Author's Note: I own nothing. These next few chapter are going to get pretty intense. You've been warned.

50 Checkmate

Two months crawled by like slugs. It was quiet save for the odd small incident. Jen should have realized it would never last, but Camille had advised her to take time for herself. So she was trying to enjoy herself for once, she hadn't in a while. So she was catching up on the Sumo Slammers marathon. She really was trying. But the last time she'd had a chance to sit down to watch this show was with Ethan, he'd just finished getting the webbing out of his hair and still smelled like peanut butter. She shook her head as she stood, not bothering to pause the show, she made her way to the door but before she could leave her room it opened. Grandpa Max stood there looking harried.

"Grandpa? What's wrong?"

"We've got a situation. Your evil twin she." But before Grandpa could elaborate on how Albeda had even escaped Galvan custody Jen's tv flickered. The sumo's fighting were quickly replaced with the negative version of Jen. She frowned.

"Jen Tennyson, since your grandfather has escaped me you will probably know by now that I'm after you. But did you know I've got your friends?" Albeda grinned as the camera turned. Revealing Gwen and Kevin tied up and unconscious. Jen's eyes narrowed.

"Thought Azmuth was working on fixing you." Grandpa Max shook his head.

"It's a broadcast, she can't hear you." Jen nodded and Albeda spoke again.

"I've broadcast my location into your Omnitrix, meet me in an hour or they die." The broadcast cut off. Max's fist clenched.

"We need backup!" But the only thing that answered him was a slight breeze coming from the now open window. Jen was gone, had likely left as Albeda was delivering her ultimatum. Max pulled his badge from his belt.

"Pierce! Set the base on high alert. Albeda of the Galvan had Gwen and Kevin. Track the Omnitrix and meet me wherever it stops. Come as fast as you can."

"You got it Magister Tennyson! Is Jen?"

"Already running into trouble."

When given the choice between herself and someone else, Jennifer Tennyson was unlikely to chose herself. Even if she knew it meant death. Gwen and Kevin were both protesting as she decoupled the Omnitrix. Albeda and Vilgax missed it but Gwen spotted something happen as Jen flashed back to herself from Humungousaur. It was almost as if there was a crackle under her skin. She went pale as she handed the device over to Vilgax who laughed with triumph. Kevin spotted the stuttering in her breathing. Giving up the Omnitrix wasn't just giving up the powers that went with it, it was killing her. Grandpa Max got them out before Vilgax could kill them on the spot but as they landed outside the Rustbucket Jen's knees collapsed. Kevin caught her and Pierce opened the door of the RV.

"Get in!" They did just that, Kevin sitting Jen up at the small table. She looked deathly white but her eyes were bloodshot and there were dark circles building under her eyes. Pierce tried to throw a blanket around her but she shook it off. They watched as Vilgax turned on Albeda, an army of Humungousaurs taking down the human Galvan. Jen insisted Grandpa Max pull over the RV and took off into the forest. When Gwen found her she was soaked with rain but the redhead didn't spot the puddle of blood her cousin had coughed up in the dark. Jen refused all help and Gwen left her to her thoughts and made her way back to the Rustbucket. When the brunette was alone she spoke.

"I know you're there Azmuth." A sigh came from the tree above her and she looked up, eyes slightly glassy. He was sitting above her looking down at her.

"You're dying." He said it matter of factly. She nodded.

"How long?" He shook his head.

"Impossible to tell for sure. At best guess a day, maybe less. Unless you can by some miracle recover the Omnitrix death is certain. Timing, that's the uncertain bit." Jen nodded tilting her head back and letting the rain sting her face for what might be the last time.

"Vilgax has an army, and Albeda has something she's calling the…"

"Ultimatrix yes." Jen glanced at Azmuth. He nodded. "I was planning on giving you an upgrade, I wanted to wait until your birthday. From what I understand it's a significant one." Jen nodded.

"Sixteen. I would have been able to get my drivers license." It went without saying that she wasn't going to make it. The odds against her had never been worse. She coughed again, red paining the hand she used to cover her mouth. Azmuth frowned.

"You seem resigned to it." Jen shrugged.

"There are worse ways to go I guess. But I'm going to take Vilgax down with me." Azmuth frowned.

"That won't be easy without the power." Jen froze looking up at him.

"No. It won't be." The fire was back in her eyes, though they remained glassy. Azmuth frowned but she had snatched up her jacket and pulled it on. She wiped the blood from her mouth with a tissue from the pocket and took a deep breath. "Thank you. For everything." With that she took off back towards the RV, her gate a bit more jerky than normal. He could only imagine the amount of pain she was in. Azmuth frowned as he teleported back to his ship, sitting just outside the range of Vilgax's radar.

"Myaxx." The woman nodded. "Prepare the Cradle. If she lives we're going to need it."