"Ben?! Ben, answer me!!"
Dexter deactivated the comm. link on his wrist, muttering obscenities. Around him, the KND were gathering their wounded and carting them into the DexLabs med-evac units. Blossom and Bubbles were helping clear away debris to free civilians trapped in the rubble of several collapsed buildings. The boy genius had already sent a KND squad led by Number 4 to search for Ben at his communicator's last signal location.
Dexter knew just how dangerous the Fusions could be, and if Ben had not checked in, then something was very wrong. Dexter suspected that Fusions were responsible for Buttercup's disappearance several months before the initial invasion by Fuse. The way it had affected the sisters and the Professor, was enough to make Dexter's blood boil.
"Oi, Dexter! You there, mate?"
Dexter shook himself from his thoughts and activated his communicator.
"Dexter here. What have you found, Number Four?" There was a pause before the KND operative responded.
"Not much. Place looks like meteor crashed into it, and it stinks like you wouldn't believe. No sign of Ben, though."
Dexter ground his teeth in frustration and combed his hand through his fiery red hair. His suspicions were being confirmed, unfortunately.
"Number Four, keep looking. Report back in an hour."
"Roger that." The pre-teen replied, disconnecting the line.
Dexter rubbed his eyes tiredly with a free hand.
"Where are you, Ben?"
"Ugh, where am I?"
As Ben gradually struggled out of the deep slumber of unconsciousness, he cracked open his eyes and tried to get a bearing of his surroundings.
Wherever he was, it was dark, with only an ambient green glow lighting up the room. The walls were made of cold, somber-colored bedrock, hinted he was underground. There wasn't much in the room beside himself, although the stench of Fusion was so thick it was almost a green mist in the air.
Ben tried to swallow, but his throat was so dry his tongue felt like a lump of rubber in his mouth. He coughed a few times, the sensation scratching his parched throat, and pulled against his bonds that kept him shackled to the wall.
"Ah, so you're awake? Good, I hoped we could begin soon."
Ben's head snapped up at the sound of the voice, the red eyes glowing out of the gloom. Ben's Fusion stopped in front of him, their eyes level, one pair bright green, the other glowing crimson.
"Welcome to our humble abode, Ben Tennyson. I trust you're enjoying our hospitality?" The Fusion asked. The way this thing twisted his mannerisms to itself always creeped Ben out. It was almost his polar opposite. A negative Ben, to his 10.
"Oh yeah, it's a regular Four Seasons in here. Can I get some of those little pillow mints?" Ben asked sarcastically, trying to buy some time. His eyes flicked over the room, looking for anything to aid in his escape.
Nega-Ben's lips curled in a smirk.
"Afraid not. We do, however, have a lovely electro-static therapy session. Allow me." The Fusion walked out of Ben's line of sight, and Ben could hear the high-pitched crackle of energy and a hum of power through the steel plate he was strapped to. Then the lightning struck, and liquid fire lanced through his veins.
Nigel Uno was having a very bad day. Not only was one of his friends MIA, but his entire team was spread so thin across the war effort, his ability to keep the KND in the area running was pushed to the limit. When it was apparent Planet Fusion was on a collision course with the Moon Base, Number 362 had ordered Operation B.O.O.M. (Bad Outcome On Moon). If Fuse had absorbed the Moon Base, then all the Kids Next Door's technology and Intel would have been revealed. Rather then give Fuse that much of an advantage over Earth's Forces, the Moon Base's self-destruct was activated. So, since 362 was out in the field for the next few months, it was up to Number One to run things.
"I still don't get how we got stuck with stinking clean-up work." Number Two grumbled as he used the scanner in his hand (made from a Gameboy and an old camera) to check the area for traces of Fusion Matter. Number One rolled his eyes behind his glasses.
"Because, Number Two, Tennyson wouldn't just leave a battle like that. Something must have happened, and it's our job to find out what. Any Fusion Matter on the scanner?"
Number Two frowned beneath his leather pilot's hat.
"Tons of the stuff. And Tennyson's DNA, too. Weird, though…"
Number One frowned as Number Two trailed off, intent on the scanner.
"What is it, Hoagie?"
"Ben's DNA…there're two signatures. And one of them is soaked in Fusion goo."
The dots connected in Number One's mind like a constellation in the sky. Tennyson disappearing, the sudden retreat by Fuse's forces, the communication jammer on Ben's comm. Only one thing made sense.
"Ben's got a Fusion."
Ben couldn't tell how much time had gone past. The shocks had made time meaningless, seconds stretching into centuries. He slumped against his cuffs, his muscles weak and twitching from the electricity.
"My friend, I am sorry about the discomfort. I wouldn't have resorted to the shocks, but, let's face it, we're a tough pair. I had to, uh, soften you up before the next stage of this little enterprise."
Nega-Ben stepped up until he was a few inches from Bens nose, his crimson eyes glowing malevolently. Ben mustered his energy and sneered at his doppelganger.
"Thanks for the concern, you slimy jack-ass." The Fusion's expression didn't change.
"Oh, don't worry. That was only the beginning." Nega-Ben was standing in front of a metal table littered with tools and medical supplies. Ben, exhausted as he was, managed to be curious.
"Whatcha cookin up there, Fusionstein? A better mousetrap?" Ben forced bravado into his tone, despite how his stomach was trying to claw its way up his throat. The Fusion laughed darkly. He turned, a syringe full of a dark green glowing liquid in hand.
"Not exactly, Benjamin." He walked up to Ben, tapping the needle to dislodge any air bubbles. "What I have in mind is a little more…Dr Jekyll."
Ben struggled against his bonds, but was unable to move. The Omnitrix kept out of his reach, Ben could only watch helplessly as the Fusion walked towards him, needle gleaming in the sparse light of the chamber.
"Don't worry, Ben. It won't hurt for long." Ben looked to the left for the sound of the feminine voice. Black hair, green eyes and matching outfit. He recognized her from a picture her sisters had shown him once.
"Buttercup! Thank God, get me out of here so I can kick this little puke's butt!" Ben cried, overjoyed at the appearance of an ally. Something was off, though. The Powerpuff reminded him of a Fusion, with green tinged skin and her eyes had a faint red glow. Buttercup had disappeared a few months before the Fuse Invasion, but, seeing her, instead of making him relieved, made him uneasy. The evil smirk on her face didn't help things.
"Buttercup?" The Powerpuff's grin widened.
"Yes, and don't worry Ben. It won't hurt…much." Nega-Ben approached the Omnitrix wielder, syringe ready.
"Well, Benjamin, this is it." The doppelganger said as Ben struggled with renewed vigor against his restraints, shouting in protest. Ben cried out as the needle was plunged into the vein at his wrist.
The plunger sent the green sludge shooting into his system, the infection spreading like wildfire though his blood. Ben bellowed in horror and agony as his arm convulsed with pain, his skin tingeing green. When the virus touched the Omnitrix, it began rapidly flashing red and green, sparks of energy dancing off the alien technology.
The Fusion Ben grinned as the infection spread past Ben's elbow.
"Welcome to the family, brother."