to him.]

Feminine Voice
Scarogus, update.
Scarogus
Things are coming, Mother, but soon, the pieces will be in place.
Mother/Feminine Voice
Good. But that wasn’t what I meant. Have you an answer to my question?
Scarogus (kneeling)
I am sorry. To what question are you referring?
Mother
Are you truly deserving of my gift?
Scarogus
Just as Vilgax and Malevolence are, I am ready to have the throne that was mine.
Mother
It was never yours. They had their thrones. They had their time. They showed their worth. ARE YOU DESERVING?
Scarogus (bowing his head)
You are correct. And leading this mission, I WILL SHOW IT. I am worthy. Across the heavens they will know the new leader of the Thep Khufans – Commander Scarogus.
[END OF EPISODE]

Synopsis[]

Senator Vetteroy takes Bellwood by storm, as Ben Tennyson quarrels with the Plumber who "stole" his promotion.

Major Events[]

  • Vance Vetteroy re-appears for the first time since the original series.
  • Vance Vetteroy is merged with Wavelength's DNA.
  • The titanium alien's name is revealed to be Seismix.
  • After revealing Wavelength's species Transtella are the sentient cosmic storms capable of creating To'kustars, Azmuth disables Wavelength in the Ben's playlist.
  • Ben activates the SDM on the Alphaline Omnitrix.
  • More new members of the new Forever Knights/Second Gynurans debut.

Assault Omnitrix Alien Debuts[]

Alphaline Omnitrix Alien Debuts[]

  • Wavelength (forcefully stolen from Ben)
  • Wildvine
  • Seismix (scanned from Ben)

Characters[]

Aliens Used (by Ben)[]

Aliens Used (by Dawn)[]

  • Streak (x3)
  • Vertigo (x3)
  • Wavelength (first use by Dawn; later disabled)
  • Wildvine (first use by Dawn)
  • Seismix (first use by Dawn)
  • XLR8
  • Starhavoc (brief)

Allusions[]

  • The title originates from Cadillac Sky's song "Can't Trust the Weatherman."

Trivia[]

  • The episode was tentatively titled Heir, focusing on Reginald Poe's ascension to Omega Squad leader. The character of Vance Vetteroy was added further in production, as an antagonist to test Poe's leadership.
    • In the original run of the series, the Reginald Poe plot (albeit with the character under a different name) was part of the episode Skeleton Out of the Cupboard.
  • The character Mr. Enguells last appeared in Ben 10: Race Against Time.
  • Armando was originally named Rafael.
  • SuMMO is heavily inspired by the 2016 video game Overwatch and the video game franchise Destiny.
  • The personality and appearance of Vance Vetteroy's assistant is based on Erich Bergen's character Blake Moran in the 2014 TV series Madam Secretary.
  • Mayor Marie Rivera is an Afro-Latino named after the late actor Naya Marie Rivera.
  • Omniverse character Pax debuts as a Plumber.
  • Following Madame Regle's transition to one-shot episodes, this was the first episode since then to be released part-by-part.
  • Though not directly credited, Chelsey Tennyson claims in Plight of Pinocchio that Michael and Lindsay Tennyson were present amongst the Plumbers who took serious injuries in the initial fight against Hurricane Vance.

Voice Credits[]

  • Given a voice actor, this Vance Vetteroy would be voiced by James Arnold Taylor in the vein of his role as G. Gordon Godfrey in the 2010 TV series Young Justice.
  • Jefe is voiced by Ray Hurd in the same voice as My Hero Academia character Selkie.
Created by COLOR
Alien Universe (BTAU - BiA - SiC) - Clad in Darkness - Benjection - DC's Hero of Heroes
Episodes and Shorts of Back in Action: Alien Universe
Season 1 Infernosphere - Limited - Magikfest - No Strings Attached - The Sea's the Limit - Hit and Miss - Dial Z for Zombified - Ten Plus Twenty - Happily Never Happened - Missing Link - New Girl - Revelation - Man in the Stone Mirror - Threat or Menace - The Alternative - Why Am I Here? - Love Stuck - Ultimate Solution - Overcoming Adversaries - Ledger Recon - Welcome to Chronospect - Prelude of the Unleashed - Ben 10: Alien Universe Unleashed
Season 2 Meet the Replacements - Hooking Up With the K's - The Armaggedroid - Fate of the Helpers - Madame Regle - Leaked - Shades of Dawn - Foreverlasting - Can't Trust the Weather, Man - Plight of Pinocchio - Maximum Slumber - Dusk - Escalation - Malevolence - Never Set in Stone
Season 3 Adrift - Marooned - Hall of Mirrors - Benjamin's Island - Skeletons - ...Enjoy Such Liberty - Welcome to Omnitropolis - Time is of the Essence
Shorts Meet the Fans - Operation Pyros - Moira's Presents - Clock Worked - Unity Broker - Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? - Azmuth's Plumbing - Zennith, Creator of the Omnitrix - The Great Tram Robbery
Unique Aliens in Back in Action: Alien Universe
First used by Super Ben (Assault Omnitrix) Obsorber - Nigester - Plastikitee - Anos - Streak - Bugbite - Muckslide - Autosassin - Ultimate Upchuck - Clinger - Healding - Alkamine - Brawnoceros - Combustiball - Cardstruct - Dreadsense - Frisbit - Koldiak - Plasmodic - Seismix - Wavelength - Warrock - Fetterwing - Suctionrupt
Majestic Forms TBD
First used by Dawn (Alphaline Omnitrix) Vertigo - Starhavoc - Slyt - Blankslate
First used by Future Ben Atomhammer - Ultimate Brainstorm
Characters in Back in Action: Alien Universe
10 Squad Ben Tennyson - Gwen Tennyson - Kevin Levin - Julie Yamamoto - Chelsey Tennyson - Max Tennyson - Cooper Daniels - Ken
Villains Future Ben - Thep Khufan Commander - Scarogus - Dawn - Vilgax - Albedo - Malevolence - Darkstar - Sii - Elena Validus - Dr. Animo - Cyanne - Mistress - Hurricane Vance - Project Inferno - Nightcaster II - Clancy - Metalink
Supporting Characters Professor Paradox - Azmuth - Charmcaster - Eunice - Verdona - Rex - Sir George
Other Timelines/Possible Futures Gwen 20 - Upgrade Ben - Altrazon - Jennifer-Mercedes Tennyson
Groups Second Gynurans (Eli Griswold - Aion) - Omega Squad - Plumbers (Karin Frikton - Io) - Thep Khufan Armada - Board of Galvan
Others Chili - Moira Yourouguaduan
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