Beep. Beep. Beep. BEEP. BEEEEPPP!
This must be what Gwen feels like during exam time thought Ben to himself. He was running and leaping over cars, rooftops carefully choosing routes that had been abandoned. It was a smart thing to do, but Ben wasn't sure how much it would help. He was a hulking grey giant after all. The bleeding man on his shoulder didn't help his case either. The beeping of the Omnitrix grew louder and louder, and Ben knew that once he transforms back into well… Ben, he wouldn't be as cool as the Main Man.
That would be Grandpa's department, his would be just plain freaking out.
"Can I have some water?" asked the man on Ben's shoulder. Ben didn't answer. He thought about whether he was strong enough to bust open a fire hydrant and decided that he probably was. But he didn't have time.
"Please mister, I think I'm gonna die"
"You die, when the Main Man let's you die" said Ben. Then after pausing for a second he added "which should be never. Never ever. But we'll figure that out later."
Ben paused at the street that led to his house. He thought about it for a second and then decided it was too risky. He couldn't afford it if the old geezer knew where he lived.
The woods on the outskirts of town were about 20 minutes by car, Ben could make it in 15 if he ran as the Main Man.
BEEEEEPPPP!
"Sorry" said Ben. He didn't wait to be told that it was okay or to be asked what for. He struck the man on the back of his head with the lower edge of his right palm. The man obligingly went limp and lost consciousness.
Not a moment too soon, Ben thought as he turned back into a ten year old. He then realized that the man weighed a lot more suddenly and it wasn't just because he was dead weight.
The forest now seemed to be unimaginably far. "Oh Shucks" said Ben. He tried to shrug it off and wait for the wave of Czarnian hormones to shoot through his body, easing his worries, but all he felt was the sudden sense of worry accompanied by a shortness of breath.
He counted himself lucky that he had gotten the Manhunter on his first go. He loved Grandpa and knew the feeling was mutual, but didn't trust him to tell Ben the whole truth. Grandpa had been honest when he said he was a plumber, but that hadn't exactly been the whole truth.
Ben pulled up his wrist and looked at the Omnitrix. It glowed red. It needed to be recharged. It was just as well Ben thought. It was as likely to throw up a problem as it was a solution.
He weighed his options. The street was dark. His comical attempt at violence had resulted in a serious but non-fatal injury. He could leave him here and hope that someone would find him before it turned into morning. It's what Kevin would do said another tiny voice in his head.
But he didn't want to be like Kevin. Gwen may have a thing for him, but Ben knew that the world would be a better place if there were less people like Kevin and more people like Ben.
Another voice in Ben's head spoke. Maybe there's a better reason for keeping him out here. He would be found by someone- a responsible person who could take care of things. In other words, an adult. All you can do is take him up your house, and leave blood stains all over your bedroom. Oh, and the stairs. And mom's going to notice the cotton and band aid that goes missing.
You know what, that's right said Ben to himself. He had barely taken two steps away before he heard the bark of a dog. It was a stray dog. Ben had over heard grandpa Max complain to some local authorities about how dangerous these beasts could get if left to roam the streets freely. He also complained about how poorly they were treated when they were actually caught by the dog pound, and how it did little good for the poor canines or those whose lives they affected. The relevant memories suddenly flashed through Ben's brain as if they were his own. "Gosh darn those scoundrels!" thought Ben to himself feeling rather old.
He couldn't bring himself to do it. Ben picked up the man, dragging him slowly towards his house. As it came into view, he noticed his Dad's car was in the driveway. Ben would have a lot of explaining to do. Unless he thought of some thing real quick.