Chapter 34: The Human Torch and the Man of Steel
I don't want to sound repetitive, but I was wondering if you guys thought about that Alice in Wonderland parody at all. The character that would make a perfect Cheshire Cat is introduced and I want your opinion before I write the chapter. Like I said it won't be for a long time before I even think about writing it, but I still want you guys to give me your opinion on the story. As an incentive, did I mention there would be chainsaws involved?
...What, am I the only one whose excited about that? *sweat drop* Okay then.
And if you're too shy to review your opinion, you can always PM me. I promise not to bite your head off.
Kevin was still resolute in making the teleporter pad work. Evan called him an idiot.
"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," Kevin snapped back sarcastically. Evan narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"Don't," Carter said, alarmed. She was seeing the warning signs of an Evan blow out. If he wasn't careful, Kevin might lose a limb, or worse.
Evan looked back at her, his gaze softening a bit. And then he snapped back to Kevin and said, "Stop working on it, you greaser."
Kevin threw down the wrench he was holding and snarled, "What'd you call me?"
"A greaser," Gwen quickly interjected, getting in between the two boys. "It's a slang term from the 1950s for guys who really loved their cars."
Kevin looked at Evan, slightly mollified. Evan shrugged and turned away, crossing his arms. Carter walked over and picked the wrench back up. She handed it to Kevin and gestured towards the teleporter. He took the hint.
"You really should help him with that," Carter told Evan. Gwen face palmed.
"Are you starting that again?"
Outside the factory
Ben was sitting on the ground, his back against the wall. He should have been inside the factory with his friends, working out the functions of the teleporter and plotting their next move. But he couldn't look at the portal without thinking about Reiny, stuck on that desert planet in self-enforced exile, all because Ben helped him out.
He slammed his fist on the ground, hating how his eyes were pricking. But it was just so unfair, this bigoted High Breed supremacy. There was no higher order of aliens that was supposed to rule over the rest; Hitler's extermination plan proved it. And Reiny had eventually seen the flaws in the brainwashing, had seen the truth behind the thick veil of lies the High Breed's grew up with. He had actually been civil to Ben near the end. So why was he stuck on that planet, determined to rot?
Because it went against everything he believed in, Ventus said softly in Ben's head. For once, he was so incredibly glad to hear the god's voice. If there was a time to be coddled, it was now.
Reiny eventually realized that the mentality the High Breeds upheld for so long was false. You changed him Ben. It's a great thing, but Reiny is the only High Breed to sort of change his ways. As the odd one out, he would have been executed for going against the group. He may have thought it was safer to stay on that planet than to "contaminate" the other High Breeds with his new way of thinking.
Ben didn't say anything. There were no words to describe his feelings. He hugged his knees closer to him, staring up at the cloudless sky. The pricking behind his eyes was still there, but there was no point in crying. Ben had to lead his team in the rebellion. He couldn't afford to cry over every little thing.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Sam said, walking up to him. She had escaped the factory and Evan and Kevin's arguing, preferring to let the problem sort itself out. Of course, Gwen stayed behind to try to calm the angry teens, and Carter would stop Evan from blowing up. It was all a noble cause, but an exhausting one.
Ben turned to her, and Sam could see the exhaustion on his face; it was like he had aged ten years in only a few short hours. She sat beside him and Ben continued to stare at the sky.
"Can I ask what happened to you back there?" Sam asked, trying to catch Ben's eye. He stubbornly refused to meet her gaze, opting to stare at the starry night sky instead of talk. But then his shoulders sagged slightly, and he leaned against the cold wall, staring at the ground.
"I was able to see eye to eye with the High Breed," Ben said quietly. Sam started. With all their talk about High Breed supremacy, it was a shock to hear of even one of them speaking to the human vermin like an equal.
Ben continued: "It was hard at first, but Reiny and I eventually saw past our differences long enough to help each other out. I even reattached his arm after a giant bug bit it off." Ben smiled fondly at the memory, and then his mouth turned back into a thin straight line. "But he stayed behind because he said I contaminated him. Contaminated!" he scoffed angrily. "I freaking saved his life and he won't even say thank you!"
"That prick!" Sam cried out helpfully.
"I know!" Ben said. "And now he's stuck on that planet to rot because I helped him. And he's on a desert planet. Did you know High Breeds can only survive in a cold environment?" he asked her.
"I noticed," Sam said dryly, thinking of the weather towers.
"He's stuck on there because he can't contaminate the other High Breeds," Ben said, frustrated. "Just when you think someone's changed, they do this to you." He leaned back angrily against the wall, crossing his arms.
"Sounds like you did change him," Sam pointed out. "But if he went back and showed it, he'd be prosecuted by the other High Breeds. If he stayed on the desert planet, he'd at least be alive."
"I get that," Ben snapped, his angry façade cracking. "I get that, but it still hurts." Sam gently pulled him closer to her, putting his head on her shoulder and putting an arm around him. Ben stiffened, not used to such contact from the redhead, but soon he allowed himself to be comforted, closing his eyes as a few wisps of Sam's hair fell on his forehead.
"Do you want to hear a secret?" Sam asked suddenly, her voice a whisper.
"Sure," Ben answered softly.
She turned her gaze back towards the sky. "Evan, Carter and I have been doing a lot of speculation about why Cordelia forced us together."
Ben opened one eye and turned it on her. "Go on."
"We don't know for sure, because Cordelia never lets us know what she's planning until it's all over," Sam explained quickly. "But we think a lot of her hidden agenda has something to do with you."
"With me," Ben repeated.
Sam nodded slightly. "Uh-huh. We think it's because of your lineage. Not only is a Slayer your grandfather, but you're related to the greatest Plumber in history. You have the blood of two opposite forces in you, forces that will work with you or against you at any given moment. But because of your unusual circumstances, you're the only one who can end the feud between the Slayers and Plumbers once and for all."
"That's a lot of pressure," Ben remarked. The weight on his shoulders increased tenfold.
"Yeah, it is," Sam agreed. "And the only way to do it is to see both sides of the issue. That's why we want you to grow up so much. It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow or even next week. But one day you have to step up to the plate and take charge of the movement. You're the only one who can bring us together."
"So, no pressure then," Ben said dryly, his eyes squeezed shut.
Sam smiled softly. "But until then, you can do what Evan does: act like a goofy kid."
"I am not goofy!"
"Sure, Tennyson. Whatever you say."
A few days later
"What the hell?" Carter asked dumbly to Isaac's order. They were in the study once more with Cordelia nowhere in sight.
"Language, sweetheart," Isaac chided her. "But I don't blame you. Ben's name has been popping up all over the alien network, and it doesn't sound good."
"So what?" Carter asked. "Ben has a lot of enemies. Of course they're going to say bad things about him."
"Don't roll your eyes like that," Isaac said calmly. "This is no ordinary trash talk. According to the rumors Ben attacked a Forever Knight castle and completely destroyed it, including the people inside."
"That doesn't sound like him at all."
"It really doesn't," Isaac agreed. "What's worse is that it was an unprovoked attack. If this keeps up Ben's already fragile reputation as the universal hero will go up in flames."
"So what are your orders?" Carter asked seriously.
"I want you to track Ben down and interrogate him," Isaac commanded. "See if he's really behind everything. If he is then cut him down."
"But then your entire plan goes in the toilet!" Carter cried out, shocked. Cordelia was supposed to be the callous one, not Isaac.
"There are no exceptions," Isaac said sternly, his pupils stretching out until they were thin slash marks. "We've already allowed Ben too many allowances. We can't afford any more right now."
A monster seemed to be clawing at Carter's insides, crying out in anger at the unfairness of the situation. She wanted to scream, to destroy the bastard who was framing Ben and forcing her to hunt him down. Her hands were shaking, as if anticipating a possible strangulation. But she reeled in her emotions, becoming the obedient doll so many people expected her to be. There would be time to unleash her fury later.
"When do you want me to leave?" Carter said through clenched teeth.
The hearse drove through Ben's neighborhood. Sam tried to stare out of the tinted windows to no avail. She turned to Carter right across from her, but she was in no condition to talk. She was trying to look stoic, her legs and arms crossed and her face expressionless. The only problem was her eyes. The usual wolf gray looked stormy, an unusual shade that didn't belong on Carter's face.
The hearse stopped right in front of Ben's home. The lights were on in the living room; Carter and Sam would have to be careful when sneaking in. When they got out James rolled the car past them and out of sight. The girls then disappeared, their shadows stretching out towards the house and under the front door.
Ben and Evan were in the living room, sitting on the couches. Physic textbooks lay open on the coffee table, and worksheets and notes were strewn across the glass surface. Evan had stuck a pencil behind his ear and he watched as Ben quickly scribbled down notes. He was about to comment on his doppelganger's horrible penmanship when he felt an alien presence enter the room.
He stood up and said, "I know you're there." Carter and Sam appeared in front of the boys as if out of thin air. Ben stopped writing and looked at them, surprised. His pencil poised over the paper, he said:
"You guys know how to knock, right?"
"We're not here on a social visit, Ben," Sam said solemnly. "We have to interrogate you."
Evan's jaw dropped. "You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding."
"We wish we were," Carter said, her tone emotionless. "According to Isaac Ben attacked a Forever Knight castle without any provocation. He slaughtered almost everyone inside."
"I didn't do that!" Ben protested, getting on his feet. "Isaac know me, Carter. You know me!" His eyes tried to meet hers, and he was surprised at how cold they were. She never looked at him like that; her eyes were usually full of wit and mirth. To see the detachment directed at him was unnerving.
"We know that," Carter said resolutely. "I know that. But we have our orders." Ben sat down in shocked silence. Evan looked back and forth at the two of them, unsure of what to say.
"Isaac never said how we should conduct the interrogation," Sam interjected suddenly. "Besides, we already stated that we know Ben. A few harmless questions should be all the proof Isaac needs." Slowly, ever so slowly, Ben's smile returned to his face. Only then did the others show their relief.
The front door suddenly banged open, and Kevin and Gwen marched in with determined looks on their faces. "Congratulations, Tennyson," Kevin joked. "You're finally putting the Omnitrix to maximum use. You know clandestine butt-kicking wise." Gwen punched him in the shoulder. "OW!"
"I didn't destroy any damn castle!" Ben snapped at him, his good mood gone. Gwen looked at Sam and Carter.
"We already told him," Sam admitted.
"We saw him as Jetray flying away from a battle," Gwen told them angrily.
"That can't be. I've been here all evening forcing Evan to tutor me for a physics test tomorrow." Ben held up the textbook for emphasis. "It's my worst subject, and I've hardly gotten better even with Evan teaching me all week."
"It's true," Evan said blithely. "I never thought I'd see someone worse than Carter in math." Carter snatched the pencil from behind his ear and waved it in front of his face.
"You want me to shove this in your mouth?" she asked half-jokingly. "Or any part of your body, I'm not real particular where I stick this."
Sam quickly snatched back the pencil, a smile on her face. "I'm the one who's supposed to be threatening people, not you."
"Has it ever occurred to any of you that maybe Ben's not really studying?" Gwen narrowed her eyes at Ben, wisely ignoring the playful threat. Evan sighed.
"I've been with him nearly all week, Gwen. I'd think I notice if he was missing."
"Maybe you're in on it."
"Dude, we'd know if Evan was going around slaughtering people," Carter pointed out. "He hasn't had a blow out in almost a year."
"How do you know for sure?"
"When was that last Haitian earthquake?"
"Anyway," Sam said loudly when she saw the freaked out looks on everyone's faces, "the point is that we don't really know if it is Ben. I mean, there are millions of aliens out there. Anyone of them could have taken out the Forever Knights."
Gwen's shoulders sagged slightly, her expression weary. "Since Grandpa Max is gone we have to rely on each other. If you have a secret, spill it. Now."
"Ben really has been studying all week," Evan insisted. "He's been making progress, but if he doesn't pass tomorrow's test, his grade is sunk."
Carter suddenly lit up. "I know a way we can prove Ben's innocence." She turned to him and asked, "Did you or did you not just destroy a Forever Knights castle?"
"I didn't."
"I believe him," Kevin suddenly piped up.
"How do you know?" Gwen demanded to know.
"When he lies his left eye twitches."
"You caught on that too?" Carter said happily as Ben felt his eye out.
"Who knows, though?" Kevin suddenly turned serious. "You might've been blackin' out and sleep fightin.'"
"Is that even possible?" Sam asked Evan. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you think the Omnitrix is making you attack your enemies in your sleep?" Gwen no longer seemed to be accusing Ben.
Ben groaned. "If we're going to discuss this, I need chili fries, because someone didn't want any!" He yelled the last part at Evan.
Evan turned up his nose. "What? They're disgusting."
"I can't believe you forced me to come here!" Evan pouted in the backseat, his arms crossed over his chest. Gwen and Carter were on either side of him, Gwen staring out the window at the fast food joint, Carter with her face turned towards Evan.
"It was either that or stay at Ben's house," Carter pointed out. "By the way, how did his parents take it when they saw you?"
"They were surprised at first, but they took it in stride," Evan said with a shrug. "Having me around for the past week must have helped them get used to me."
"Well, that was fast," Kevin remarked from the driver's seat.
"Not really. A week should be-"
Kevin interrupted Evan. "I'm talkin' about Ben. He got his order really-hey, where's he goin'?" Everyone turned to see Ben walking out towards the parking lot far away from the Dodge Challenger. He seemed unusually angry and immediately changed into Big Chill.
"What the hell?" Sam exclaimed as the alien unfurled its giant wings and launched itself into the air.
"Something's wrong with him," Carter said as she got out of the car. "Kevin, Gwen, you track him from the car. Evan, Sam, and I'll take the skies." The other two immediately jumped out of the car and followed her as they ran towards the end of the parking lot. They too unleashed their strange wings and took off.
Gwen looked at Kevin from the backseat. He shrugged and started the car, immediately swerving out of the parking lot just as Ben Tennyson walked out of the restaurant.
Ben was no stranger to weird experiences. It was practically a given. But when the cook of the Burger Shack spoke to him like he'd already been there, well, that was a whole new level of weird. Obviously the cook had been seeing things-things like Ben doppelgangers, for instance-so he just chalked it up as a one-time mistake.
And then he saw Kevin's car speed out of the parking lot. Because today just couldn't get any weirder. Ben immediately turned into Big Chill and flew off after them.
"Ben!" Carter called out to the alien. He ignored her. She threw a snow ball at him. "Answer me!"
"Don't think that's going to work," Evan remarked as Big Chill headed towards the Forever Knight castle. He saw a bright light out of the corner of his eye. "Sam, why are you copying the Human Torch?"
A glowing red light emanated from Sam's body, her skin radiating extreme heat. She seemed like a fiery angel sent from the heavens to smite the nonbelievers. "I figured Kevin might want to follow the light."
"Smart," Carter commented as she lobbed another snow ball at Big Chill. Big Chill actually turned around and blew a cold blast from his mouth. Sam immediately got in front of it and blew it apart, turning the ice blast into steam. Just as quickly the steam disappeared, reappearing as a water whip in Carter's hand.
Big Chill didn't even turn around to see if the attack did its job. He was already speeding off towards the castle, the big gate within his sights.
Now thoroughly miffed, Carter sent her water whip at the alien, hitting him once on the rear with a large SNAP. Big Chill gave a yelp, rubbing his behind as he turned around glaring daggers.
"I need some room," Carter said to the others. Sam and Evan got the hint and flew to opposite sides of the battle area. Carter smirked and made a gesture that clearly meant 'Come at me bro.'
With an indignant cry Big Chill launched himself at Carter, fists flying. Carter put her arms up in the praying mantis position and blocked. Big Chill flew back a few feet to punch again. Carter grabbed his fist and prodded it sharply, hitting the pressure points. She drew the alien closer, getting all up in his buggy face.
"Who are you?" she demanded to know. "Why are you impersonating Ben Tennyson?"
The alien didn't bother to answer. He wrenched himself out of Carter's grasp and aimed a head kick at her. She blocked and hit another pressure point. He gave a grunt and aimed another jab with his hand. Carter grabbed that hand and head butted the alien.
The alien staggered out of her grasp, a hand to his head. Then he aimed another ice blast from his mouth. Eyes glowing sea green Carter put her hands out in front of her and moved them in a slight circular motion.
The alien's eyes bugged out as the ice he had been creating quickly turned into water. The water pooled in his mouth and he gagged as the liquid was forced out through his lips and into the air. The water drifted slowly upward, a grotesque image that belonged in a horror movie.
And suddenly, the water was completely out of his mouth and with a snap made its way towards Carter, moving at lightning speeds. It circled around her like a protective ring. With a strangled gasp Big Chill tried to fly away from her, speeding towards the Forever Knights castle once more.
"I've got a stupid idea and I'm not afraid to use it!" Evan cried out as his beloved twin guns were summoned into his hands. He flew after Big Chill, easily catching up to him. Big Chill looked back and tried to fly away faster, but Evan was having none of that.
He flew right on top of Big Chill, who didn't have the sense to look up. Evan gave a slight whistle, and the blue alien looked up alarmed. He turned his body sideways so that Evan and Big Chill were truly facing each other, once on top of the other.
And then Evan's wings contracted into his back, and he fell on top of the alien. They plummeted down to the ground with Carter and Sam screaming Evan's name.
With the wind whistling past him and the ground nearing, Evan shoved the barrel of one gun into the alien's mouth and said with a grin: "Don't worry! This'll kill you before the ground does."
This did not relieve Big Chill.
With a dead man's effort he wrestled with Evan in midair, the two of them rolling around and around as they fell to their deaths. Carter and Sam flew after them at top speed, Carter disappearing into the night, Sam appearing as a falling meteor. They watched as Evan and Big Chill crashed into the trees and disappeared into the ground below with a plume of debris wafting from the wreckage. They doubled their speed and landed on the crash site.
The Forever Knights castle, which was just a few yards away, had guards posted around the entrance. They noticed something falling through the sky, had seen the crash and heard the thunderous boom when the thing landed. The stationed guards alerted the men inside and some went out to investigate.
Evan had been temporarily knocked out, but he came to rather quickly considering he had just fallen from the sky. When he opened his eyes, he could barely make out a glowing blue hand reaching towards him.
"Out of all the stupid things you've done all these years, this one tops them all," Carter scolded him as she lifted his head into her arms. Evan gave a weak chuckle, but then winced as his eagle-spread body sent pain through him.
"Out of all the stupid things I've done, this one barely scrapes the middle," Evan said in a raspy voice. "Admit it."
"No!" Carter huffed as she worked her magic.
It really was stupid you know, Erda said in Evan's head. Instead of yelling, he sounded exhausted. Clearly all the years of watching and protecting his vessel from dying because of his reckless stunts detached himself from the enormity of the situation. If it wasn't earth you landed on, you'd be dead.
If I didn't have Cordelia's training, I would have been dead before I hit the ground.
…Touché. But next time, think before you act.
But I did think before I act. I knew that with Cordelia's training and with you looking out for me, I'd be alive, Evan thought cheekily. Erda gave a low growl but said nothing.
Sam was in the middle of the road, her red glow alerting Kevin of where she was. It also alerted the Forever Knights that she was an otherworldly creature and therefore must be destroyed, no questions asked.
The barbarians screamed and hoisted their alien weaponry at Sam. Sam stood with her feet apart in a ready stance when Big Chill appeared out of nowhere and instantly turned the Knights to ice with a blast from his mouth. Without looking at her he sped off towards the entrance. Sam turned her glow off and went after him.
"YOU!" Sam bellowed at Big Chill. He landed on the ground and stared at her apprehensively. About four Forever Knights took advantage of this and aimed their laser guns at the two aliens. Sam gave an annoyed sigh and snapped her fingers.
Immediately the weapons burst into the flames. The men holding them shrieked and flung them into the moat under the drawbridge they were standing on. With her eyes glowing red Sam could imagine the Knights hair suddenly catching fire, forcing them to abandon their posts.
It worked instantly. With the acrid smell of burning hair and the painful screams of grown men the four Knights threw themselves into the water and swam away. Big Chill looked at her with fear etched on his face.
"Stay right here," Sam hissed at him, enunciating each word with a jab at his chest. Her eyes were narrowed and still glowing red, giving her the look of an angry demon.
That was when the Dodge Challenger finally pulled up. Carter and Evan decided to reappear just then as well, Carter half-carrying, half-dragging the brunette towards the entrance.
"About time you showed up," Sam admonished Gwen and Kevin when they finally got out of the car. "You missed the best part."
"What happened to you?" Kevin asked Evan, concerned.
Carter scowled. "Don't worry about him, he'll be fine."
Evan fixed a grin. "You know me. I'm made of steel."
"Anyway, do you mind telling us what the hell you've been doing?" Gwen snarled at Big Chill, who had decided not to escape lest he incurred the wrath of his attackers. Sure, one of them would have to be hospitalized, but the other two looked fine and they had brought back up.
"It's not Ben," Carter told her. Gwen turned around and glared at her, hands on her hips.
"How can it not be Ben? It's got the Omnitrix symbol!" She pointed a finger at the symbol on the alien's chest. It indeed was the Omnitrix symbol.
"Maybe the Omnitrix really is controllin' 'im," Kevin said.
Just then another Big Chill swopped down in front of him, the Omnitrix symbol proudly showing on his chest. "What's up, guys?" he asked in his breathy voice.
Everyone turned to the Big Chill in front of Kevin and the Big Chill in front of Sam. "The fuck is going on?" Evan wondered out loud.
Suddenly the Omnitrix timed out, and the alien in front of Kevin turned back in Ben. "Seriously, why'd you guys leave me back there?" He then noticed the alien at the end of the drawbridge. "Who's this?"
The other alien was suddenly bathed in greenish white light, and the muscular alien turned into a scrawny human boy with familiar brown hair and green eyes, wearing jeans, a black t-shirt, and the signature green jacket with the ten in a black circle over his heart.
"Hello there," Ben Tennyson said with a smile.
Like I said earlier, you can PM me your answer if you're too shy. I really want to hear your opinion on this, because it'll be the first time I write something about Alice in Wonderland.