Author's Note: I own nothing.
18 The Real Problem
Jen would admit she'd wanted to punch Cash for years. She could be petty. But not like this, not when he was being physically and mentally taken over by an evil robot from space. But when Cash fired on Gwen, well Jen could never abide a threat to family and that's exactly what Cash and the Technodrone were.
The brunette rolled behind a car in the parking lot and spun the dial on the Omnitrix, selecting Chromastone. She wasn't sure Cash would be able to survive the kind of explosion Goop had caused inside the Technodrone. She leapt fully transformed out from her hiding spot and directly between Gwen and Cash, absorbing the blast like it was nothing. Though to be honest she wasn't so sure Cash was in charge anymore. Without the control box the Technodrone didn't have any real driving force, no main objective, Cash seemed to be supplying that. Not that Jen wanted it to achieve its main objective, but she would worry about that later. For now she had a bully to take down.
Jen would admit she was impressed when Cash beat the Technodrone with just his will alone. She watched him toss the Gauntlet aside and if Chromastone had an eyebrow she'd have raised it. She raised a hand and blasted the Gauntlet. In seconds it melted into molten slag. Apparently without the control box or an organic host the Technodrone lost some of its resilience. Cash nodded his thanks as he took JT's arm and the two walked away. The parking lot was deserted now so Jen didn't bother hiding as green light flashed around her and she transformed back to normal.
A black unmarked car pulled into the lot and Veraxi and Al stepped out. Al quickstepped to Jen.
"Julie messaged me. Are you well?"
Jen nodded, her eyes finding the molten slag still bubbling away on the asphalt. It smelled horrible. Chromastone didn't have any sense of smell. That was useful to know. She also hadn't known that Chromastone's redirected energy could melt metal.
"We're fine Al. All taken care of."
"I can't help but feel like we're forgetting something." Gwen said frowning deeply. They were silent for a moment before the cousins looked at each other and spoke in unison.
"Kevin!"
They caught a ride with Veraxi and Al to find Kevin. It took them a while, he wasn't as easy for Gwen to find as Jen. So they had to stop by Kevin's house to get something of his. Jen pulled a bobby pin out of her cousin's hair and bent it until she had a workable lock pick. She twisted it in the lock and it clicked. She grinned and gestured Gwen inside. Al raised an eyebrow.
"Where did the wielder of the Omnitrix learn how to pick locks?" Jen grinned at Veraxi's question and raised eyebrows.
"Grandpa Max was a great teacher." Gwen laughed at her cousin.
"Your grandfather was a decorated Plumber. Why did he know how to pick locks?"
"That's a long story. One we don't have time to get into right now. Cash said something about beating Kevin. We should find him as soon as possible." Veraxi nodded, still looking a bit confused. Gwen grabbed a t-shirt and closed her eyes for a moment and focused. Then she nodded.
"Got him!"
It was well into evening by the time they reached the warehouse. It was old, falling to pieces in places. Al insisted on following. In case they needed medical assistance. Veraxi took one look at the place and followed them, she let Jen take point though. The place was empty, except for Kevin, who was laying on the hard floor, still mostly covered in stone.
"You've looked better." Jen said reaching a hand out to him. He groaned.
"Cash wanted to meet you at three, at the Mr. Smoothie parking lot." Jen snorted as she pulled Kevin to his feet, he shed the stone for which she was glad, but he was heavily bruised and burned where there hadn't been stone. Al stepped forwards as Jen deposited him in a chair. Veraxi frowned then nodded.
"You have an Osmosian on your team. A very useful teammate." Kevin grinned as Al healed him.
"Half technically. My dad was Osmosian." Jen raised an eyebrow. Kevin grinned at Gwen.
"You thought you were the only ones with Plumber ancestors?" Jen rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of, we have plumber business to discuss. Best done in private. I want the two of you to head to the safe house and stay there until I give you the clear ok?" Veraxi nodded. Al frowned as he healed the last of Kevin's burns.
"Is everything alright?" Jen shook her head.
"An overabundance of caution." Veraxi nodded and took Al's arm. Escorting him out of the factory with minimal arguing. Once they were gone Jen turned to Kevin. "You're parked around here right?" Kevin nodded, now fully healed he led the girls to the car and drove them away from the warehouse. "Go to the Hole, Ed gave me a key." He nodded. Gwen frowned.
"Jen what is this about?" Jen shook her head.
"Not here." She didn't speak again until they reached the hole. She grabbed a sledgehammer from the tools and headed into the elevator. "Come on!" She said holding the door. Gwen shrugged and stepped onto the elevator. Kevin rolled his eyes and followed the two girls. Once they were safely ensconced in the Hole Jen grabbed the control box and tossed it onto the floor. Then without warning she swung the hammer. Gwen jumped as the smack sounded through the room, small chips of metal flying through the air. Jen swung the hammer again.
"What the hell!" Kevin covered his eyes as Jen swung again and the box finally collapsed. She swung again and the internal components of the box collapsed. She swung one more time and everything splintered.
"Ok so that's done." Kevin blinked lowering his hands.
"What the actual fuck Tennyson!"
"I gotta agree with Kevin here. What was that?" Jen swung the hammer up over her shoulder and frowned.
"Well I thought that was obvious. The technodrone was here for Al." They both blinked. Jen pointed to the computer. "Display the Technodrone's objective please computer." There was a beep and the computer did as it was asked. Kevin blinked.
"Oh hell."
"Yep."
"I'm missing something obvious here." Jen nodded.
"It was looking for the biggest most powerful mana signature. Assuming it would be an Apollonite. But we have a heavy hitter on the team." Gwen nodded.
"Which is why it attacked Gwen in the first place." Jen nodded at Kevin.
"Got it in one." Jen set down the sledgehammer. "They don't expect the technodrone to get destroyed do they, the people or whatever who make these?" She gestured at Kevin as she slid into her chair.
"No they don't." Jen grinned.
"Good. Then they won't assume that an Apollonite destroyed it?" Kevin shrugged.
"No, they've got a camera, sort of. They'll have seen everything the Technodrone did. Up until you smashed it with a hammer. Smart move."
"I sort of figured that was the case. Most robots we have here on Earth have some kind of control like that, a failsafe to see if it's been stolen. Would make sense for an actual alien robot to have it." Kevin nodded as Gwen sat down.
"That was really clever." Jen rolled her eyes.
"Don't sound so surprised. I do have good ideas." Gwen rolled her eyes.