Author's Note: Heya! Welcome back to Danger Watch. We got another late night chapter for you tonight. Updates are coming a little slower now that things are sort of rolling back towards normalcy. However, I'm still working hard to bring you the DW Universe! Hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks for reading!

Chapter Thirteen - The Plan

The next morning began with another earthquake. The trembling ground shook the covers off of Jake's sleeping form, and onto the floor of the room Hinobi had provided him. Jake groaned, and rolled over, squeezing his eyes shut. Eventually the quake subsided, and Jake remained in bed for a few more minutes before, with a sigh, he sat up.

He realized, with a pang of embarrassment, that he must have been carried to bed. Probably by Jenny. From what he remembered, he had fallen asleep while keeping a vigil over Ben and Steven. The young dragon's embarrassment doubled, then, as a faint scent passed his nostrils… Green apple. Gwen's shampoo. The smell was still lingering on his shoulder. Turning crimson in the face, Jake shook off the wave of confusing feelings and quickly dressed himself. As he was pulling on the sleeves of his favorite red jacket, there was a knock at the door. Jake went over and opened it.

"Hey," said Steven, as he was revealed on the other side.

"Yo," Jake said. "How'd it go last night?"

"Good," Steven said.

"Your dream thing worked, then?"

"Uh huh," Steven confirmed.

"How's everyone else?"

"They're getting their stuff together for the mission. We're gonna meet in the rec room. You're the last one I had to tell."

"Mission?" Jake asked. Steven nodded.

"Yeah. Come on, I'll explain when we get there."

"Wha- OK," Jake said, still somewhat confused. He exited the room, and the two of them began to walk through the halls of the Hinobi Base.

When they finally arrived at the arcade room where they had played Mortal Kombat several nights prior, Jake was reaching the end of his patience. However, just as he was about to open his mouth to ask Steven what was happening, the other boy froze. Jake raised an eyebrow at him, and Steven gulped. Jake followed his gaze, and found Miko, leaning against the door to the rec room, looking at them with raised eyebrows.

"So," she said, as the two of them approached. "What's with the secret meeting?"

Steven sputtered.

"What? Secret meeting?" He said, trying to play it off like she was making it up. Miko's expression didn't shift. She saw right through him.

"I've worked at Hinobi long enough to know a secret rendezvous when I see one," she said, jerking her thumb towards the translucent door. She was indicating the others gathered there: Gwen, Ben, and of course, Jenny the XJ-9. She in particular looked sheepish. Miko clarified further. "Plus, Jenny spilled, so you may as well give it up. What's this plan of yours?"

Steven looked from Jake, to Miko, to Jenny, and then sighed, admitting defeat.

"Not here," he said, glancing past Miko's shoulder to the various Hammer Agents that were loitering around. "Inside."

Miko raised her other eyebrow now, but, reading Steven's expression, shrugged and opened the door to the rec room. The three of them filed inside, with the agent closing the door behind them. Then, she crossed her arms, tapped her foot, and surveyed the room full of youngsters like a disappointed homeroom teacher.

"Well?" Miko asked, in a far more demanding tone than she intended to. It was then that she took note of her posture, and cringed internally. When had she become such an adult? She was only 22, but she was nagging like she was 50. With a sigh, she adjusted her stance, trying to appear a bit more open to the teens. "What's going on?"

Steven sucked in a breath.

"We're going to the moon."

"What?" Gwen interjected.

She wasn't the only one surprised by Steven's plan. Ben and Jake also looked hesitant. Miko just seemed contemplative, as if she were running the logistics over in her mind. Jenny alone seemed excited by the proposal.

"Yes! Finally!" She exclaimed, pumping a robotic fist in the air. When everyone gave her strange looks, her fierce smile melted somewhat. "Erh, sorry."

"Do you even know the first thing about the moon?" Miko asked coolly. Steven tugged at the collar of his shirt, which had suddenly become quite warm.

"Uh, I mean-"

"'Cuz I've been up there," Miko continued. "I've seen it. I know what's on that base. I know what Vilgax's forces look like… And I don't know if you're ready."

At that, Steven's face shifted from anxious to determined. The others behind him took note of a change in posture, and Miko saw a new steel shine behind his eyes. When he spoke, his voice was more solid. More realized.

"I get that. I do, but I don't think that matters anymore. People we care about… People that I care about are stuck up there, in terrible danger. I can't just sit here. I know that the mission down here is important too, but Director Wakeman said it herself… We're only getting in the way. There's no reason we shouldn't try to help."

After he finished his speech, Steven's voice rang in the air for several moments, as everyone absorbed what he said. Then, there was a mechanical whirr as Jenny stood up beside him. She too had a fiery look in her eyes, and she looked hard at Miko.

"Are you gonna try to stop us?" She asked quietly.

Miko stared at her, and then sighed, putting her hands up like she was guilty.

"No," she admitted. "I don't plan on stopping you. I want to see Five home… and Garnet too. I would like to keep my job, though. So as far as I know, this little meet-up never actually happened. Got it?"

Steven's heart soared with relief, and Jenny too put on a smile. The android quickly flung herself into a hug with the Hammer Agent, who flinched and groaned on impact. She was, after all, still recovering from her own trip to the moon. However, she returned the hug, and when she was free of Jenny's vice grip, she turned and looked sternly to Ben.

"Just… Don't let the alien warlord guy get ahold of your doomsday device, OK kid?" She said.

Ben snorted, and confidently held up the Omnitrix as if to show her how firmly he planned on keeping it.

"Yeah, right. Vilgax is dreaming if he thinks he can take me on in the real world," he said, grinning at his own cleverness. Gwen, beside him, rolled her eyes.

"Good luck… Stay safe."

With that, Miko was gone, closing the door behind her, and leaving the team of teens alone with their pre-mission thoughts. Ever the encouraging one, Steven was the first to break the silence.

"We can do this guys," he said. "Now, let's talk strategy."

From there, the team began to discuss their best plan of attack. Firstly was the matter of transport. They decided that it would be best to try and use the warp pad, assuming that it was still functional. That ran the risk of being seen, but if they were stealthy enough, it was a straight shot to the moon base. After that, there was figuring out how to breathe with no atmosphere. Ben figured he would be alright, as long as he was in some kind of transformation. Jenny, of course, was an android, and didn't need to breathe after all.

"So that just leaves me, Jake, and-" Steven started to say.

"No," Gwen cut him off. "I'm not going."

"You're not?" Steven asked.

"What, are you crazy? News flash, Steven. I don't have superpowers," the girl said.

"You'll be safer down here anyway," Ben said.

"Yeah," Jake agreed. Ben squinted at him, but decided to let it go.

"I'll stay down here and run interference," Gwen said. "For the record, I think this is a terrible plan."

"Who cares what you think," Ben said. Gwen stuck her tongue out at him, and he mimicked the gesture, and Steven put his hands up to calm them down.

"OK, OK," he said. "Thanks, Gwen. If you can deflect some of the pressure off of us, that would be awesome. We know how Director Wakeman and Pearl feel about us getting… 'involved.' However, that still leaves us with the breathing in space problem."

"I, uh, think I might have something for that," Jake said.

From there, they split up, going to their respective rooms to gather up the supplies that they would need for the coming journey. Steven went to his bunk, stuffing various items into his cheeseburger shaped backpack. A flashlight, a frozen ice cream sandwich shaped like a cat, and several other things that could prove useful. Jenny and Ben didn't have much to bring, and so were loitering around at the front of the Hinobi building, trying to look as casual as possible.

Jake, meanwhile, had stopped by his room for something very specific. Digging around in the room that he had gotten rather messy, considering his short tenure there, he managed to find what he was looking for. A brown leather satchel, with a few clattering bottles still inside. Fizzing green potions, two of which he pulled out with a satisfied face. The same potions that had allowed Ms. Silver the mermaid to breathe outside of water.

"If they worked for her," he had reasoned to the rest of the group, "I think it might work for us, too."

It was a hope, but a strong one, and as Jake was turning to leave, he was feeling fairly confident in his clever plan. However, just as he was about to exit the room, he found himself stopped by someone standing in the doorway. Jake froze, caught by surprise, as he studied the face of the person before him.

"Uh, hey," Gwen said. "Can we talk for a second?"

Jake looked surprised.

"Uh, yeah, sure, but-" he said.

"I know, I know. You've got the mission, but… Well," Gwen's face went pink, and then slowly shifted into red, right up to the tips of her ears. She rubbed her arm and looked off to the side. "I don't know what will happen to you up there. So, I guess, uh… I just wanted to…"

Jake looked confused.

"What is it?" He asked. Then, without warning, she kissed him on the cheek. It was a quick kiss, just a little peck, but it left his cheek tingling.

Jake blinked. Gwen, still blushing furiously, looked at her feet, wringing her hands.

"I… kinda… like you."

Outside the room, Steven, who had been coming to check on Jake and the potions, froze, his eyes wide. Then, he quickly pressed himself up against the wall. His curiosity getting the best of him, the half-gem began to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Woah… really?" Jake said. Gwen blushed further, and threw her hands up to cover her face.

"I knew it, you don't feel the same way. Ugh, god! I'm sorry, this was stupid," she said immediately.

"Hey, hang on!" Jake said, as she was turning to rush out. She paused at the door. Outside, only a few feet away, Steven's heart raced. He had just been about to bolt when she paused at the doorway. He was still considering it.

"I'm sorry," Gwen said.

"I- Don't be," Jake said, sympathy in his voice. "It's really flattering. And, you're like, really cool. It's just… I sort of… There's this other girl."

Steven's eyes went even wider. The tea was truly spilling now.

"Oh…" Gwen said, sounding somewhat crestfallen. However, she tried to play it off, now, and turned to face him. "What's her name?"

"Rose."

Steven choked on his own spit. The strange gagging sound that he made then caught Jake and Gwen's attention, and the two of them quickly poked their heads around the corner to see the half-gem doubled over. Steven's gaze quickly snapped up to them, and he froze. Caught!

"Steven?" Gwen asked furiously. ""Were you listening?"

"I'm sorry!" Steven said immediately.

"I'd expect this from Ben, but you, Steven?!" She said.

"OK, I'm sorry! I was just coming to check on the breathing potions! I didn't mean to listen in," he said. Then, as Gwen somewhat eased up, Steven turned to Jake. "Did you say… Did you say Rose?"

Jake winced, and rubbed the back of his neck, as if he had just been caught doing something he knew was wrong.

"Oh… Right. Um… Gramps told me about your mom. He, uh, said not to mention her name… Sorry, dude. Different Rose."

Steven suddenly looked nearly as embarrassed as Gwen.

"Oh," was all he said. Then, he looked to the two green potions in Jake's hand. "Those the potions?"

"Yeah," Jake said, holding them up. "I'm ready when you are."

Steven nodded.

"Cool… Let's do it, then. Not a second to lose."

With that, he turned and walked away, his pink sandals flap-clapping on the sleek Hinobi tiling. Jake turned to Gwen with an apologetic smile. She just sighed.

"Sorry," he said again.

"I'll live, dragon-breath," Gwen said, her attitude shifting immediately.

"Woah, hey, that's harsh! Weren't you just major crushing on me, like, two seconds ago?" Jake teased. Gwen rolled her eyes.

"I think you made that up in your head," she said. Then, they both grinned, and she held out a fist. Jake bumped it. "Good luck."

"Thanks. Hope we won't need it," Jake said.

Gwen nodded, and the dragon departed. Once he caught up with Steven, the two of them unstoppered their potions, said bottoms-up, and drank them in one gulp. They tasted, strangely, of lime Jell-O. Then, the two of them caught up with Jenny and Ben.

"Ready?" Steven asked.

"So ready," Ben said. He has decided on what alien he would be for this mission. It was a speed based mission. They were on the clock. He had just the guy. The outline of the raptor-like alien was hovering inches beneath Ben's palm, waiting to be pressed. "Say the word."

Steven looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Everyone who was outside of the base seemed to be focused on the drill. The coast was clear.

"On my mark," he said. "3… 2… 1! Go!"

There was a green flash, and Ben was instantly replaced with a sleek, blue and black alien. It had a long tail, a spikey head, and thick, clawed feet.

"XLR8!" Ben shouted. Then, as quickly as he was there, he was gone. The other blinked, and the blue streak had dashed across the Hinobi front lawn and zipped all the way to the warp pad. Jenny and Jake shook their heads.

"Show off," Jake grumbled, as the rest of the group began to jog their way towards the warp pad as well. As they got closer, they saw that Ben was tapping his foot impatiently, which sparked Jenny to roll her eyes. They were almost to the warp pad when another earthquake hit.

The teens paused, and Steven and Jake were nearly thrown to the ground. However, that was the least of their concerns. As the quake subsided, and the people working on the drill gathered their composure, one of them took note of the teens, making their way towards the warp pad. The Hammer Agent, whose name tag read Bergy, tapped Pearl on the shoulder, pointing out the situation to her. The alien was instantly alarmed.

"Steven!" She shouted. "Where are you going?!"

Just as he was arriving at the warp pad, Steven froze. He knew that voice. He didn't even want to turn around and look at Pearl. He knew exactly what expression her face would be in. He didn't want to face the guilt. However, as he slowly turned, he saw that she had been joined by an old man in a Hawaiian shirt. Ben's grandpa, Max.

"Ben, no!" He shouted, running as fast as he could. "What do you think you're doing?! Stop! You're bringing it right to him!"

"Hit the thing, Steven!" Ben hissed. Steven gulped, looking at Pearl, fear in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Pearl," he said. "I know what we have to do."

With that, he closed his eyes and concentrated. Then, the entire crew on the warp pad were engulfed in a glowing white light. There was a loud chime, and then the four of them vanished into a beam of light. The beam streaked up into the sky, and disappeared just as Max and Pearl made it to the edge of the forest. The old man was panting, and Pearl was scowling up in disapproval.

"Damn it, Steven… You're too much like your mother," she muttered.

"What do we do? Do we go after them?" Max asked, between puffing breaths.

At that very moment, a loud alarm began to sound. The same alarm as before. Intruders. The two of them swapped glances, and craned their necks in search of the disturbance. They didn't have to look very far, as a large, pastel shape came tumbling out of the tree-line, lunging at them with its limbs of varying sizes. Max's muscle memory saved him, as he instinctively tucked into a combat roll and narrowly avoided getting his ribcage broken by a swinging arm. Pearl, meanwhile, tucked low and somersaulted between the creature's legs, coming out on the other side.

"Not these again!" She said.

"These are those prototypes Wakeman mentioned!" Max said.

"Very astute, Maxwell. Here," Pearl said, reaching into the glowing gemstone on her forehead and producing a double barreled shotgun. Max's mouth formed a surprised 'O', and Pearl made to hand it off to him. "I assume you can shoot this? Come on, it's coming back!"

"Oh, I can shoot," Max said, taking the gun out of her hands and cocking it into position. More of the creatures were pouring in from the tree line now, and he and Pearl backed up, meeting with a line of Hammer Agents in similar combat stances. "Let's just hope I have enough ammo."

Meanwhile… On the Moon…

The chime sounded again, and the teens re-emerged onto the warp pad. With a quick flash of heat and flame, Jake assumed the form of the Dragon. Luckily for he and Steven, the breathing potions did their job, as they had no trouble breathing despite the lack of atmosphere. Steven, for his part, summed his shield, which gave off a faint pink glow in the vacuum of space. Jenny stepped forward, her twin-tails spinning, and looked at the readout that was flying across her vision.

"The moon base is this way," she said, pointing in a direction. "A few minutes walk."

They all nodded firmly, as the gravity of the situation settled in.

"Alright, guys," Steven said. "Let's go save our friends."