As the Rust Bucket rose up from the hidden elevator, the ground above shifting back into place behind them, Max and Evan were already focused on the console.
Max leaned forward, typing quickly, pulling up what systems were still functional. After a few seconds, a map flickered onto the screen, locking onto a moving signal.
"The Null Void Projector," Max said, pointing at the dot moving along a nearby road. "He's just up ahead. You remember his car, right?"
"I'm on it," Evan replied without hesitation.
He raised his wrist and activated the Another Omnitrix. A golden flash filled the interior, and before it even fully faded, the side door of the Rust Bucket slid open.
Fasttrack stepped out mid-motion and took off.
Golden electricity flared around his body as he accelerated, the energy crackling along his black-and-blue fur, forcing the already spiked strands to stand even sharper. A faint golden layer coated parts of his limbs like a second skin, pulsing in sync with the energy he was generating.
The moment his feet hit the road, he disappeared into a blur.
The speed wasn't just natural anymore. The Electromagnetic Pulse had pushed him beyond what a normal Citrakayah could reach, allowing him to reach even faster speed.
A streak of gold tore down the empty road, wind pressure kicking up debris behind him. A roadside sign rattled violently before snapping loose and spinning off into the distance as he passed.
It didn't take long. Fasttrack spotted the car ahead.
His gaze locked onto it immediately, then shifted slightly through the window, right to the backseat, where the Null Void Projector sat.
Inside the car, Phil glanced at his side mirror.
His eyes widened seeing Fasttrack right there, keeping pace with the vehicle like it wasn't even moving.
Before Phil could react, Fasttrack moved. He slammed his arm through the window, glass shattering outward as he reached in and grabbed the Null Void Projector in one clean motion.
Phil cursed and spun the wheel hard.
The car swerved violently, slamming into Fasttrack's side.
Fasttrack's grip tightened around the device as the impact sent him flipping backward. He twisted mid-air, landing cleanly on his feet while the car spun out ahead before coming to a screeching stop.
Fasttrack steadied himself, about to move again.
A blue blur cut in.
In an instant, the Null Void Projector was gone from his hands.
Fasttrack looked up.
XLR8 stood a short distance away, holding the device, his visor lifting.
"Evan, what are you doing?" he said. "I get that you like alien tech, but attacking a Plumber to steal one? Not cool."
Fasttrack stared at him for a second.
"…Now's not the time, Ben," he said, raising his hand slightly.
Before anything else could be said.
"Ben! Don't let him have that!" Phil suddenly shouted from behind them. "He's gone rogue! He's trying to release captured aliens with it!"
Both of them turned toward him.
Ben hesitated for half a second.
That was enough.
"Sorry, dude," XLR8 said, lowering his visor again. "I can't let you take this."
He sped off.
Fasttrack clicked his tongue, irritation flashing across his face before he took off after him.
Two streaks tore down the road, one blue, one gold, running side by side, matching each other step for step.
Fasttrack reached out, trying to grab the device, but XLR8 shifted just enough each time to keep it out of reach.
"Hand it over, Ben!" Fasttrack said. "Phil's lying to you!"
"Not until you calm down!" XLR8 shot back, not listening to the last part, and increased his speed slightly.
Golden energy flared brighter around Fasttrack.
He closed the gap and drove his elbow into XLR8's side.
The hit threw XLR8 off balance. At that speed, it was enough. He veered off, crashing hard into the side of the road and slamming into a tree.
The Null Void Projector slipped in his grip and fired.
A beam shot out, tearing open a portal midair.
Something came through immediately.
A grey, winged creature with a wide, fang-filled mouth and trailing tendrils burst out of the opening, letting out a sharp screech as it locked onto the nearest target.
Fasttrack didn't waste time.
He tapped the dial on his chest, and a golden flash replaced him.
"Flame Wingman!"
He launched himself upward just as the creature lunged. The dragon-shaped head on his right arm opened its jaws, releasing a fireball that struck the creature midair.
It screeched, recoiling, but quickly circled back.
"Skydive Scorcher!"
Flame Wingman dove straight at it, his arm driving forward. The dragon head slammed into the creature with force, sending it crashing into the ground below.
It hit hard and didn't get back up, only letting out a weak, pained sound before going still.
Flame Wingman straightened, scanning the area.
XLR8 was gone.
"…That idiot," he muttered under his breath.
He tapped the dial again.
"Fasttrack!"
In a flash, he was gone, racing back toward where Phil's car had stopped.
Stopping in front of the scene, Fasttrack slowed just enough to take everything in.
Phil was standing beside Ben and Gwen. The Null Void Projector was already back in his hand, held with a confidence that made it clear he had no intention of giving it up again.
"Ben, you idiot," Fasttrack said, his tone flat but edged with irritation.
Phil raised the Projector without hesitation, aiming it straight at him. "Sorry, son," he said, almost casually. "This is for your own good."
The Rust Bucket had pulled over nearby, its engine still running. Max was already at the window, his expression tense as he leaned out to shout.
"Evan, don't let it hit!" The worry in his voice was obvious.
Phil ignored him completely and pulled the trigger.
A yellow beam shot forward, fast and direct, aimed right at Fasttrack.
Instead of dodging, Fasttrack moved his hand to his chest and activated the Another Omnitrix.
Pulling it up and twisting the dial, causing the interface to open up. Then he moves slightly, letting the yellow beam directly hit his Omnitrix on his chest.
The open interface completely absorbed the blast, and after a few seconds, the Null Void Projector stopped, leaving everyone in confusion about what had just happened.
Ben and Gwen just stared, not fully understanding what they had just seen. Max and Phil, on the other hand, understood exactly what the Null Void Projector was supposed to do if it hit a living target, and that made what just happened far more confusing.
Just then, a soft female voice rang out from his golden Omnitrix.
[Data Upgrade Detected. Null Void Rift is now available.]
Fasttrack lowered his arm slightly, closing the interface.
He had already experienced something similar before.
Previously, when he was captured by Vilgax, Evan had opened up his Another Omnitrix interface, and when he was restrained and hooked into that machine, his Another Omnitrix continuously drained the energy output coming from it, quickly recharging it and increasing its battery power.
He had previously discovered that by accident when he was testing his Another Omnitrix. Back then, little Gold Ship was busy messing around with a screwdriver, jamming it into an outlet, and getting electrocuted. She grabbed onto his long ponytail instinctively, and the current passed through both of them.
Then his Another Omnitrix absorbs the electrical current and increase it overall battery by a little.
Using this moment where everyone was still stunned, Fasttrack lunged forward and drove a hard punch into Phil's face, sending him flying backward and crashing into his car with a heavy slam.
The Null Void Projector slipped from his grip. Fasttrack caught it before it hit the ground.
Without wasting another second, he raised it and fired directly at Phil.
The yellow beam struck him, and Phil was pulled into the Null Void before he could even fight it.
Ben and Gwen stared in shock, still trying to process what had just happened. Max's expression was more complicated. He was clearly relieved that Phil had been stopped, but there was something else there too. Seeing Phil betray them all for money was one thing. Seeing him end up trapped in the same thing he had misused was another. And on top of that, Evan had stopped short of going too far. He had not let anger carry him the way he had with the Org Beast.
"Good work, Evan," Max said as he stepped out of the Rust Bucket.
The words only confused Ben and Gwen more.
Max noticed that immediately and sighed.
"Hop in," he said. "I'll tell you what really happened along the way."
Once everyone was back inside the RV, Max started explaining everything to Ben and Gwen.
He told them how Phil had been the one releasing the captured aliens from the Null Void Projector, setting them loose only so he could track them down again later and get paid for "catching" them. He also explained how Phil had been willing to remove Max from the picture entirely, and how he had planned to use Ben and Evan to help him build some new version of the Plumbers that only existed to make money.
As he talked, they also made their way back to the old Plumbers' base, retracing the same path to recover the aliens Phil had let loose.
By the time they finished securing the last of them, Max had put the Null Void Projector away where no one else could use it again.
"So you're saying he's been using us this entire time?" Ben asked, looking stunned as Max finished locking the Org Beast back in place.
"What do you mean us?" Gwen said immediately, giving him a flat look. "You acted on your own on this one, doofus."
She was not about to let Ben lump her together with him. She still remembers clearly how Evan didn't hesitate to throw his life away to protect them. She didn't want that because of Ben; Evan might dislike her.
Ben scratched the back of his head, looking awkward now that he had been called out. "I guess you're right…"
His gaze shifted to Evan. "Sorry for getting in the way again."
"It's fine," Evan said. "You're not smart enough to see through his lie, so I can understand it."
Ben blinked, then smiled anyway, realizing exactly what Evan had just called him.
Gwen snorted.
Max let out a small breath and looked between all three of them. "Well, now this is all over..."
Then his expression softened.
"I'm sorry I had to keep my past a secret for so long."
"It's okay," Gwen said with a smile. "We understand why."
"I should've known I could trust you guys more," Max added, his voice more relaxed now. "Even though you're all a bit rough around the edges, you all have the sparks for greatness inside you. I believe that you would've made great Plumbers. All three of you."
"You really think so?" Ben asks, looking up at him.
Max smiled and nodded. "Yeah, you are my grandkids after all, I know you three can achieve greatness."
That earned a small smile from the three of them, and even Ben and Gwen relaxed a little.
Max then placed the Null Void Projector back into its chamber, securing it properly this time so nobody could use it for anything bad again.
Ben looked at the chamber for a second before asking, "What about Phil?"
Max shook his head. "I think there are some things about this job you're better off not knowing. For now, at least."
Gwen nodded once. "You're probably right."
With that, the family turned and left together.
...
A few days passed, and the Tennysons were camping out at Yellowstone National Park.
The place was calm in a way that almost made it easy to forget everything else they had dealt with lately. Gwen and Max were both taking in the view, looking around at the wide open land and the natural beauty of the park, while Max took a deep breath and let it out with a satisfied sigh.
"Ah," Max said. "Nothing like relaxing in the peace and quiet of the great outdoors."
"Darn it! Darn it!" Ben's voice suddenly cut in.
He came walking up while fussing with the Omnitrix on his wrist, clearly frustrated. "I hate this stupid thing."
"...Or not," Gwen muttered.
Ben kept messing with the watch as if that would somehow make it cooperate. Nearby, a radio crackled to life with a special report.
"Astronomers at Mt. Hamilton have caught a glimpse of a small meteor, and it appears to be headed toward the northwest part of the state."
"What's the matter, Ben?" Max asked.
"I figured I'd go XLR8 and hit that burger place in Casper to pick up a double cheeseburger with pickles," Ben said, still pressing and shaking the Omnitrix. "But it looks like I'm stuck here."
"Ben, you should stop hitting your Omnitrix like that," Evan said, giving him a look. Ben had clearly not learned that lesson yet.
"Ben, Yellowstone just happens to be one of the coolest places around," Gwen said, folding her arms. "Just hang out and appreciate it."
"Gwen's right," Max added as he walked over to a log and pushed it aside. Underneath, a few grub worms were crawling around in the mud. He smiled, completely at ease. "And we can live right off the land. Mealworms. Good for protein."
Then, without hesitation, he picked one up and slurped it right down.
Ben and Gwen recoiled instantly.
"Ew!" they both shouted.
"Grill 'em up with a sun-dried tomato paste, they are-" Max continued, completely unfazed by the reaction.
"Maybe I can help!" Gwen said, reaching over to adjust Ben's Omnitrix. "I'll have my burger with chili."
"I can appreciate that," Ben said.
He pressed the button, and Gwen did the same.
A flash of green light surrounded them both.
When it cleared, Ben was now a massive alien, broad-shouldered and covered in yellow armor plating along his back, shoulders, and the backs of his arms. Most of his body was white, with black across the upper half. He had four claws on each hand, yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and the Omnitrix dial set on his forehead.
Evan immediately recognized the form.
That was Ben's Arburian Pelarota alien, the one he would later call Cannonbolt.
Unfortunately, the sudden weight shift hit Ben hard. He lost his balance and crashed onto the ground on his back.
Cannonbolt stared at himself, then looked around in confusion.
"Uh, guys? What am I?" he asked in a deep, throaty voice.
"That's a heroic pose," Gwen said.
Cannonbolt groaned. "Very funny."
He tried to sit up, but it was obvious he was having trouble controlling the new body. He looked less like a powerful alien and more like a turtle that had flipped onto its shell.
"Let me help," Evan said.
He activated his Another Omnitrix and turned into his own new alien form in a flash of gold light.
His body shrank down to about three feet tall. Blue fur covered him from head to toe, with a light blue belly and matching markings around his eyes. Two dark blue markings appeared as well, one on the back of his head and another on his back. He had a dark blue nose, black eyes, large ears that stood up from his head, and a short, stubby tail.
Another set of arms formed beneath the first pair, giving him four in total. Two small antennae rose from the top of his head, and three tiny spikes appeared on his back.
The golden Omnitrix dial sat right on his belly.
"Stitch!"
Gwen tilted her head. "Ugh, if you don't mind me asking… what exactly can this little guy do?"
"Watch me," Stitch said.
He quickly crawled over to Cannonbolt on all six limbs, then casually stood back up on his hind legs. With no trouble at all, he lifted Cannonbolt off the ground using all four of his small arms, like Ben weighed almost nothing, and placed him back on his feet.
Gwen blinked.
"Okay, I did not expect that," she said.
Max leaned forward slightly, studying Stitch with interest. "What creature even is that?" he murmured to himself, clearly trying to place the species and not getting anywhere.
"I can't believe I'm a new hero," Cannonbolt said, looking at himself with obvious excitement.
"And where there's one, who knows?" Max said. "There could be a hundred more."
His gaze then shifted to Stitch. "I mean, Evan's Omnitrix has already shown the possibility of gaining new aliens."
"Well, as long as they're not as useless as this one is…" Cannonbolt muttered, shrugging. Then he looked down at Stitch. "So, what do you think this one does?"
Stitch just looks back at him, letting him figure this simple task out on his own.
Cannonbolt took in a deep breath and exhaled hard.
Nothing happened.
"Okay, so no fire breath, maybe I can shoot freeze rays from my eyes?"
He squinted hard, trying to force something to happen.
Still nothing.
"Magnetic blasts?"
He tried a few dramatic hand motions, but that did not do anything either.
At that moment, Gwen looked up.
Her eyes widened. A giant meteorite was coming straight toward them.
"Duck!" she shouted.
Both she and Max ran immediately, while the two aliens simply looked back toward it.
The meteor roared overhead and crashed farther into the park, shaking the ground with the impact. This caused Cannonbolt to fall back on his back. He groaned as he tried to get up again.
Stitch turned his head toward the impact point, looking at the rising smoke.