Man it's been a long time since I worked on this story. Sorry about that, all this insanity plus writer's block has been worse. Sorry. But yeah, as usual, I got the usual people helping me with this still :P Anyway, Ben 10 is the property of Cartoon Network and Man of Action.

Hidden in Plain Sight

(August 1st, 9:45. Undertown Court.)

It was a nerve-wracking moment for Ben as he was driving to Undertown, mostly because he had to go to a court set up that had been put in town while in his Plumber suit. "Nervous, I see?" Skurd was amused as Ben rolled his eyes.

"Dude, I don't usually go around acting as someone's character witness." Ben said as he parked the car. "Lets see...court 4, isn't it?" Ben looked around, seeing the old series of shipping crates the aliens used to create their court building and went into one of the rooms, which was a gallery filled with aliens of all shapes and sizes.

Sitting in a chair in the front row was Valrean, wearing a small tie and a nervous expression as he sat by a large tricloptic bear-like alien who was wearing a black vest, the reptile looking at the jury nervously. They all watched him incredulously as a small Galvan floated around on a platform, wearing a suit and tie.

"Mr. Valrean, Prisoner 775 of Area 51. Known conspirator of a revolution on your homeplanet, which was meant to overthrow your government due to supposed 'malicious mistreatment of the people,'" the Galvan said, looking over a holographic file. "We are meant to believe that the past few months you had been 'reformed'?"

Ben frowned as he asked, 'Who's this little creep?" Skurd slinked up to look at the Galvan and sighed, rubbing his temple.

"That would be Chazmuth, a Galvan who uses his intellect to get victories in court. Any kind of victory; he works in every level of law at any moment, seeing himself as a perfect law representative," Skurd said distastefully. "I had met him once back in my old days; he tried to get me in prison for my powers alone, which led to me meeting Khyber."

"So...is he a good guy or a skeezy lawyer? Because my Uncle is a lawyer, so I know there are good lawyers out there," Ben mulled over, as Skurd just laughed a bit dryly.

"Oh, there's no lawyer more skeezy than him. Chazmuth has his own definition of the law than most, but he's smart enough to work around people's common sense to get what he wants to happen." Ben frowned at that explanation from his partner.

"As discussed in the last session, this man; one Valrean, member of the Merlinisapien Rebellion and former prison number 755 of Area 51, is given this so-called 'second chance'. But what has he done to earn this?" the Galvan Lawyer asked, floating around on his podium. "He was last known to attack one of the humans above ground, how do we know he's still mentally sound?"

The jury started to mumble in their native tongues, looking at the chameleon with a hint of concern. Valrean only looked down with shame on his face, as the judge noticed Ben arriving.

"Ah, Mr. Tennyson. Come here for the testimony?" The Judge, a large nosed creature with dark orange skin with a white underbelly, asked as Ben gave a firm nod.

"Yes, your honor." Ben came up to the stand and sat down, a set of triangular metal coming to form a pseudo-crown around his a computer screen came to life nearby. It showed an event involving Ben fighting Valrean a couple years ago after his escape from Area 51.

"As the one who captured Valrean, I can give a bigger picture of what the conditions were when he escaped," Ben explained as they saw the images on the screen show Ben as Big Chill, going around to a large lab with many aliens held in containment cells, many in horrific conditions. "According to him, he was there for fifty years. In the dark, in a cell that barely had the basic humanities involved."

"That is quite horrific," said Valrean's lawyer, who gives a nod at this. "Would you say that Mr. Valrean was not due a proper do-process?"

"I know he isn't justified in what he did, but given the conditions he was forced into, I wasn't that surprised about that," Ben explained with a nod as he looked at Chadzmuth with a frown. "But I think even you can admit that he hasn't acted out in any way while he was making up the rest of his sentence, and thus should be given a chance to actually work in society again."

"Thank goodness he paid attention to Frank in those court cases he was in," Max said to himself with a small nod of approval. Chadzmuth frowned at this but didn't speak up as the judge looked over the file.

"Hmm… I think after two days of this litigation, I think we can come to a conclusion. Jury?" He asked as the aliens began to type on their keyboards before they looked up at the scales over the court. "And this court finds the prisoner, Valrean Boréulizan…"

The computer shines as it shows several languages appear on screen before the English one is shown for the humans; NOT GUILTY. There was applause from the audience as Valrean gave a sigh of relief, Chadzmuth tossing his notepad down before floating off.

On his way out, the angry Galvan looks at Ben and says, "You gave me my first loss in my legal career… you better watch yourself if you ever find yourself in court, Tennyson." He sneered as he floated off.

Skurd watched him go as he jokingly commented, "I guess we can add him to your ever expanding list of rogues, Benjamin."

"A crooked lawyer… huh, you'd think I would have gotten one of those sooner," Ben commented as he went over to Valrean who was being congratulated by the Plumber agents who were there for the trial. "Hey Valrean, you're finally a free lizard! Congrats, man."

"Heh… it is quite ironic that the one who would have me incarcerated would be the one who helped me taste freedom again," Valrean said as he and Ben shook hands. "Now you said that you had helped find me a job for when I get out?"

"Yep, room and board and everything. Least til you get on your feet," Ben reassured as they left with Valrean being given what he had been confiscated of over 50 years ago: a simple indigo and blue jacket that looked like it had a faint camo-pattern to it, a black tie and a cap that fitted over his helm-like face as well as a bag that went over his shoulder.

The two left the building and went down the road, heading towards the market place where Pakmar was doing some sweeping in front of his latest store. "Oh no! Tennyson! BAck away, now!"

"Easy there, Pakmar. Just got you the employee I told you about," Ben reassured as he moved for Valrean to come out in front of him. "He's a hard worker and needs help getting back on his feet after being locked up for decades."

Pakmar's goggles adjusted as he nodded, "Okay… Pakmar got an apartment for Merlinisapien former convict, just do not steal from the safe!"

"I was never that kind of person, Mister Pakmar. I was a revolutionary before I was exiled," Valrean clarified as he was led inside as Pakmar nodded as he was led upstairs and put his bag in the small room. IT was bigger than his cell, but it was still humble.

Ben watched for a moment before heading out, checking his phone as he walked down the street. "Okay, time to do some patrols," He puts the phone away before changing into Featherweight, the bird-like alien floating away.

Pakmar watched him go and rolled his eyes under his goggles, slamming the broom into Valrean's hands. "You sweep, Pakmar got to do inventory!"

"Yes Mister Pakmar, sir," Valrean said with a nod as he started sweeping. He did so carefully, using his tail to move things out of his way without smashing it. But then his blue eye caught something from his peripheral vision. "Hmm?"

He looked outside of the window and squinted his three eyes carefully as he saw someone was sneaking around, a faint shadow. A familiar-shaped shadow… one similar to his own. His eyes went wide as he went out of the building, making a woman yell out 'Hey!' in surprise as he ran after them.

Valrean sneaked down an alley as he heard the movements and looked around and saw a trio of hooded figures standing in front of someone. "You got da goods, toots?" asked the shorter of the trio of hooded figures as the invisible figure reformed, turning into a female member of his species wearing a white long-sleeved shirt that covered her curved torso, a pair of white pants and boots with white gloves. Her three eyes were magenta, yellow and cyan.

"Oh I got the goods, my good man. But you have the intel we need?" she asked, as the taller man gave a grunting sounding laugh.

"Oh we got it, but we need to deliver the hard drive to ya. But ya gotta pay up front for it, only way we can trust a sneaky reptile. Prisidom is a mystery mixed in an enigma, after all," said the skinnier of the trio. "But I am sure you would be good with that?" The woman nods as she vanishes from sight as they went along, but Valrean turned invisible before any of them could see him and kept to the shadows as they went.

Valrean, seeing all four had left, turned visible again as he quickly looked around. He mutters in his native tongue before he went to a pay phone-like device and quickly typed away. "COme on, come on… where's the Plumber HQ phone line…!" He then presses it and gets the phone to his ear.

"This is IM Werfzel, what is your emergency?" Valrean sighed in relief as he looked over his shoulder.

"This is Valrean, Officer Werfzel. I just saw something I think you guys need to know about before something bad happens," Valrean said as he looked over his shoulder. "Send Ben Tennyson to the Mister Smoothie on the corner of 8th and Waid." He turned invisible as he slunk away.

(A few hours later…)

Ben flew down as Stinkfly with Julie arriving in Ship's spaceship form with Rook and Rad, the group looking around before they saw Valrean turned visible, holding a smoothie. "Hey guys…" he said nervously, looking around cautiously.

"Hey Valrean, are you doing okay?" Ben asked as he walked over and sat down, "You seem kinda skittish."

"I saw another member of my species; a female, talking with three strangers. My people rarely ever leave my planet, especially after Chancellor Lucant took it over all those decades ago…" Ben looked at his team at this as Rad scowled, rubbing his bill.

"Prisdom is a rather elusive planet, even invisible to most planetary scanners. After the failed rebellion, it went off the grid," Rad explained as he sat down. "So you got any intel on this female persuasion?"

"I do not. Her uniform however was of the Spectrum Guard, which is an elite group of security for the Luminary Palace. They are a rather fearsome group… though why they are on Earth has bad signs."

"Could they perhaps be here for intel? Are your people known for conquest?" Rook asked as Valrean sighed, shaking his head.

"I do not know anymore… I had been isolated for so long, I can only tell you of the Prisdom and the Merlisapien way of life of the past. I do not know what they are going to do now… but I do know that Lucant would be interested in that." Valrean's eyes narrowed a bit, as Ben looked up.

"I think I know where we can go to listen in on with these guys, come on." Ben motioned everyone along as they went to a pipe. "I noticed this when I was hiding the Chrononavigator pieces. This pipe is right above the Blackhole Bar."

"You got an alien to sneak in?" Julie asked as Skurd gave a nod, chuckling.

"But of course, one of the smaller aliens should do it and-" Skurd helped search through and Ben slams down, turning into Nanomech. The small alien then flew down the pipe and flew around, the mechanical eyes squinting as he looked around. He then sees three figures in robes heading to a spot in the back.

"Are you sure we can trust that lizard?" the shortest of the group asked with a grunt as he removed his hood, revealing a skull-like head and goat-like eyes with dark indigo fur.

"I am sure. After all, she just needs to get what we need, and then things get easier for me," growled a man with a long, pale yellow head with four mouths growing around his head and two red eyes. He uncoiled his hands, revealing one with seven appendages and one with eight.

"Hemp, if ya say so," growled the stoutest of the group as he revealed his form; a humanoid goat with 7 inch long horns coming out of its head, glowing yellow eyes and shoulder-growths and clawed hands, as well as a very long tail.

"Hmm… you getting this, Skurd?" Nanomech asked as Skurd nodded, having started recording when they got there via their communicator. "I think we need to get them… but I don't want to cause too much crazy. So…" He then shrinks down smaller, flying down and going near the goat-man's head.

"So how many taydens are we gettin' out of dis?" The skull-headed smaller alien looked up at the taller headed one, who was stroking his chin with his right hand.

"Oh I say about… 700 taydens for each of us, which was apparently chump change for her so that would imply a big payday if we do well enough for this plan," the multi-mouth alien said with a small smirk.

"Bahahahaha! Payday!" The goat alien saud with a laugh as he swatted his arm. "Ugh… hey Skulk, Swayde, ya hear dat?"

"What you hear, Klempax?" The skill headed alien, Skulk, asked in confusion as the goat swatted at the air.

"Something is buzzing my ear," Klempax growled as he looked at the buzzing fly. He opens his mouth as a pink aura starts to flow out of Nanomech. He starts to glow a bit as he absorbed the aura out of him, smirking. "Aaaah… an Anodite bloodline, eh? Such sweet mana…!"

"Gaaah-!" Ben slams down on the symbol before turning into Swampfire, his whip coming out around Klempax's antlers and tossing him into a wall. "Creep…" He tosses some seeds his way and entangles Klempax's body with various vines.

"Hold still!" A echoed voice hit Swampfire's ears as Swayde looked at him, his eyes shining as he spoke, "you are going to stay still while we take you out Tennyson."

Swampfire felt the tug on his mind but shook it off, "Sorry freak show! But I don't do brainwashing easily in this form!" His body shined as a pollen-like material formed out of his bloomed body and flowed out towards the two goons, making them cough and groan.

"Why you…!" Skulk slammed his claws down as the room began to encircle the shadows.

"Tut-tut, none of that now!" Skurd shouts as he makes himself shine with a bright light, making the creature yell out in pain. "Heh, gotta love when the Serapent's light to cast out the shadows."

"Heh, so Angelhands ain't just a healer, nice," Swampfire said with a smirk as he glares at the two. "Now…" He tosses the seeds and entangles them in the vines, glaring at them as he looks at the smallest goon, since he didn't fully trust the multi-mouthed one. "What's this about a Merli-...Merliana…uh…"

"Merlinsapien," was the flat remark from Skurd as he looked at him, still glowing with the fiery aura. Unknown to them, a figure was climbing up around the ceiling before a tail suddenly wrapped around Swampfire's neck. "What in the-?!"

"GAK-!" the swamp alien grabbed at his neck as an invisible force was wrapped around his neck as Rook and Julie came in suited up.

"Ben! What is going on?" Rook asked as Swampfire started to tug at his neck, pointing at it as Skurd was trying to pull on it. "I do not know what you are miming?"

"He's being strangled, you naive goof!" Skurd shouted in annoyance as he turned himself into a spiked ball with Strikehog's quills, making her yell out in pain as the invisible let go of Swampfire, who coughed as Julie looked around as Ship came on.

"Where's the lizard at?" Julie asked as she aimed her blaster, but Rad jumped through the door and started to pepper the ceiling with blasts. "Rad, what the heck?!"

"Just hit randomly, you're bound to hit something!" Rad commanded as the bartender just hid under the bar before the table nearby was knocked to the side. Everyone looked and the three blaster-using heroes fired at the spot as the figure was sneaking away.

"Oh no you don't!" Swampfire growled as he slams down on the symbol on his chest before turning into Mole-Stache as he looks around. "Sorry to say this, Chamalien girl. But Jerry told me the trick with these guys; blind hunting!" His whiskers then went in the direction his ears went, entangling the female Merlinsapien in the thick fur.

"Ugh, why you-!" She growled as she turned invisible as her clawed hands went to tear through the fur entangling her as Mole-Stache started to clash with her with his own claws as she soon got her stinger tail on it.

"Ah-ha! Lets see how well you do against us, Merlinsapien!" Skurd said ash e made a metal claw from Razor as he started to sword fight against her stinger to keep it away from Ben's vitals. "En garde!" He exclaimed as he clashed with the spike.

"Oh, you think you're cute, eh?" the woman growled as she slashed with it as Mole-Stache glowed as he turned into Daggerdown, unsheathing the blades as he glared at her.

"Well, I've been given a lot of compliments on my appearance," Daggerdown joked as he flew forward, slashing with the blades but Subdora rolled away and pulls out a small gold-plated blaster and fired at him. Skrud morphed forward and created a segmented shield made from Cannonbolt's armor to tank that blast.

"Positron Blaster… those are quite dangerous…" Skurd said as the other three ran out, Julie looking at the other two.

"You know her?" Julie asked as Rad tapped on his sunglasses to scan her. He then quacks in confusion, raising a brow.

"That's weird… says her name is Subdora Furspledore, a common thief who was from a galactic watch list fifty years ago. She'd be about 140 though," Rad said with a small frown. "Merlinsapiens can live up to about 400, and Valrean is in his late 200s. Why would dis kid be doing out this far on Earth?"

"Wait… fifty years?" Daggerdown asked as his eyes narrowed darkly at Subdora as Valrean arrived with some other people who saw this fight going on. "It was you, wasn't it? You were why Valrean got arrested! He was a stooge for your crimes!"

"Oh? Valrean you say? I think my Chancellor mentioned a name like that a few years ago, yes," Subdora said in thought, tapping her chin with her blaster. She then smirks as she coyly asks, "Were the monkeys here really that upset over a few stolen files?"

"So that's been your game the past few decades? You've been selling stuff about Earth to alien invaders? For your chancellor or whatever you said?" Daggerdown asked as he flew at her, as she ducked around his blades. "Why? Why the heck would you do that just for him?"

"Oh I am not just some raving patriot, my good man!" Subdora said as she landed on a car-like vehicle with a smirk after a flurrying jump back. "I also get a good paycheck from those that are giving me the intel. As long as I can get out of the situation and the money is good, that's all I care about."

"You realize you are admitting to decades of espionage, yes?" Rook asked as he aimed this Proto-Tool at her as the others also got their weapons out. Subdora looked around and chuckled a bit.

"Si, si… I do understand that. But you see, I got insurance to get out of this situation, and… I also got the information I needed to get," Subdora said as she showed a flashdrive-like device. "All I need to do is get away from you and I get one of the biggest paydays I'll ever get."

Valrean growled as he was moving to the side, his body vanishing from sight as Julie adds, "You're not going anywhere!" She and the others aimed their guns at her and fired, but she jumped back and vanished from sight again. "Ugh, I hate it when they do that."

"Don't think you're getting far!" Daggerdown said as he slams down again and turns into Big Chill, flying up into the air and doing a dive bomb maneuver. "Its time for you to get some time for bad behavior." He then exhales, releasing a large gust of icy wind to put Subdora into an ice covering.

"Ugh…!" Subdora grunted in annoyance as Big Chill reached over and took the flash drive from her hands and crushes it with his hands. "HEY! I was gonna sell that!"

"Well, you'll be needing a lawyer. So I hope you have enough in the bank for that, lady," Big Chill growled in a quiet hiss, his compound green eyes narrowing. "Rook, read her rights while I call up a pick up."

Rook went over and started to do the procedure as Valrean came over and puts a clawed hand out, confusing the ghostly bug. "Thanks, for helping clear up that 50 year long confusion." Big Chill just gave a smirk as he turned back to Ben and shook his hand.

"No problem, come on. Lets get you back to work, I can explain to Pakmar what was going on," Ben said with a nod as they headed back to Pakmar's place to clear things up.

(Later)

(Plumber HQ, 22:03)

Subdora was sitting in her cell, waiting for a long period as she adjusts her sunglasses over her tricloptic eyes. She sighed a bit, deep in thought before the lights suddenly went out. "Hmm?" She asked as she got up, looking around. "Who is there?" She looked out of the cell and saw everyone outside seemed to be frozen in place. "What's going on?"

"Someone who's interested in your skills, miss…" A voice said calmly as she turned behind her and saw a glowing violet figure walk out of a portal. "As for what is going on, it's a business proposition."

"...I'm listening?" The lizard woman asked, curious as she walked over to him. "And you are…?"

"You can call me, 'Eon,'" Eon said calmly as he put a hand out to her. "I can get you out of here and get you some real money, if you're interested in a long-term partnership." She smirked as she took the hand.

"I'm in." With that affirmation, the two vanished in a flash of violet light as time went forward, with the guards looking in shock as they saw her gone; the only thing left was a Chronian signature.

(Attea's Incursean Ship, ten minutes later)

"Subdora? SUBDORA!" Chancellor Lucant shouted into his ear piece as he hisses in annoyance, the elder Merlinsapien slamming his fist in anger. "Consarn it… they must have finished her off."

"No matter, the girl had her role," Attea said with a calm tone as she looks at the intel they were able to get. "While I would have preferred we got all of the intel, we got enough to work with to get an idea of Plumber HQ's defenses. Just need someone to get on the inside to give us a layout of the place."

Yohi stood by Apex as he clears his throat, the owl-like alien stepping forward and bowing, "I think I know a way to get the information. One of my agents, Kiri, has collected someone from Earth." He stepped aside as a female member of his race walked over and opened her wings, making a shout of fear come out.

"H-Hey! What's going on?!" asked Argit in a panicked tone, looking around before he sees Attea turning to him, a smirk on her face. She started to pace around him, her eyes predatory as she looks down at him.

"Aaaah, the little rat of Undertown himself? I heard a lot about you, Argit Vermayne. In debt to a lot of people, fourteen warrants for arrest, sold your own mother for a few Taydens…"

"Hey now! I'll have you know, Ma was given the top billing!" Argit said with slight offense to his tone. He saw the looks as his ears drooped a bit, "Okay you made your point, I'm a crook. So?"

"So I'm gonna ask you for a job, rat. You get me some info on Earth and any underground connections you got, and I don't turn your fuzzy pelt into a new carpet," Attea said with a sneer as she walked away from him. "And if you try to give me any bad intel… Apex will turn you into a chew toy."

The door closes after she leaves as Yohi and Kiri materialize in front of him, both owl-folks glaring down at him. Lucant was snarling a bit in annoyance still over what was going on, his tri-colored eyes narrowing. "Tennyson… I shall make sure you feel the wrath of Lucant!" He smashes his communicator in rage, the elder Merlinsapien snarling with his fangs exposed as Argit gulped a bit, his eyes shrunk as he realized he was in very deep.

End of Episode 11

FINALLY! IT IS DONE! IT TOOK TWO YEARS TO ACTUALLY GET TO THIS POINT! But I hope the wait wasn't too bad for you guys and hopefully I can get a better schedule for this fic. Especially with how I am going to try and work through this. Please Read, Review and Suggest away!