Chapter 5: The Search
(Girl's dorm cafeteria) (Tuesday) (11:45 AM) (Gwen's POV)
I finished the last of my class early that day. Mr. Dulge, my algebra teacher gave us a small quiz on some formulas to work on and of course I managed to ace it without even taking a second look. I trained and studied back in Mt. Rushmore in the Plumber's top secret base buried beneath the neck of George Washington. In there I trained in martial arts, practice in shooting range and on my free time I like to spend my time in the library reading books. You wouldn't imagine how many books they had in that place. It made the international library of Bellwood look like a magazine store compared to its size.
I enjoyed plenty of my time there in the library, but only because I could actually spend some time with grandpa Max during his off shift. Being the head of a secret service police force can be really time consuming. But no matter what danger happens or how piled up his works were, he always had time for me and Cooper. But one of the greatest things that library had to offer was its magazines. Whenever Plumber agents are on an intergalactic mission, they'd always bring a piece of literature back home. I'm not talking like your standard monthly magazines. I was talking about alien magazines. Holographic books that you can read if you had the right tools.
But books and libraries aside, after I finished my test ahead of the others, my professor gladly allowed me to leave the class so that I can have an early lunch. When I got back to my dorm, I noticed Alfonse and Edger were not in their post today. Instead I saw a female guard watching the place eating a cup of instant noodles. She must be on her lunch break.
When I finally got to the cafeteria, I noticed that there were several students having their lunch as well. I know several faces from my classrooms but currently, 99.5 percent of the faces here in school are still unknown to me. As I got my meal from the cafeteria lady I suddenly noticed one hand waving at me. It was Daniel, the high school girl I met a couple of days ago.
"Gwen!" she called me with her hand still up, "Over here!" it really was an invitation I could not refuse. Since many of the students here have heard that I was now called 'alien girl' I have been practically labeled as an 'uncool' person.
"Hey Daniel, what are you doing here?"
"I'm on my lunch break right now" she answered, "That lady you spoke in the cafeteria is my mom. She works here every weekdays so I get my food for free"
"Is that a fact?" I tilted my brow in slight surprise as I smiled back at her. "I guess I can see the family resemblance. You do have her eyes"
"Yeah, people say that a lot" she replied while taking a bite off her sandwich, "Anyway, are you still researching on those aliens?"
"Unfortunately… yes"
"But why?" she gulped down before speaking, "Aren't you worried about what other people say about you? I mean, being called 'alien girl' isn't exactly a good thing in school"
"It's my job" I answered, "I'm working for the Damien newsletter in the downtown district and my boss wants me to get as much info as I can about them. So to sum it all up… I got to do it, or I don't get paid" well… I guess this really wasn't a lie. It was my job to find more info about Ben and his alien heroes, but money wasn't exactly the problem. I had so much money in my pockets right now that I could practically buy myself a mustang (car) and drive it around town without insurance.
"But I thought the Damien newsletter only goes for facts, not fiction"
"Actually it was my boss's idea to put in a special report. Besides, a lot of people saw them, I think it's safe to say that's it legit" if I had said that to Ben back in the Burger Palace in the mall, he would've been rolling his brain looking for a comeback. Man… just thinking about it now makes me feel a bit stupid.
"Man, talk about harsh" Daniel replied, "To research about something that'll make you look like an alien girl in front of other students (pause) Um… I meant that in a good way"
I chuckled at her, "Don't worry. I'm used to being called a loser back in high school. It's no big"
"But still…"
But before she could finish, I suddenly felt a strange vibration coming from my purse. I knew the sound well… it was my Plumber badge. It didn't give out any obvious noise but the vibration and the feint ringing it gave was very familiar to every agent out there in the organization. "Sorry Daniel, I need to use the rest room for a minute" I excused myself from the table and quietly made my way to the bathroom on the first floor. Luckily for me there was no one around.
After I entered one of the latrines I locked the entryway and opened up my Plumber badge to see who in the world was calling. "Hello?" came a person's voice as his face popped up on screen. "Is this agent 501 Gwendolyn Tennyson?" he was a black guy with fuzzy hair wearing a blue coat. He didn't look like any Plumber I met before during my missions but I guess beggars can't be choosers.
"Speaking…" I replied with my earphone on. "And you are?"
"Agent 2041 Almer Brown ma'am" he answered with a salute. "I was assigned to Old Bellwood a few days ago by agent Cooper. He told me to report to you as soon as possible" thank you Cooper, FINALLY, some real intel.
"What have you got Almer?"
"Well, unfortunately ma'am I don't really have much" he began. "The security at entrance to the district is tight and the whole place is considered a no man's land. All laws are considered to be null and void there and the place is being run by small gang factions and war-bosses. Curfew for that area is nine o'clock and ends at seven in the morning. Anyone caught before those times try to leave the district will be arrested and if necessary… shot on sight. Also… anyone who tries to swim out of the district will also be shot on sight"
"Ok… I think that qualifies for extremely weird and strange. Why would the mayor close off one of the oldest sights in the entire city?"
"From the official statement from the mayor, he said that the city's power supply was already pushing it to its limits" Almer explained, "It's a strange situation but thanks to his support from the high class citizens of Bellwood, the mayor continues to remain in power today"
"That figures" I sighed, "Anyway, can you give me a report on the Omnitrix? Is there any clues that might point that he's ever been there?"
"If you're talking about Ben ma'am, I'm afraid to say I don't have much info on that topic. The Slums is a very big district and also extremely dangerous. I barely made it pass the gate myself. The moment you step in there, you'll know that you're a target. I even got attacked myself"
"That bad huh?"
"Not really. Just a couple of thugs but nothing I can't handle. I doubt the Omnitrix is anywhere near here ma'am. But if you want, I can go and check the place again and report back to you tomorrow"
"That's a plan" I smirked, "But take someone with you this time. I'll have Cooper send you a partner so you can search the district faster"
"Understood. I'll call the chief right away. Almer out" and with that the screen turned black. After I closed my badge I immediately let out a small sigh of relief. I was really sure that Ben was in the Slums since it was the only place that the law was lightest. Even before the lockdown it was still a peaceful district. Mostly elders and veterans would retire there and live out the rest of their days. I researched on the World Wide Web a couple of days ago and found many pictures of views and attraction that place had to offer. But now, I guess it was just a place for crooks to hang out.
With nothing left to do I quickly cleaned myself up and walk out of the restroom. Daniel was still there on the table waiting for me, but he had already finished up her meal. I joined her again and smiled. "So… who called? Was it your boyfriend?" she teased me, as if I was like a high school girl.
"No" I replied plainly. "It was my friend from work. He had some info that I needed for work. Nothing big"
"But you do have a boyfriend, right?"
"Honestly? Nope… and before you ask… no not even in high school"
"That's impossible!" Daniel said in disbelief, "You've got to be kidding, right? I mean you're pretty and tall and smart… I bet you had tons of admirers back in your high school" now that she mentioned it, I did get a lot of votes of becoming class president every year in school. I also received tons of flowers and love letters in my locker as well. "You must've had at least one boyfriend"
Well… in truth… I did have one…
"Well… there was this… one guy…" I muttered blushing slightly. "Back at my first job who… umm…"
"Aha! So you did have a boyfriend!" she cheered up in victory like a Christmas tree. "So tell me about him. Spill! I've got to know! Tell me all about him!"
"Whoa… easy nosy girl" I chuckled at her child like expression. She seemed too small and too innocent to be a high schooler. "Well back in high school, I had a semi-crush on this guy"
"What was his name?"
I paused for a moment before replying, "His name… was Kevin Levin"
"What was he like?"
"Well… he was strong, charming… in his own way and great in sports. He was more of a muscle man than brains but he was polite. And he had this amazing secret ability that only he had. He was probably the perfect guy for me"
"So how far did you go in your relationship?" she grinned from ear to ear like she was trying to pry some information out of my brain with her twisted words of destruction, "Did you get your first kiss?"
"No" I answered, "But we did go on a date a couple of times. He was really sweet during one of the dates we had in the carnival. You should've seen him try to smash one hit pin that time. He got me a stuffed teddy bear the size of table after that"
"He must've been a great guy"
"Yeah… he was…" I sipped my coffee in return.
"So if he was such a great guy, why did you break up with him?" that question hit me right on top of my head like a hammer on a nail. It was true that I did have a relationship with Kevin, and everything seemed like it was going in the right direction… until… he betrayed me…
Back about seven or six years ago, Kevin was actually just a kid living on the streets fending on his own. He had an ability that allowed him absorb energy through his hand and made him near superhuman. When he and Ben met, he tried to steal power from the Omnitrix, thus turning him into a mutated monster that had the strength of almost two hundred soldiers. He and I clashed a couple of times back in those days and I had to admit that he was indeed an opponent you wouldn't want to mess with.
After the Plumbers managed to capture him, grandpa Max reverse engineered his DNA and turned him back to his human form, but he still retained his energy absorbing abilities. After a couple of months in rehab, he was finally allowed to go wherever he pleases. But surprisingly, he seemed to have taken an interest in the Plumber organization.
I felt a little unsure at first whether to trust him or not but Grandpa Max decided to give him a second chance to try it out. I was of course in charge of keeping an eye on him. He went through basic training without much of a hitch but when it came to written exams he could barely even think of the right answers.
Eventually… he managed to pass the trials and became a Plumber agent. I really had to call that plain irony because he was now working with the organization that captured him.
After awhile, Kevin soon earned my trust and the trust of many other agents out there on the field. When he and I were in the Plumber business together, we were always paired in groups on special missions. Kevin was as tough as a rock and almost immovable like a mountain. We became something like the dynamic duo or something. He was the muscle and I was the brain behind his strength. We fought hundreds and probably even thousands of opponents at once and never before did he fail me or the Plumbers… until one fateful day… when everything turned upside down.
A couple of months after Kevin was instated as a full fledge Plumber agent, he soured through the rookie ranks faster than most agents. He taught a lot of students how to be stubborn and persistent, but he always kept them in line no matter what. He was even offered to be come one of the disciplinary officers in the organization but he declined it.
And at the same time that he began teaching new recruits, there had been several high tech equipments missing from several Plumber basses. It was usually just small electronic tools that could be replaced from the storehouse but after a couple of weeks, bigger things began disappearing from high security vaults. Heavy assault vehicles, weapons and even R&D blue print projects.
I suspected it to be him at first but I could push myself to admit it. I knew there was some good in Kevin, but after finally catching him red handed… everything seemed to make sense.
"He…… he took advantage of me…" I answered back lowering my cup back on the tray.
Daniel's face soured as if she was trying to apologize for that question, "Oh… sorry……… so uh… what happened after that?"
Kevin was stealing weapons and tools from the Plumber base and selling it off to customers that paid for the device. It didn't matter if they were aliens or humans, as long as he gets the green he was happy.
"Well… we had an argument" I answered back. But I wasn't really talking about a small time argument like yelling or something like that. I was referring to a real brutal fight. When the Plumbers finally caught up to him, he destroyed the entire supply yard and severely injured many Plumber agents in the process. I was also incapacitated by his attacks so I couldn't tell who managed to take him down. The next thing I know, I was waking up in the infirmary with a bandage on my head. From the reports and the videos recorded by several other Plumbers who were part of the operation, Kevin seemed to have found a way to revert himself back and forth from his mutated Omnitrix form and his human form. It took an entire assault force to take him down and by then he was probably disintegrated into atoms.
"I see… sorry I guess I shouldn't have asked"
But I simply waved it off Daniel, "Oh don't be. It's not often I get to talk about my own personal life with another person. How about you? Do you have a boyfriend Daniel?"
She blushed slightly as she replied, "Well… not really… I guess you could… call it… that ahehehe"
"Ohh…" I grinned nosily at her. It was time to dig for her for some dirt. "And may I ask who the lucky one is?"
"Oh would you look at the time. Sorry but I have to go back to school now. Later Gwen, nice talking to you bye!" and right before I could even say another word, she grabbed her bag and dashed so fast that my eyes couldn't even catch up. She must be in the track and field team to run that fast. I should know… I participated in it back during my high school years.
"Hehe… silly girl" I chuckled as I got back to my meal.
(Ben's house) (03:00 PM) (Ben's POV)
I came out of my house pretty late that afternoon. My head was spinning around and around like I had some kind of a hangover in Chicolo's bar place. In truth I never once touched a glass of alcohol in my hand nor smoke a tube of cigarette before. I know that a lot of people take them to relieve stress but I simply see them as a waste of my time and money. I had better use of what dough I had in my pocket rather than to waste it all on beers and death sticks.
When I finally got out of my bathroom, I noticed Wallace sleeping on the couch in the living room. There was a half eaten loaf of bread on the table and some bottles of fresh water that I've been saving for a rainy day. Alex was probably still upstairs sleeping away the fever that she got. Well… without breakfast and nothing to eat for another week or so, I decided to hightail it to the industrial district to find myself a small job. I know it wasn't going to get me much but it'll help me get through the day.
But before I left, I quickly tore a piece of paper from my notepad and wrote a little message to the little guy. He would probably be out looking for me the moment he noticed I'm gone.
'Went out to get money and food. You can have the rest… of the bread…
Ben…'
After I placed it on the table near the loaf of bread, I quickly put on my favorite brown coat and head off to the industrial district. Hopefully I'll be able to get at least ten bucks to get myself a sandwich.
The trip to the entrance gate wasn't really long, but what I hated the most was probably the entryway of the district. Its metal formed walls, barred gates and cemented grounds almost made it look like a prison camp. Back when the lockdown was first in affect, the inhabitants of Old Bellwood rose up to take it down to set an example for the mayor of the city. But of course, all resistance were soon silenced with guns and other firearms.
I witnessed a true massacre there on that wall. The local authorities shooting at the very same people they were supposed to protect. Blood splattering on the ground, children crying, screaming, and many more horrifying acts were done there on that wall.
Those who still held a grudge against the guards there vandalized the wall in any way they possibly can. Spray paint, rock throws, insults, threats, taunting, you name it, they probably done it plenty of times.
Once I was finally through that horrible place I decided to make my way towards the warehouse. They always needed an extra hand there and hopefully I would be one of the lucky ones.
(Bellwood Academy Library) (Gwen's POV)
After I finished off my early lunch I decided to catch up on my reading. The school library was a quiet place for me to study and the building was surprisingly quiet that a single scream could just as well be turned into a small crime. I read a lot of books back in my time as a Plumber rookie, since it was the only thing I could do during my free time. Half of the books in this library I've probably seen or read a long time ago, but there were some foreign books that I have yet to open.
Just as I was reading one of Shaun Pierre's brilliant novel Death by Love, my cell phone suddenly began ringing. I put it on silent mode so no one could hear. Even I should know that any disturbance in the library is forbidden.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hey Gwen, how are ya" it was Cooper, my so called 'boss' of the Damien newsletter. "Where've ya been, I've been trying to contact you through your laptop for hours"
"Oh hey Cooper" I replied with a small sigh, "I'm in the school library right now catching up on some reading. What do you have for me?"
"Nothing much. I cross reference some areas in the city with some of the agents. As far as I can tell from my Omnitrix scanner, Ben hasn't gone alien for a couple of days now"
"Do you think he may have jumped ship and move to another city by now?" I asked hoping that I was wrong.
"I don't think so. Commander Maxwell had every access route monitored with agents and satellite cameras. If Ben's gonna take a pee in the woods, there's gonna be someone out there watching"
"How about naval exits?"
"That might be a possibility" Cooper answered back holding his hand on his chin. I couldn't see him do it, but I get a feeling that he was doing that action. "But from what I can tell, Paullina seems to have that area under her control. The NAVY battleship class the S.S Mississippi is under her direct command and is patrolling that area day and night with sonar waves. Not a single fish will be passing through that area without them knowing"
"Geeze… talk about tough" I groaned. Paullina can really take things over the edge sometimes with her actions. She doesn't even bother to know the consequences of the plans she puts into place. Having a battleship patrol the sea was almost like the country was preparing for war. It could cause a lot of civil unrest and uncertainty about land security. "How about train tracks and air transport? There's an airport just outside the city and beyond that is a train station that connects to other cities"
"Max thought about those too and had an agent placed in all stations" Cooper explained as he shifted his hand on some papers. I could hear the sound of papers flapping up and down making a soothing rhythm. "The whole city is practically surrounded by agents. I know it's not my place to say but is it really necessary to bring all of us on this? I mean… it almost looks like we're trying to hunt a lion or something"
I had to agree with Cooper on that one. With all the resources that we've been putting on this operation, I had to say that this was getting a little out of hand. Paullina and grandpa Max were involving themselves in this mission but as long as they don't overstep their boundaries of my mission then I guess I can still move around the city without being suspicious.
"Yeah… I think so too" I agreed. "Anyway Cooper, I got a call from the agent you sent to the Slums. Thanks for the info"
"Huh? What? OH! I mean yeah, I did" that's strange. Cooper stuttering? This was indeed something that could never happen in a single lifetime.
"Is something the matter?"
"No I'ts nothing"
"Are you sure? You sound pretty scared a minute ago…"
"No no no not at all. I just uh… dropped my coffee mug that's all. Oh jeeze now I got it all over my lab coat" I couldn't really tell if he was telling the truth or not but I guess he must have his reasons. "Anyway, I got some work to get back too. If you're not busy for the day, why don't you head to the fire station near the carnival pier? The chief there might have some info on Ben's whereabouts. Report back to me after you're done. Later……" and with that he hung up.
I let out a long sigh after I was done talking to that boy. Even though he was a smart one he really had a way to bore me to death. His conversation topics were interesting, but his speech was just hard to comprehend in my head. "Well… I guess it's another day off to work" I said to myself before heading off towards the school entrance.
I never saw the fire station myself so I couldn't teleport there instantaneously like I did back in the office. So instead I called for a taxi to take me there.
(Pier)
The trip to the pier wasn't as long as I expected it. The carnival was still there setting up their attractions and from the looks of those freaky signs and flyers floating around the air, the place must've been here for at least a couple of weeks. The side road leading to this particular land of fun was a bit small so the taxi had to drop me off the corner. The fire station was conveniently placed at the sides thank so I didn't have to run that far to get there.
I've seen a lot of fire stations in all my life and I have to say that this one was no different. The fire fighters there had just finished their routine drill and were now lounging around playing cards and soccer passes. I approach the one who looked the most promising so that I wouldn't attract too much attention. He was chewing on a toothpick and constantly keeping a keen eye on his other companions so that they wouldn't act out of line. "Excuse me" the guy in his early thirties turned and looked at me. "I'm looking for the fire chief, is he in?"
He spat out his tooth pick and shook his head, "Sorry, the boss just left a minute ago. You just missed him"
"Oh… where did he go?"
"He probably went to the carnival back at the pier" said one of the men playing poker with his pals. "I overheard him talking with his sweetheart on the phone. He's probably meeting her at the love tunnel"
"Again?!" said another of the fire fighters, "Man, that guy is so old school man. He should take that girl out on a dinner rather than going through the same routine twice in a row"
"Well that's the chief for ya" the others quickly joined the laugh altogether.
"So you think I can find him there?" I asked.
"I bet my week worth of salary you'll find both of them there" again they all laughed. But I didn't mind. As long as I got a lead, I'll follow it to the very end. After I said my goodbyes to them I quickly made haste to the pier.
I walked the rest of the way and noticed that the Ferris wheel was poking on top of the entire ground. If you were at the top of the wheel you might actually be able to see the whole city at night. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of couples make out in that place. Who knows, maybe during passionate times some of them might even go into a deeper relationship and go over the edge.
"One ticket please" I said to the clerk behind the ticket booth. It was a semi chubby old lady, probably about my mom's age. She was filing her nails looking at me oddly with those big eyes of hers.
She looked on both of my sides before asking. "Are you alone here sweetheart?"
"Uh… yeah" I answered confused, "Is there something wrong?"
"Well of all my life, I have never seen such a beautiful girl such as yourself walk into a carnival without a partner" she grinned at me slyly just like Daniel did back at the dormitory. "Are you here for some other reason perhaps?"
"Actually I'm just here to meet with the fire chief. The guys at the station said that I might find him here"
"You mean that old Samuel?" she laughed, "Ha! You just missed him honey. He went pass through this door about three minutes ago. He's probably at the love tunnel by now with his no good wence of his. I tell ya… what does he ever see in that girl? Is he looking for body? I got twice as much as hers! Is he looking for breast?! Well check it out honey, I got plenty of it right here! Hahahahahahah!"
"Uh… ok…" I answered back not really sure on how to react to that reaction. After a long while of disturbing movements and laughs, the clerk lady finally quieted down and gave me my ticket in.
I really need to erase those images from my mind later on or else I'll be having nightmares about her wiggling her body in front of me. Brrrr…… just thinking about it gave me the willies.
The carnival itself was big…
So big that it actually took over half of the pier. There were plenty of booths that were not open until sundown. The janitors there were cleaning up some of the mess that the previous customers left on their way. The large tent at the center of the pier was probably where the main attractions were held. From what I can tell from the posters on the wall, they had lions, acrobats, pyrotechnics and even magic shows included. Ha… sure… pull a rabbit out of a hat why don't ya… I can discharge lightning from a single point of my finger. Let's see those magicians beat that!
Another part of the carnival that caught my eye was the haunted house. The entrance of that attraction was shaped from long paper cloth and cardboard boxes to make it look like a skull. Whoever made it must've had some real talent because I could just stand there admiring it all day if I was given the choice. The details were very accurate and I'd really like to see what was inside that would someone scream. But right now, I had a target to acquire.
There were plenty of other places that caught my attention too but I guess my job has to come first. But I must say…… if I do have a boyfriend, this might not actually be a bad place to take me on a date.
After a couple of minutes strolling around the wooden planks, the love tunnel was just in my sight, but strangely there was no one there. An out of order sign was posted on the entryway of the ride so I'm guessing the chief must've gone somewhere else. The water was still running and the goose boats were kept at their places for the love couples to go on through. The tunnel entrance was in the shape of a giant heart and around it were a bunch of cupid angels pointing their bow and arrows at the couple going in. There were also a lot of heart shaped objects there which was really quite disturbing for some reason. It was like that place could become a madhouse or something.
"Hey you there!" came a voice that startled me. "What are you doing here? This ride is currently out of order" from the looks of the guy's face and the uniform he was wearing he must've been the one in charge of this ride.
"Sorry" I apologized, "I was just looking for Mr. Samuel Halton"
"You mean the fire chief? (nod) Well that'll be a darn luck, you just missed him a few minutes ago. He took off when he saw the ride closed for the day. I'm guessing he's probably taking that girl of his downtown on some fancy restaurant or something. Heh… I wonder how long their game will go on"
"Dagnammit" I cursed silently to myself. "I guess it's probably just another dead end anyway. Thanks for your time"
"No problem lady. Just try not to go into this ride until we're done with it" and with that he left.
I really had to push an urge of pulling my hair out because right now I was just bursting with anger. I've been on this mission for a week and a half now and still the biggest clue we could find was Ben's wallet. Ahhhhh! Ben, where the hell are you!! I really wanted to shout out and scream that last sentence but my mouth kept my lips in check. Seeing that I couldn't take my frustration out on the world, I quickly pulled out my cell phone and called the only person who I know that can understand me at a time like this.
"Hello, this is Cooper"
"Cooper, listen, I need a…" but before I could continue, the voice on the other line continued.
"I can't answer my cell right now because I'm too busy. So leave a message after the beep" it was his cell phone message box that he developed for innovative fun. I tell ya, that kid can make even the craziest of his creation work even though it had no use whatsoever.
After the beep went up I let out a sigh, "Cooper, it's me, Gwen. I couldn't find the fire chief anywhere in the city so I'm stopping the search for today. I'll look into your other leads later. Tell me if you have anything new on your side of the post. Later, bye…" and after one long depressing sigh I hung up and put my cell phone back in my purse.
The walk to the entrance was probably one of the saddest I've ever done up to date. Each step I took weigh heavily upon me like a girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend for the most pathetic reason. I wanted to take my anger out on something like a punching bag or something like that, and thank god it looks like I was in luck.
When I finally got to the entrance, I noticed a group of jocks (sport students) bullying a kid just about my age. I was able to recognize the face since that kid was in my chemistry class as well. Romero Vicentes, a college student who moved from Mexico with his parent a couple of years back. I don't really know much about him but he was a good kid with good intentions of getting through college. I wonder what he was doing here with all these jocks. The jocks I could probably understand. They were probably playing hookie on school since it was only starting and go out early to have some fun.
"Hey look guys, it's a notebook" said one of the jocks as he dangled a notebook atop Romero's head. There were a total of three of them and from what I could tell, Romero didn't stand a chance against them.
"Hey, give it back amigo" the boy pleaded as he tried to take it back from the bully, "All my works are inside there. You'll ruin the whole project!"
"Oh look, now the little guy's getting angry" another of the bully taunted laughing along the way.
Seeing this, I quickly approach the group and gladly made my cool entry, "Hey tough guys…" I called to them to which they turned their attention to me. "Why don't you go on bully someone your own size? Or better yet, why don't you go on bullying someone bigger than you?"
They turned their heads to me before turning on each other. "Who the heck is that?"
"It's that alien girl they've been talking about. Why is she here?"
"Hey you stay out of this lady"
"Yeah, you stay out of it if you know what's good for ya!" again they laughed at me like I was some kind of joke. Man if I could I would've vaporized these guys with my blaster gun already. As they went back bullying Romero, I decided to make the first move on the guys. While the one holding the notebook was busy picking on the boy, I slowly walk up behind him and kick right in between his legs making him toss the notebook to me. The guy groaned and held his croach in pain for a few seconds before turning towards me. Their hateful and deadly eyes meant very little for someone with the ability to defeat six Transylians in hand to hand combat.
Once I finally got their attention, I grabbed the notebook in my hand and smirked, "You want it? Come and get it" I knew how jocks were in these times. They were easy to taunt and very easy to trick if you know the right words of course. Negotiations were pretty much zero chance with these guys since I doubt they'll be able to tell between lies and truth, and logic and illogic. The only thing these guys are ever going to respect, is strength. So here I am about to earn some points from these clowns.
"Get her!" said the leader of the group. When the first guy on my left came in with a punch, I simply moved out of the way and tripped him using only my foot. He didn't have a stance to go on with so the guy was pretty much useless in a real battle. A few seconds after I trip his leg, he soon lost balance and fell right onto a trash bin which suited for trash like him.
"Next…" I said confidently still holding that notebook in my hand.
When the second guy on my right charged at me, I jumped over him like a true acrobat and avoided his plowing maneuver just by a few seconds. And seeing that he couldn't see where he was going, he soon crashed onto one of the light poles and fell stunned onto the ground.
"Is that all you guys got?" I taunted out with a chuckle knowing full well that the leader of the group was going to take it the bite and not surprising… I was right. The leader of the group soon began throwing a flurry of punches at me, but I simply dodged it all with my lightning fast reflexes. "Come on, you call yourself an athlete? I've seen video games walk faster than you" and right when he threw his strongest punch, grab his arm and take his balance off by using one of the moves I learned from Tekwando. By the time he was on the ground, I release his arm and allowed him to flee along with the others.
"I'll remember this! Don't think we'll forget this alien girl! We'll be back!" he shouted while running with a bad leg. He won't be running tracks for a few days but it'll heal if given time.
After I finally finished the fight, I let out a small gasp of air through my nose and breathed in the oxygen around me. After awhile, I suddenly felt a lot better than I was before. Fighting those creeps really took a lot of anger off my back and whacking baddies was just the best way to do it.
Once the jocks were gone from my sight I turned my attention back to Romero who was looking rather stunned by my action. "Oh…" I muttered before returning his notebook. "Here… you can have it back now"
"Gracias senorita" he replied in a very Mexican like accent, "I am most grateful for your aid, but I'm afraid you have left me with the shame of being protected by a girl"
"Hey, I could've just left them to bully you, you know" I said back a little annoyed.
"Yeah, I guess you could've. So with that I am forever grateful. Ahehehe… by the way, I am Romero Vicentes" he extended his hand in shake which I gladly returned the gesture.
"I'm Gwen, Gwendolyn Tennyson"
"Oh, you must be the alien girl they've been talking about in school" he motioned with a chuckle. "Sorry, I meant no insult"
"None taken" I shrugged, "So what do you have in there?" I gestured to his notebook. "From what I heard, it must be something important"
"Yes it is. These are my notes for the haunted house attraction. I'm part of the External Activity School Team or EAST for short. We're currently working on that big haunted house you see over there" he pointed to the building that I noticed earlier. "I was the one who designed the entrance"
"Is this a club activity?"
"Yes it is. Since we are focused on external activities, we attract a lot of customers from both inside and outside of our school with our many attractions. We currently have many booths here that are part of EAST but sadly we are only open during Fridays and weekends included"
"That's pretty neat for a club" I praised.
"Yes it is… if you are interested, perhaps you would like to join? The club recruitment program is about to start next week. I can recommend you to my chief if you wish"
I quickly wave my hand in decline, "Sorry but I'm not really into club activities. I just want to get in school and graduate as fast as I can"
"I see… then at least allow me to treat you for some ice cream in return. It's the least I can do after you saved me from those bullies" well I couldn't possibly decline such an offer so instead of letting a free treat pass up I agreed.
"Ok, I think I can go for one scoop" I replied with a smile.
After we both got a scoop of our own favorite flavors from the ice cream man in the stands we quickly made our way towards a small park bench to finish off our treats. I guess today really wasn't a bad day after all. I actually got to beat up three college kids without getting into trouble, save a kid from the bullies and free ice cream.
As we continued to lick our ice creams in silence, Romero quickly got the urge to start a conversation, "May I ask you a question?"
"You just did" I replied smirking at him.
"Aha… I guess I did…" he chuckled back, "May I ask why you are here?"
"Research…" I answered, "I'm doing an article about those alien heroes that have been appearing around the city lately. I'm writing a small article about them for the Damien newsletter"
"Ahh… so that's why you were asking so much about those aliens" the boy replied slightly intrigued, "I have never seen these aliens myself, but I hear that they perform good deeds all around the city to whoever needed help"
"Yeah… that's as much as I got as well. That's what everybody say"
"So that means the rumors of you being an alien girl is all a little misunderstanding huh?"
"Pretty much…" and just when we were about to continue our conversation, my cell phone message tone began to ring in my purse. "Oh, hold on a moment (pause) Oh… it's only my mom. She's always worrying about me" I quickly texted her back in my usual phrase of not to worry about me since I'm all grownup now. But just when I finished, I noticed that my old photo of Ben had just slipped down right onto Romero's lap.
Having curiosity take over he picked it up looked at it closely. "Who's this? Your boyfriend?"
I snatch the picture from his hand with a smile, "Ha, as if………………… he's my cousin" I answered with a heavy heart.
"Well I guess I can see the family resemblance. May I see the picture?" I slowly handed it back to him again. As he looked closer at the picture his face suddenly tuned to that like of a detective or something. "Heh… that's odd. Just how many green eyes are there in this world?"
"I beg your pardon?" I turned my attention to him puzzled by his last question.
"Oh it's nothing. It's just that his eyes are similar to a friend of mine. His name was Benjamin I believe…" my eyes widened in horror as he spoke that name so lightly. Was it true? Was he talking about my Ben or another person unrelated to this topic? "I must say that their resemblance is quite extraordinary"
"Wait a minute!" I dropped my ice cream cone down and turned my whole attention back to him, "Ben? As in… Benjamin Tennyson?"
"Huh? I'm not sure. He never told me his last name before"
"Does he have green eyes, fuzzy hair, and wears a brown jacket!!" I barraged him with a volley of questions like I was an interrogator or something. He nodded back slowly and a little frightened by my outburst. "Where is he?! Does he study in the academy!?"
"No… from what I can tell he doesn't go to school I'm afraid. He's been working around the industrial district for some time"
"Do you know where he lives?! Tell me!" and before I even knew it, I was already demanding answers from the boy, frightening him just like those bullies.
"I don't know! He comes by my papi's café once in awhile. If you want, I can take you there" immediately the sadness inside my heart began to lift away like an angel taking all my sorrows and turning it into happiness. Right at that very moment, I couldn't care less about what Cooper had to say. I'm going to the industrial district and nothing was going to stop me.
(Industrial district) (Ben's POV) (05:00 PM)
Work work work work…
That was the only word running through my head at the time. But today it looks like I was in luck. When I got out of the slums I was quickly offered two jobs at once which doubled the efficiency of my pay. I was tasked to deliver a small parcel to a small refinery manager's office. When I finally got there, the manager said that he needed some extra hands to help load up the new shipment of POP, a breakfast cereal that was popular with the kids nowadays. There was a special surprise inside every box which attracted a lot of buyers to buy them for their children. It seemed like there were some kind of small alien like toys inside and somehow they looked sort of similar to the alien heroes that I've been transforming into.
I didn't mind helping out with the loading as long as I got paid, but then the good news was when I finished, each of the workers gets to have one box of POP for free. I'm sure Wallace would like it since he never tried them before in his life.
The crates loading onto the truck were seriously heavy and for some strange reason there were only about nineteen of us including the driver loading the stuff up. Apparently the forklift that was assigned to this warehouse broke down when one of the drivers crashed it onto some electronic hardware supplies. The vehicle lost two of its front wheel and the forklift literally tore from its hold.
After I worked for a couple of hours there at the refinery warehouse, the horn of the building signaled that it was time to lay back and head on home.
"Alright everyone, that's a rap!" said the head of the loading group, "Come back here tomorrow and we'll finish the rest of the payloads. Grab a bag of POP while you're at it" the bag of POP was then quickly followed by my ten bucks, which I gladly accepted within a heartbeat. "Good work again Benjamin. But shouldn't a kid like you be in school right now?"
If he had said that to me a couple of months ago I'd probably be out laughing like a maniac, but instead I simply smiled at him. "Not really. I went to school once, but I figured that it really wasn't my thing"
"A dropout huh…" he said in a slight sense of pity. "Well I guess I shouldn't be prying. Come back again tomorrow and I'll let you in. This place here should suffice for your daily needs. Ok?"
"Yeah, thanks. I'll keep that in mind" and after I got my extra ten bucks from the boss, I put back my favorite brown jacket and headed off back to the slums. Who knew that I'd actually get to make thirty dollars in just one day? I guess this should keep me fed for about a day or two provided if I don't lose my wallet again.
Once I was finally able to make my way to the streets I looked up into the sky and noticed that it was getting pretty late. The gates will probably be closed soon and then I won't be able to enter or exit until tomorrow morning. I again looked at the small amount of cash that I had and roughly guessed the amount I needed to purchase the necessary provisions for home. "Hmm… maybe after a little stop at the groceries, I should stop by Chico's place again" I said to myself before heading off to one of the small grocery store. I know some of the employees there. My face was often regular but only during the weekends or if I have money.
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When I got in through the two automated doors, I noted that there were barely any customers there. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise since this place was hardly attractive and the industrial district wasn't exactly a good place to go shopping.
When I stepped in, I was immediately greeted by one of the friendliest faces ever, "Hey there Ben, nice to see you again"
"Hey there Louise" I greeted the girl back. Her name was Louise Halfore, she was the one who showed me this place when I was out looking for food. She works as a cashier here at this small store during the evening shift and I could not have asked for a friendlier girl than her. She was a year younger than me but she studies in the Bellwood Academy on the island school. She had light brown eyes, black hair curled into pigtails on both ends, a bit shorter than me and since she loves to read all the time, she wears a pair of geeky looking glasses. On her special side however, she indeed had a great sense of humor. During when she was checking all of my things out, we would often trade jokes once in awhile.
"Is this your shift again today?" I continued with a smile.
She smiled back politely and nodded, "Yup. Arnold was suppose to take today's shift but he called in sick today"
"It must be tough working alone all day"
"Nah, I love working" she replied, "Since no one's around home during these times it can get pretty lonely. So I asked the boss to throw me in on whatever shift was open"
"Well good luck with that"
"Are you here on your same routine again?" I gave out a positive sound in reply. "We're out of cream cheese but try the Olive one, I heard it was good" I laughed silently in my head as she pointed to the rack of cheese that she was mentioning. She really knew a lot about me but yet at the same time she knows very little about me. I picked up only what was needed for me to survive. I didn't have the time or the money to spend it on some luxury that everyone else had. Besides, my life was on the run. The last thing I needed was attention from others.
After scanning through the racks and other shelves in the store, I noticed that some of the prices had changed over the weeks. I know it was rather pathetic of me to remember prices of tomatoes and fruits, but it was probably the only thing I could keep my mind occupied. Why don't you go and try telling yourself that you were a loser with no where to go but downward. It's not like I wanted to do this, but since I don't have much entertainment at home other than busting bad guys from time to time, it can get pretty boring back home.
(J's Bar) (05:30 PM) (Gwen's POV)
The industrial district was pretty much just the way I imagined it. Factories, pumping up toxic fumes into the air, trucks and other vehicles passing through the roads non-stop, half paid working getting drunk early to sleep the night out and prostitutes walking around looking for their next patron. It wasn't a lot different from the downtown area but the atmosphere here was pretty suspicious and strange. I guess this was probably why Cooper didn't want me anywhere near this place.
When Romero and I entered the district we walked for another ten or so minutes until we reached a small bar at the second corner. "Papi, I'm home" he stated as he entered through the door. I heard a small doorbell chime as it closed back.
"Ah Romero, welcome home my son……………… and who is this lovely lady?" he gestured to me.
"Gwendolyn Tennyson" I introduced myself, "Nice to meet you" I extended my hand to shake and he returned the gesture with a bright sunny smile.
"The name is Chicolo, but my friends call me Chico for short. The pleasure is all mine senorita. Romero, go upstairs and get change. We have customers coming soon" his son nodded and quickly made his way upstairs to do whatever his father told him to do. "So miss Gwendolyn, are you my son's friend?"
"Classmate actually" I clarified, "I just met him today"
"I knew it!" he shouted happily, "My son could attract a girl as beautiful as you……… unless he's wearing his pimp suit ahahahahahahahahaha!" he laughed for a good long time before he continued, "So what can this old man do for you? I have some fine refreshment at the back if you want. Some food or wine, perhaps?"
"No thanks" I waved it off, "I was just wondering if you'd happen to see this boy" I pulled out the old picture that Romero saw a couple of hours ago. The old man looked at it for a moment and made some faces for awhile. "It's an old picture" I added while he was looking, "The boy's probably taller by now"
"Hmm… I see a lot of customers senorita, but I'm afraid I simply cannot describe him without a name"
"His name is Ben" I replied almost immediately after he finished, "Benjamin Tennyson. He has green eyes, fuzzy hair and a brown jacket. I saw him a few times before but never got a chance to talk with him properly.
"Benjamin?" Chicolo replied amazed, "I know many names but I can remember only one boy with the name Benjamin. (looks at picture) Ahh… I see… yes this picture does resemble a lot like him. Yes… that silly smile and that face. It really is like him"
My face almost literally brightened with joy to hear that from him. I knew that this lead was going somewhere but I never thought that I'd actually make it this far at such a short time. "Can you tell me where he lives? When will he come back!?"
"Well, he comes to café once in a long while every now and then" Chico answered holding the picture up, "In fact I believe he came here a few days ago looking for work. He should still probably be around here looking for a job in one of the factories"
"Jobs?" I questioned, "What does he do?"
"He's a freelancer" was his answer, "The boy goes from one place to the other trying to make ends meet. I wonder if he's even eating properly"
"Do you know where he lives?"
"Not exactly" he said a little uncertain. I usually see him come in and out of the slums every now and then. I hope he's not into any of those gang troubles. He's such a good boy" AHA! I knew it! Ben is at the Old Bellwood district after all just like thought. It was the perfect place for any criminal to hide his face and the police don't even show their faces during the night there.
"The slums… of course" I muttered before snatching the picture from the proprietor. "Did he happen to have a strange watch on his left arm? It's rather unusual and he never leaves without it" I knew that if Ben had the Omnitrix strapped onto himself, he wouldn't be that hard to find. It wasn't like there were a thousand Omnitrix around the world now… were there?
"Hmm… I'm afraid I don't know" he answered back to me rubbing his mustache, "He always wears a brown jacket with long sleeves that covers his entire arm. I don't think he ever leaves without it unless he's doing work of course" I knew it. That definitely had to be Ben. The description and the details of his whereabouts were just exactly as I predicted. From that moment on, I didn't think my heart stopped for a single minute of rest. To have this kind of a lead meant almost everything to me.
"Thank you for your help, you've been really helpful" I made a dash for the exit but Chico stopped me.
"Wait, young lady! Don't tell me you plan to go to the slums!"
"I have to…"
"Please be reasonable! That place is a savage ground! You'll be attacked the moment you step through the gate. The curfew starts at nine o'clock and you won't be able to get out until sunrise!"
I paused for a moment trying to get Chicolo's words sink into my head. He knew that going into the slums was a seriously bad move, but I couldn't help it. I was so close to finding Ben and for all I know, he could just be right next door, throwing a tennis ball on the wall of his house or something. I was so close… so close… and I wasn't gonna stop now. "Sorry Chico… but I have to find him" and with that I left the bar and head straight towards the gates of the netherworld itself.
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The trip to the slums wasn't as far as I thought it would be. But that was because I ran so fast I nearly thought that I left my legs behind. The gate to the old Bellwood was big and strong. It stood about thirty or forty feet high, the length and width was just enough for a single line of vehicles to pass through. I held my chest slight and looked at the graffiti and other disturbing objects on the wall. Deep in my heart I knew that Ben was probably on the other side of this wall. He had to be…
But even if he was in the deepest, darkest part of hell itself, I would go there, knowing full well of the risks and dangers that awaited me. Heh…… he would probably do the same for me.
When I walked into the gates, the SWAT team that stood guard there began to stare at me like I was in some kind of pageant show or something. They didn't bother to stop me because everyone knows that whoever walks through those doors knows of the risks they were taking…… and I knew the risks well. The Slums were a savage land where people can kill others without facing the law to its full extent. I can expect no backup there and no rescue party either. It was just going to be me against half the city's populace.
The streets were quiet and the sidewalk lights didn't seem like they were working anymore. The ground was littered with blood, and the bodies of dead animals. Grass and weeds grew unnoticed and trash were practically everywhere. Either today was the janitor's day off or someone has been messing with the district's eco-system.
But instead of worrying about the environment, I kept my eyes straight and my senses sharp so that I wouldn't be taken by surprised if I should get attacked of course. I walked quietly, trying hard not to attract any attention from hiding eyes. I could that there were people hiding, but it didn't look like they had any intentions of hurting me……yet.
I remember the first time that I became this cautious of my surroundings. It was during the time when I was on a mission in Alaska. I was sent there by high command after a Plumber recon team went to investigate a crashed spaceship. I went there with six other rookie agents because Paullina said that they needed more field experience. I couldn't decline so I went along with it.
After we searched the recon team's last known location, we came upon an abandoned U.S supply yard that was constructed during the Cold War. The building was abandoned when the war ended without bloodshed. When we got there, we found the recon team's distress beacon and what was left of the team itself.
Communication with the outside world was terrible thanks to the constant blizzard happening outside. It was almost like we were in some kind of horror movie or something. The team and I stayed there for a couple of days and when we were able to contact HQ about our situation we finally discovered what really happened to the crashed spaceship and the team that was sent here. Apparently it was a Vulpamancer (Wildmutt) pack, an alien animal with incredible appetite for meat. They made their lair there in the supply yard and were breeding in an alarming rate. The team and I were able to fend them off without any casualties but I knew that fighting a tough species like Vulpamancer wasn't going to be easy.
In the end, high command was forced to use a semi-nuke to destroy the entire facility to keep the animals contained. Me and my team got out ok but not unscathed. Some were traumatically disturb due to living in fear for a whole week.
But I guess that was what I expected from rookies after all…
But I'll probably never forget the experience I felt there. To have your eyes, ears, nose and skin work to their full extent. To know what it felt like to know fear and overcome it. To know that danger and death could be lurking on the next corner. It was a horrifying yet exciting feeling.
"You're looking for someone… aren't you…" my thoughts were quickly dispatched the moment a voice echoed from my side. I leaped from the ground a good six feet away and got into one of my combat stances. But when I finally got a clear picture of who was talking to me, I dropped my guard a little.
It… it was a little girl…
But how could that be? I should've been able to sense her presence more than a mile away. Hmm… maybe my skills were getting sloppy.
She had medium length hair, colorful eyes and she carried with her a small teddy bear half the size of my arm.
"You're looking for someone… aren't you?" she repeated in a cold, dead like tone. Her words were so plain that it almost looked like I was talking to a ghost.
"W… who are you?"
"I'm Alex…" she replied unmoved and unmotivated, "And you're looking for someone"
"What makes you say that?"
"Because you're going the wrong way…" she answered her face showing no emotions at all. "The person you are looking for… is not in that direction" my face froze in place. Who was this girl and how did she know what I was doing? I guess earth really was full of surprises after all.
"Alex!" came another voice from the dark. A few seconds later, a boy a little older than the girl named Alex appeared from the alleyway. "There you are, I've been looking all over for you! Come on, we got to get you home or your fever will come back! Hurry! Ben might come back any minute now" the mere mention of the boy's name echoed in my heart like a yodel in the mountains. I could tell that there was something about this girl that I should believe.
"Hold it" I stated as I approach them. "Do you… do you know where Ben lives?" the blonde boy looked at me strangely but the girl that I was asking the question to looked back at me and extended her hand to me. She held a small object in her fingers but I couldn't tell what it was. The moment she handed the object to me, her eyes suddenly shut and her legs wobbled weakly. Before I knew it… she had fallen right onto the boy's arms.
"Hey Alex! (touch head) Ahhh crap! I knew I shouldn't have let you out of my sight!" and a few seconds later, the boy quickly pulled the girl onto his back and dashed off.
A strange pair that much I could tell…
I wanted to help but it looks like he had things covered. "Well that was something you don't see everyday" but when I opened up the palm of my hand. My heart froze solid like the ice age just turned onto my body. It was… my old hairclip. The one I lost a long time ago. How could she…?
Not wanting to linger on it like I used to, I quickly used up my magical powers to trace the boy's steps as fast as I can. Right now, the closest lead I have was that girl… and whoever she was, she knew where Ben was and I was going to find out one way or the other.
I followed the boy's foot steps through the rough mud that lay on the road. It had begun raining that time but I didn't care. All my attention were now focused on where the boy was going. We crossed through small corridors and alleyways that he crossed many times. I plowed myself through the obstacles and after a five minute chase, I finally came across a two floor house near the beach at the end of the district. Was this the place where Ben lived? If so… then I guess this is what to be expected.
I waited five long years to see Ben again… and now… I was going to see him. The door was left unlocked so I entered the place without much of a hitch. There wasn't a single beam of light in the house, so I was guessing that the power must've been out due to the lockdown. When I got in, I noticed that the boy that I followed was sitting by the couch along with that girl who gave me my hairclip.
"Ben's not here right now" she spoke up coughing to me. The boy also noticed my presence but as long as I didn't provoke him he wasn't gonna do anything harmful.
"Hey, who are you?" he asked me.
I was about to reply when Alex answered for me. "Don't worry… she won't hurt us. She's just looking… for Ben" again she began coughing out but this time a little more intense.
"Lie down Alex… you need your rest" the boy ordered before pulling up a blanket onto her. Once Alex was in a comfortable position he motioned to me. "I don't know who you are, but if Alex trusts you, then I guess I can trust you"
"Thanks" at least now I have a friend here in the district. "So… what's wrong with Alex?"
"Oh she's just got a little fever" he answered back with a slightly worried smile, "It's nothing serious. Ben just said that she needed a lot of rest"
"I hope she gets better soon. So…… where's Ben?"
"He's out right now. He'll probably be back later. Why don't you sit down and wait for awhile. I got to get some pillows from the second floor" I complied with his hospitality and waited for Ben to return. My heart did not stop pumping at all the moment I entered the house. To think that I was actually this close to him made me feel uneasy…… and right now… I felt like I shouldn't be in here. What will happen when he comes back? What should I do? What should I say? How will he react to me being here? Man, all these questions were bustling in my head and it were times like this that I needed someone to help me.
"Ahh man… this is so messed up" I cursed myself. I knew I was being reckless! I walked into the lion's den without a piece of meat to agitate its hunger, instead I brought a spear to kill it where it was strongest. Maybe I should just leave and come back again another day. Yeah… that sounds like a plan! By then I'll probably have some ammunition of words to say to him. Ok, we'll go with that, I'll leave and come back. I'll just tell the kids here that I'll make an appointment tomorrow.
But before I could open my mouth or take a step back, I heard the front door creaked open slowly. My head jerked in that direction almost instantly I was even afraid that it didn't snap off. A figure of a boy about my height entered, swinging in a small plastic bag with some goodies inside. His body was soaking wet from the rain and his hair fell right down to his face making him unable to see who was in the room.
"I'm home…" he said wearily like a husband just returning from work. I wanted to say something to let him look at me, but it looked like the boy beat me to it.
"Oh hey, welcome back boss. What'cha got there?"
"Just some provisions for the week" he replied, "They're a little soak so dry them off first" after he gave the kid the plastic bag he removed his long sleeve jacket and hung it by the door. When he was done, the watch on his left arm became clear to me. It was indeed the Omnitrix. "How's your sister doing Wallace?"
"She's doing fine" the boy I now know as Wallace answered, "She's sleeping over there by the couch. Oh and you got a visitor"
Ben was still the same kid that I remembered all those years ago. His hair was still practically the same but his face matured over time. The last two times that I saw him, I couldn't really tell if he was fit, but now that he took off his jacket, I could see all the iron he had on his arms. There were abs growing on his abs and hell he might even pass for a true athlete if given time.
When his eyes finally focused on me my body suddenly felt like it wanted to turn into one of the furniture and left ignore. And out of all the things I could've said on that night… I said the stupidest thing of all…
"Hi… Ben…"