Nightmare in Paradise, part I


Ben


There he was, Ben Tennyson - or rather, Watch Boy - in the same room as several important S.E.C.T's lieutenants, in the organization's main headquarters inside Mount Rushmore. Of course, the lieutenants looked at him and his partner Lucky Girl with some disdain, with a 'These kids shouldn't be here.' kind of look.

"I'll prove them wrong." Ben thought, "This is my first big official mission as an agent of S.E.C.T. I know S.E.C.T.'s scientists are working for a way to remove the Omnitrix from my wrist, but if I do a good job here, the higher-ups may let me keep the watch anyway. This is my chance."

But they casted even more suspicious looks at the alien teenager Tomyx. He was the first Vilgaxian to become an agent in the history of S.E.C.T. Until then, all the other Vilgaxians, whom those lieutenants had known, were loyal to Vilgax. Fortunately, agent Elliot attested to Tomyx's good job "interrogating" Eric Edwards and Tomyx had already gained some sympathy from at least a few of the lieutenants.

Immersed in his thoughts, Ben wouldn't have noticed the arrival of Director Steel if it weren't for Lucky Girl tapping his arm to 'wake him up.' All the lieutenants stood up on their feet as Steel entered the room. His tall and athletic build and the huge scar on his face made the Director look really badass, even though he was not presenting his usual steeled skin.

"At ease," he said.

Devin, which was his name. Although the Director's identity was secret to most people, Ben knew Steel's real name thanks to a slip from Grandpa Max - who had trained the Director in the past.

"Listen up, everyone!" Steel said. "We have intel about an island that is quite possibly being used as a Vilgaxian base. I'm going to send a small recon team there."

"Why don't we just blow up the whole place with an air strike, sir?" One of the lieutenants asked.

"We also have intel that there are innocent people on the island being used as guinea pigs. Our recon team will confirm this, and get as much information as they can about the Vilgaxians' defenses, so we can set up an efficient rescue mission employing ground forces. But an air strike is a possibility if there is no one there to rescue."

"Sir, how reliable is this intel? Is there a chance that this island is actually a trap?" another lieutenant asked.

Steel motioned for Elliot and Molly - who were also present at the meeting - to answer the question.

"We tricked Edwards, so we don't believe he tried to lie," Elliot said, adjusting his glasses on his face. "Besides, since yesterday everything he said is being verified and most things were already confirmed. BUT, the problem is, he didn't know much about the island."

"We have no idea what exactly we'll be facing. So we're treating the island as if it's a trap," Molly Gunther said. "That's why my recon team will carry three big guns - Watch Boy, Lucky Girl and Tomyx."

"The recon team goes first, and we will act on their evaluation. Anyway, I want every lieutenant in this room to prepare their men and follow me. We wait close to the island and strike when I give the order," Director Steel said, and, after giving further instructions, he ended the meeting.


On board of a small SECT jet, the recon team - led by Molly Gunther and composed of Elliot, Grandpa Max, Tomyx, Lucky Girl and Ben - flew to the island, being accompanied by several other jets, which would stand by and wait for their sign.

Ben was quite nervous, and Lucky Girl - in the seat next to him - noticed that.

"Hey, Ben," she said, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it gently, "What's the problem?"

"I have to impress them," Ben whispered.

"No. You just have to do your job. And come back alive. Specially, come back alive," she said, holding his hand tighter. Ben could swear that there was a part of Lucky Girl that liked him as more than just a friend. But he didn't want to get his hopes up and get disappointed - which always happened whenever he liked a girl.

"It's easy for you to say that, Lucky Girl. Your powers are yours. They can't take them away from you. But this watch ..." Ben said in a low voice, looking at the alien device attached to his wrist. "The minute they find a way to take it off of me, they'll give it to some veteran badass agent."

"That's not a bad thing," Lucky Girl said. "The watch will be in good hands and you'll be safe."

Ben snorted. "I thought you had made a point of being my partner before. If they take the Omnitrix off me, you're gonna have to find another partner."

"I really like our partnership, but I'd prefer to know you're safe, playing your Game Station at home, with no need for me to protect you anymore," Lucky Girl said.

"I don't need you to protect me," Ben answered on the spot.

"It didn't look like it when we were facing that squid-monster before," Lucky Girl replied.

"No one wants to have an incompetent partner. If you want to be my partner, it's because you know I'm a freaking awesome badass."

"I know you have a freaking big ego."

"Quiet, both of you," Molly Gunther interrupted their conversation, "Focus on the mission. AFTER we get back, you two can get a room and resolve this sexual tension."

Ben and Lucky Girl blushed with embarrassment. They didn't even notice that even though they had started talking in a low voice, it slowly grew louder and louder. Nor did they notice another detail: they were still holding hands. They quickly let go of each other's hand.

After a few minutes of silence, Ben had a sudden realization.

"I never told you I had a Game Station," Ben whispered to Lucky Girl.

"What?" Lucky Girl asked confused.

"You said you'd prefer if I was at home playing my Game Station. I didn't tell you I had one."

"Oh, you just seem to be the kind of guy who owns a Game Station. And, don't forget, I'm Lucky Girl, I always have lucky guesses." She chuckled, then she bit her lip. She paused in thought. "Fudge," she mumbled under her breath.

"You know me," Ben stated. "You live in Bellwood. You really wanted to be my partner. You care a lot for my safety. You know I have a Game Station. We know each other. We're friends."

"No, no, that's not it!" Lucky Girl tried to deny it. "It's just ... er … I… "

"Are you going to tell me who you really are, 'Lucky Girl'? Under whatever spell you're using to disguise your face?" Ben asked, arching his eyebrow.

"Ok . . . I will." Lucky Girl sighed. "But Agent Gunther is right, we-"

"Have to get a room and resolve our sexual tension?" Ben asked in a joking tone - but secretly voicing his real thoughts. "You might want to break up with your boyfriend first."

"No, not that," she said, with a frown on her face. "We have to focus on the mission for now. But this thing between us can't keep going on. After we get back, I'll tell you everything. I promise. Just don't think about it for now."

Ben noticed Lucky Girl was crestfallen, with a sad expression on her face. He imagined she didn't want him to know who she was. But why, if they knew each other and were friends? Unless ... she knew him, but wasn't his friend. She could have done something that hurt him in the past, and thought he was still holding a grudge, so she didn't want to tell him who she was. It was a reasonable guess.

"Don't worry. Whatever bad thing that happened between us in the past, it won't change my feelings for you now." He gave himself a mental facepalm immediately after he realized what he had said. Technically, he was 'over' Lucky Girl, she was with someone else and he shouldn't have feelings for her anymore. "I mean . . . the friendship feelings I have for you." He tried to fix his mistake.

"We're here," Elliot said. "We are at a safe distance from the island. Nobody there can see us here. From now on, we're going on a boat, to move discreetly so they don't spot us coming."

"I can get ahead," Tomyx volunteered, "My species is very well adapted to water. It is no coincidence that we share similarities with Earth's octopuses, our evolutionary process is probably-"

"No," Molly interrupted, "You won't get out of my sight. I trust an alien as far as I can throw him."

"I'm very heavy and big. You can't throw me very far," Tomyx questioned, confused.

"That's the point," Molly said with a smirk.

Although a little disappointed, Tomyx understood what she meant. Ben realized that he and Tomyx had something in common. Both wanted to prove their worth. Ben believed in the alien's sincerity, even though he knew Tomyx was hiding something very important - the fact that he was Vilgax's son. Ben knew he probably would do the same if he were in his shoes.

The six - Ben, Lucky Girl, Tomyx, Max, Molly and Elliot - got into a boat. After the boat was lowered in to the water, the pilot flew back with the jet to join several other S.E.C.T jets, all waiting for the moment to strike.

Molly's communicator beeped. It was Director Steel, "Agent Gunther, remember, the mission is only to survey the area. Don't confront the enemy. And in case of any problem, let us know and we will extract you immediately."

"Affirmative, sir," Molly replied.

A few minutes later, covered by the darkness of the night, the boat landed on the beach. It was quiet ... too quiet.

"Can any of your aliens spot the presence of enemies here in the area, Watch Boy?" Max asked.

"Yes, I think I have the right alien for this situation." One of the aliens available on the Omnitrix was a very big orange dog with no eyes, but with hearing and smelling better than anything. Besides being agile as a monkey, his senses could certainly detect the presence of enemies. Ben had named him Wildmutt.

It didn't take long before the team left the beach and entered into a dense forest. The trees were extremely thick and tall. But the strangest thing were the cobwebs in the treetops. Huge webs, ordinary spiders were definitely not responsible for that . . .

Wildmutt was leading the team, trying to avoid any possible danger with great care. It was strange that there was no sign of Vilgaxian soldiers there . . . Where were the bad guys responsible for the security of the island?

Then, suddenly, Wildmutt heard a strange sound coming from under the earth. . . It was something huge, and it was going straight in the direction of Grandpa Max.

Wildmutt desperately tried to scream to warn Grandpa Max of the danger, but the alien orange dog couldn't speak, he just barked. The hero then threw himself in Max Tennyson's direction, and took him out of the way just a second before a horrible monster sprouted from the ground trying to swallow his Grandpa.

The monster resembled a worm about the size of a giant anaconda, had a shark-like face protected by a rocky exoskeleton and a mouth full of huge teeth. It was a very terrifying creature.

Molly and Elliot shot at the monster using their guns, while Tomyx fired lasers from his eyes at it, and Lucky Girl blasted it with her mana. The creature quickly buried itself in the ground again, trying to avoid the attacks.

Using his enhanced senses, Wildmutt realized the monster was "swimming" through the ground around the six, like a shark circling its prey.

"Ben, point us where the monster is, and bark when it is going for an attack!" Max shouted.

Wildmutt obeyed, and his arm - paw - followed the trajectory of the giant shark-worm. When he realized it was about to rise from the ground again, Wildmutt barked pointing out the direction where the monster was coming from, and everyone was able to avoid the incoming attack. The shark-worm once again buried itself into the ground, but not before taking a few hits - a burst of bullets, laser beams and mana blasts.

If they could keep doing this 'procedure', they would kill the monster sooner or later... But the Omnitrix symbol on Wildmutt's left shoulder began to beep, glowing red and a couple of seconds later he returned to normal.

"Stupid watch!" Ben thought.

"Damn it! Without Watch Boy's alien, we are blind!" Molly snarled, "Lucky Girl, shield us!"

Lucky Girl obeyed and everyone stood around her, protected by a blue magic bubble. Seconds later, the giant monster struck again, his huge teeth creating cracks in the mana shield . . .

"How long can you keep this shield, Lucky Girl?" Molly asked.

"Not much if this monster keeps attacking like this," Lucky Girl replied.

"Tomyx, is this another one of Vilgax's pets, like that Squid-Monster Lucky Girl and I faced before?" Ben asked, "Do you know the weak spots of this thing, a way for us to kill it quickly?"

"No! In all my life, I've never seen a creature like that before," Tomyx said.

"If we are going to die, at least let's make it worth something," Elliot said, grabbing the communicator, "Director, there are giant shark-like worms living underneath the ground in the island. It will be a very lethal threat if our soldiers attack on foot."

"Acknowledged. Can you get out of there?" Steel asked.

"Yes, one of Watch Boy's aliens will take us out of here. We're safe," Elliot replied, turning off the communicator.

"What?" Ben asked. "My watch is on red mode, and this giant shark-worm is-"

"They wouldn't arrive in time to save us, and the last thing we need is dozens of agents rushing into this forest and being devoured by other monsters like this one," Elliot answered, interrupting Ben.

"He is right," Molly agreed with her partner.

The 'shark-worm' attacked again, deepening the cracks in Lucky Girl's mana bubble. Now the monster realized the team stopped fighting back and began a continuous strike against the shield. Ben's heart began to pound out of his chest. He immediately thought of Gwen, who would have to live without him and Grandpa Max if they were to die on this island.

"We can't just wait for it to kill us," Molly said. "I'll draw its attention. The rest of you climb up the trees, go as high as you can, and wait until Watch Boy can turn alien again."

Speechless, Ben realized Molly would sacrifice herself for the rest of them.

"Molly, we're partners. I'm not leaving you behind," Elliot tried to protest, while the shark-worm charged against the bubble one more time.

"I'm the leader here!" Molly shouted. "You will do as I say, Elliot!"

"No, you both go, I'll stay behind," Grandpa Max interrupted their discussion, "I'm too old to climb up a tree."

Ben knew it wasn't true. His grandfather might be old, but he was still strong and climbing up a tree wouldn't be that hard for him.

"No way," Ben insisted.

Even Lucky Girl was concerned for Grandpa Max. She glanced at him with a desperate look on her face. And maybe because she lost focus for a second, or maybe because her shield was already too fragile and full of cracks, but the blue magical bubble broke down after the next strike from the giant monster.

"RUN!" Molly yelled, as she began shooting at the shark-worm. But nobody would be left behind that day. Grandpa Max and Elliot started shooting at the creature too, ignoring Molly Gunther's orders.

A second before the monster could kill any of them, Tomyx shape-shifted his arms into tentacles and wrapped the shark-worm with them. He was doing his best to keep the gigantic creature - which probably weighed more than half a ton - immobilized.

"Run . . . all of you . . . I can't hold it . . . much longer . . ."

"No!" Ben shouted.

"Boy, you can't!" Max spoke.

"This was not the plan!" Molly yelled.

"GO! NOW!" Tomyx screamed.

Ben was feeling completely useless . . . but finally the watch glowed green again!

"NOW WE'RE TALKING!" Without wasting any time, Ben turned into Diamondhead - a silicon-based humanoid alien form whose body was composed of durable pale green crystals. He sported two crystal shards on his back and had a sharp point on his head. He wore a black uniform with a yellow "V" stripe on the middle of his torso. "I will take it from here, Tomyx!"

Diamondhead created a large cluster of crystals around the monster, immobilizing it. The monster started floundering to break the crystals, but the shark-worm was already very weakened by the battle, and wasn't able to free itself from the trap.

Diamondhead transformed his arms into diamond blades and furiously stabbed the creature multiple times, finally finishing it for good.

"YEAH!" He shouted. "Who's the baddest kid to ever save the day? That's right, I am!"

"You… all of you… You disobeyed my direct orders!" Molly Gunther said angrily "But . . . we worked together and we're all alive. So, you did a good job. Especially you two," she said, looking at Lucky Girl and Tomyx, "I might have misjudged you before because you're alien." and then she added, "But you - all of you - NEVER disobey my orders again!"

"Well, let's get our feet off the ground before this creature's siblings try to eat us," Max said, "Watch Boy, can you do something about this?"

Diamondhead began creating a crystal bridge for the team to walk safely above the ground, but a few minutes later the watched timed-out again.

"Don't worry guys, we will be able to keep moving in no time," Ben said, while everybody waited. "At least we're safe up here in this bridge and we don't have to worry about-"

Suddenly they heard the noise of swaying leaves coming from the trees . . . Seconds later, a small army of gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans approached the six agents, all with fur of different bluish tones, six arms and eight spider-like eyes. They had web coming out of their wrists, and they used their extra arms to hang on to their webs and remain above the ground - probably to avoid being attacked by the monsters who lived underneath.

"Invaders... Surrender now or we kill you." A spider-gorilla with light blue fur spoke in rusty English.

TO BE CONTINUED


Thanks to all reviews, favorites and follows! And thanks to Aurora Nightstar for beta reading this!