...hello. This is Dark Diamond 16, formerly known as Dark Diamond 13, before my account royally screwed itself over. This is a continuation of my story Universal Twist, which you can see the start of on my old account. I have other ideas in mind, but this thing has been bussing around my head for the past year. Now I'm finally getting it back on track.

Bear with me. I'm typing on phone, and I pray that Microsoft Word has good spellcheck. All mistakes are mine and Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network. This story starts some time after the end of Ultimate Alien, but it's not Omniverse. My own continuation, more of. I plan to include some elements of it, though! Now, on with the story!

...--...

Chapter One

The atmosphere in the Rustbucket was thick with tension. It was a completely evil amount of tension considering that it was early morning, but it was still there.

Albedo stared out if the window on his right, his face looking completely detached from his surroundings. He was sitting in the rear seat of the old RV, and pointedly ignoring the old man driving it. He spared a quick glance at Maxwell Tennyson, and his eyes narrowed slightly. The old man continued to drive to the required destination, acting for all the world like a bus driver.

However, he knew that the silence was meant to drive him to talk. After he started talking, his words would be picked to pieces for any hidden meanings. He knew Azmuth well; the older Galvan would be very careful in decisions like this particular one. And even if he hadn't known Maxwell wasn't a high-ranked Plumber for nothing. By that stage, he'd be able to analyze body language and speaking patterns like nobody's business.

That was the reason he refused to talk.

He mentally shrugged. He could at least get something to do. The silence was conducive for working, at the very least.

The tension thickened as Albedo got out his laptop from his backpack. As he started it, Max knew that if he didn't initiate the conversation himself, it would never happen at all. And if even half of what Azmuth was planning came to pass, the boy would be learning to talk by force. It was better to ease him into it.

"I'm guessing you've been piecing together what Azmuth is planning, Albedo," Max said.

Albedo looked up briefly from his laptop. "Yes." His voice was clipped, and he immediately went back to work.

"And it's obvious you don't like it."

"The problem is that I have absolutely no choice in the matter. I've already accepted that. So now I've gotten this out in the air, mind telling me what the point of this is?"

Albedo's voice was dry and he looked like the perfect example of a poker face. As he started typing, he looked up and directly at a rearview mirror, giving Max a clear view of his bland expression. He looked back at what he was doing a second later. It may have been brief, but Max should have gotten a clear view of it.

"You should know that." Max's voice was carefully guarded. He had no idea what the boy had been trying to prove, but it couldn't be anything good.

"Please. I'm till figuring out just why I'm not still in prison by this point. There is truly no reasonable explanation that I can think of for this."

"You're not the only one with that opinion."

"Yes, Maxwell, I know that your grandson and his little team have the same mindset as I do. It makes very little sense that you're actually taking me to Bellwood, now that I think of it. You're acting entirely on Azmuth's wishes, aren't you?"

Max said nothing. He seemed to piecing things together quickly, but did he get the full picture? Azmuth had said that his former assistant worked better under predictable circumstances in familiar environments. But this was far from his regular environment.

However, all the misadventures he'd had could have made sure he was better at thinking on his feet.

"This is all meant to ensure that I have a low chance of escape, correct." Albedo said. He didn't ask, he stated it.

Speak of the devil, Max thought. "Yes. You're still a wild card in this situation."

No frills, no fuss. Azmuth did pick the right person for this. "So, you're handing me off to your grandson's friend. If I didn't know any better, this was some sort of elaborate test. I'm very sure that his little team would fail the emotional control section when they hear this news."

"They're having a formal discussion on it later today."

Albedo smirked. "I can imagine that the reception will not be favorable."

Max kept quiet. It definitely wouldn't be received well, but apparently, his passenger could already detect that.

The pair relapsed into a slightly less antagonistic silence, though each side could still perceive the mistrust and speculation.

...--...

If the atmosphere in the Rustbucket was tense, the atmosphere in Kevin's garage was simply explosive. Max had received the message with little argument, knowing that Azmuth would know what he was doing, even if he didn't personally agree.

Less could be said for Ben, Gwen and Kevin.

"Are you joking? You have to be joking, Azmuth. How is Albedo supposed to help in any of this? We're talking about a crime spree, not mad science!" Ben glared at the holographic representation of the Galvan hovering over the Omnitrix.

"I have to agree with Ben there," Gwen replied. "These crimes have very little to do with him."

"Sure it has anything to do with Albedo himself, or what he was doing?" Kevin asked. Ben and Gwen turned to look at him. He was leaning against his car, while Ben and Gwen were closer to the wall in front of him.

"Think about it. He's good with tech, and he can actually plan out his schedule well. He managed to create a knockoff Omnitrix, for one, and team up with Vilgax for a second. Really, change a few bad decisions, and we could still be running around trying to get at him.

"The crimes going on lately aren't exactly average. Tech going missing from high-security vaults, important figures getting either kidnapped or killed, and these mass raids…" he shook his head. "This is too widespread for some nobody gangs to have cooked up."

Azmuth nodded. "I trust that Albedo has some contacts around that specific crime niche. And even if he didn't, he would still be able to navigate through it almost as easily as Kevin could." That was high praise, seeing as Kevin was particularly well-known in criminal circles.

"Besides, some of my contacts have been talking about a parole on some weird circumstances. It was covered up pretty heavily, and it's like other inmates in the same prison have been bribed to keep their mouths shut." Kevin crossed his arms.

"Why?" Ben asked. "What, does he have anyone targeting him?"

"Tennyson, as soon as you've been into crime, someone practically always has your name on their radar. Even petty thieves could find themselves being monitored by higher-tier crooks."

"Who would possibly target him? He's a nobody!"

"I was, too, and l got the chance to team up with Vilgax of all people, because we had a common goal. It's not really the person, it's how they end up. And you might remember he built a knockoff Omnitrix. If he didn't have connections, how'd he gotten the materials to make it?"

Silence reigned for a few seconds.

"Fine." Ben relented. "But, really, are things that bad right now?"

"When most planets in this galaxy have gone into high lockdown?" Azmuth asked. "With the fact that Earth has started the process to becoming a free system, it is soon going to become one of the biggest vacation spots in recent years. It is a planet rich in valuable resources and a society almost untouched by galactic attitudes and technology." he paused, letting it sink in.

"That sounds good, doesn't it? But it isn't completely. Rebel groups from other planets could turn it into their meeting base. Then, when the government is hunting them down, the planet could be implicated for housing terrorists. Unknowingly or not, that will not matter. Illegal mines and factories could be set up. Earth could become a pathway for smuggling to go undetected.

"Also, remember that humans are weak compared to other alien species, with a near-total lack of abilities. Some of the more barbaric species could exploit that. There is already a portion of your society guilty of human trafficking. It could be extended to other planets, and woe betide the victims. Intergalavtic alien trafficking is far worse than whatever your planet could offer up." At that, they went pale.

"This is not just about my former apprentice. This concerns your entire planet."

They were silent.