Author's note: I knew this was going to get dark, but after plotting everything out in my head, I realized just how dark we're talking. I don't think it needs a mature rating or anything, but we're talking you're gonna need night vision goggles down here. Not just yet, but soon. This chapter is also how I explain Gwevin away in favor of Bevin. It's dark. I still love Gwen, but I'm freaking mean as hell to her in this. I'm sorry, Gwen!

"Gwen?" Ben pushed the door of his cousin's room open before she replied. She was sitting at her window, staring outside, cradling her injured arm in the uninjured one. "Gwen?" he repeated, sure she hadn't heard him.

"…Tell me that wasn't him."

"Wasn't him that…" Ben trailed off when Gwen pointed to her arm. It had been bleeding last night, but he hadn't thought much of the wound other than his shock that Kevin had delivered the blow. In the light of day, it was much more obvious. The cut was long and jagged, and it looked blue around the edges. "Oh. That …did that."

"Yes. That did this," Gwen said, studying her arm. "I think there's some sort of poison in it. I was going to see Grandpa Max today to figure out what's going on."

"Just with the poison, or with Kevin?" Ben asked. Gwen didn't respond. He pressed on. "Because I already know what made him snap."

He launched quickly into a summary of what Paradox had told him last night. Gwen listened intently, frowning, her face scrunched up in concentration. "..Does that mean there's no way to get Kevin back?"

"I'm not sure," Ben admitted. "Paradox and Azmuth don't know, and they're two of the smartest people in the universe…well, Paradox is one of the smartest people, I guess Azmuth is one of the smartest aliens," he paused at the irritated look on Gwen's face. "Right…not the point. I don't know. But we'll do whatever we can, Gwen, I swear. We're going to get him back…no matter how long it takes."


"Heard you were back on our side…didn't think it was true, though. Guess I have to forgive Argit part of that debt he owes me…" an alien man who was about seven feet tall with glowing red eyes and tentacles that occasionally whipped out from beneath his trench coat said to Kevin.

"Don't care," Kevin said, studying the picture of Ben on the wall. It was a reward poster. "How much are they offering for Tennyson?"

"You willing to go after him? Thought he was your teammate…"

"Ain't what I asked," Kevin said steadily. "How much is the reward?"

The man laughed heartily. "Same old Kevin Elevin…it's substantial. Dead he's worth millions of credits, alive he's worth even more. I heard you stopped betraying people, you'd gone completely goody two-shoes on us. What happened?"

"Dunno," Kevin said softly. "Not the point. Tennyson trapped me in the Null Void. I think it's time to settle the score."

"And the girl? She's got quite a reward on her, too…"

"I'll deliver Tennyson to them alive. Gwen," Kevin looked to the left of Ben's poster and finally noticed the picture of the Anodite, "Her I'll deliver under the 'dead' option…"


"There's more to this," Paradox had decided to visit Gwen and Ben at their grandfather's R.V., Rustbucktet 3. "I'm afraid everything's going to get a lot worse. Especially for you, Gwen."

"For Gwen? What?" Cooper interjected. He was supposed to be out training with Helen, Manny, Pierce and Alan, and had indeed been on his way out, but when he'd overheard Gwen was in trouble, he couldn't resist stopping to ask questions.

"Cooper," Max said, his voice even, "I need you to go train."

"But if Gwen's in trouble--"

"Now, Cooper," Max ordered. Cooper agreed, finally going outside, but making sure his irritation was noted by slamming the door a little too hard.

"That was kind of harsh," Ben noted.

"We need to hear what's going on and be able to think rationally," Max explained, "If he knows Gwen's in trouble he's likely not to use his head. Now, Professor, if you would explain to me what's going on?"

"Yes, well," Paradox continued, "I already explained to all of you about why Kevin's regressed. So, what I have to explain now…he'll set out to destroy anything he cared about."

"Like…his car?" Ben suggested, praying Paradox only meant physical possessions.

"His car never elicited any human attachment. Gwen, I believe you know how he felt about you?" Gwen nodded, and started to say something, but Paradox held his hand up to stop her. "The bond between you is something that will turn to hatred. The stronger he felt about you, the more likely he'll want to see you dead."

"What?" Ben stood up. "Why would he go that far?"

"I told you, Ben. The journey through time shook his mind, and now that it's come to its complete fruition, it will drive him mad. He will see Gwen as a sign of his human weakness, and he will come after her with the intent to kill."

"What about Ben?" Gwen asked softly.

"What about me?" Ben asked.

"You're his best friend. That's got to mean something to him as well."

"Yes," Paradox rubbed his chin, "It will. It won't be quite so violent, though. But don't be surprised if he comes after you before her. He may not want to kill you, but he will want revenge for what he perceives as your betrayal."

"Still thinks it's my fault he got stuck in the Null Void?"

"No….he thinks that you should have been the one to save him from losing his mind."


"Gwen, I think you should stay with Grandpa and the others for a while," Ben suggested, checking his watch. He needed to be home in about ten minutes.

"No way. Kevin's going to be after you, too. If I stay, so should you."

Ben sighed. "He's not going to try to kill me, Gwen. …Well, he might, but Paradox said it's pretty much guaranteed that he'll try to kill you. I'm not in as much danger as you are."

"I don't care," Gwen insisted. "I'm not letting you face him by yourself."

"Fine…at least call Uncle Frank and tell him that you'll be staying over at my house. We'll set up the guest room and I'll explain to mom and dad that you need to stay over for the next week or so."

Gwen hesitated. "And you won't use that as an opportunity to try to lock me in a room or something to keep me from helping you?"

"Hadn't even crossed my mind. Just think of it as a compromise. Okay?"

"Deal."

Author's Note: Like I said….being really mean to Gwen. I hadn't intended to do this when I started the story out. It just sort of ended up this way. I needed a way for Gwen not to be in the way of the Bevin and I wanted it to feel right in this story, and this was what I thought of. I'm mean.