Forty-seven.
Ben stared at the number on the screen.
He blinked once.
Then twice.
"That's... probably a mistake."
Peter looked at him.
"You said that last time."
"And I was wrong last time."
"Exactly."
Ben sighed.
"You're not helping."
"I'm trying to prepare myself."
"For what?"
Peter pointed at the screen.
"Whatever that is."
The laboratory remained quiet.
Eli stood behind them, staring at the display.
Marcus looked confused.
"Forty-seven what?"
Ben answered without taking his eyes off the screen.
"Ships."
Marcus stared.
"Ships?"
"Yes."
"How big?"
Ben zoomed in.
His expression changed.
"Big."
Peter leaned closer.
"That's not a measurement."
"Some of them are."
Ben enlarged one of the objects.
The hologram filled half the room.
Peter's mouth fell open.
"Okay."
He took a step back.
"That's definitely big."
Eli looked nervous.
"Are they coming here?"
Ben nodded.
"Yes."
Marcus looked at Carol.
"Can she fight them?"
Carol slowly shook her head.
"I don't know."
Ben turned toward her.
"Do you remember anything else?"
Carol closed her eyes.
"Not enough."
"Try."
She looked frustrated.
"I am trying."
Ben immediately softened.
"Sorry."
Carol looked at him.
"It's okay."
She took a deep breath.
"I remember the ship."
"What about it?"
"It wasn't a normal military ship."
Ben waited.
"It was a transport."
Peter frowned.
"Transporting what?"
Carol looked toward the screen.
"Soldiers."
Ben looked at the forty-seven objects.
"That doesn't sound good."
Carol shook her head.
"It isn't."
The Argument
Peter pulled Ben aside.
"We need to talk."
Ben nodded.
"Okay."
They walked toward the other side of the laboratory.
Peter lowered his voice.
"How much can you actually do?"
Ben looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"Against forty-seven ships."
Ben was silent.
Peter waited.
Finally Ben answered.
"I don't know."
Peter stared at him.
"You don't know?"
"No."
"Ben..."
"I don't know what their technology can do."
Ben pointed toward the screen.
"I don't know how many soldiers they have."
He paused.
"And I don't know whether they're here for me, Carol, or everyone on this planet."
Peter nodded slowly.
"Okay."
Ben looked at him.
"You're disappointed."
"No."
Peter shook his head.
"I'm relieved."
Ben frowned.
"Why?"
"Because you finally admitted you don't know."
Ben laughed.
"That's what you're worried about?"
"Sometimes you act like you have everything figured out."
"I usually do."
Peter smiled.
"That's exactly what I mean."
Ben looked back at the screen.
"I have a plan."
Peter waited.
"What's the plan?"
Ben hesitated.
"First..."
He pointed toward Eli and Marcus.
"We get them somewhere safe."
Peter nodded.
"Then?"
"We find out what the Kree want."
"And if they attack?"
Ben's expression hardened.
"Then we defend ourselves."
Peter nodded.
"Good."
Eli's Fear
Eli sat alone in the library.
He was trying to read.
He had read the same paragraph four times.
He still hadn't understood it.
His hands began glowing blue.
He immediately closed the book.
"No."
He looked at his hands.
The glow became stronger.
"No, no..."
He took a deep breath.
"Calm down."
The glow weakened.
Eli stared at his hands.
A few days ago, he hadn't even known he could do this.
Now aliens were coming to Earth.
Because of Ben.
Maybe because of him too.
He didn't know.
"Hey."
Eli looked up.
Peter stood at the entrance.
"You okay?"
Eli shrugged.
"Not really."
Peter sat beside him.
"Me neither."
Eli looked surprised.
"You?"
"Yeah."
"But you're Spider-Man."
Peter laughed.
"That's exactly why."
Eli smiled.
Peter leaned back.
"Being scared doesn't mean you're weak."
Eli looked at him.
"You weren't scared when we fought those guys."
"I was."
"You didn't look scared."
Peter shrugged.
"That's the trick."
"What trick?"
"Being scared and doing it anyway."
Eli thought about that.
Then nodded.
"I think I can do that."
Peter smiled.
"Good."
Marcus
Marcus was standing near the training room.
Ben found him there.
"You've been quiet."
Marcus shrugged.
"I'm thinking."
"About?"
Marcus looked at his hands.
"I don't know if I can help."
Ben leaned against the wall.
"You don't have to."
Marcus looked at him.
"What?"
"You don't have to fight."
Marcus frowned.
"But if I don't..."
Ben interrupted.
"You're not a soldier."
Marcus was silent.
Ben continued.
"You didn't ask for your powers."
He pointed toward the laboratory.
"Neither did Eli."
"Then why are we here?"
"Because you're scared."
Marcus looked confused.
Ben smiled.
"People who are scared deserve somewhere safe too."
Marcus smiled faintly.
"You really believe that?"
"Yes."
Marcus nodded.
"Then I'll stay."
Ben smiled.
"Good."
A Different Kind of Plan
Ben returned to the laboratory.
Carol was sitting at the main console.
She looked at him.
"You've changed."
Ben stopped.
"What?"
"When I first met you, you looked like someone who already knew everything."
Ben laughed.
"I definitely didn't."
"You acted like it."
"That's different."
Carol smiled.
"Now you're worried."
Ben looked at the screen.
"Shouldn't I be?"
"Yes."
She stood.
"That's why you're better prepared now."
Ben looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"You finally understand that you can't control everything."
Ben smiled.
"Everyone seems to be teaching me that lesson."
Carol laughed.
"Maybe you need it."
"Probably."
She looked at the map.
"How are you going to hide this?"
Ben shook his head.
"I can't."
Carol frowned.
"What?"
"If forty-seven ships are entering Earth's atmosphere, governments will notice."
Peter entered.
"Already happening."
Ben turned.
Peter held up his phone.
"News reports are coming in."
Ben looked at the screen.
Emergency alerts were appearing.
UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS DETECTED OVER THE ATLANTIC
Another alert appeared.
MILITARY RADAR TRACKING MULTIPLE UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT
Ben sighed.
"So much for secrecy."
Peter nodded.
"Yep."
Ben thought for a moment.
"Alfred."
A voice answered through the communicator.
"Yes, Master Ben?"
"How quickly can you move the mansion's security network to emergency status?"
"Already done."
Ben smiled.
"Good."
"And Master Ben?"
"Yes?"
"You may wish to look outside."
Ben frowned.
"Why?"
"Because there is something in the sky."
New York
Ben, Peter, Carol, Eli, and Marcus stood on the rooftop.
They looked up.
At first, there was nothing.
Then—
A small light appeared.
Then another.
Then ten.
Then dozens.
The sky slowly filled with objects.
People on the streets stopped walking.
Cars pulled over.
Phones came out.
Everyone was looking upward.
Peter whispered:
"Oh, man."
Ben stared.
"Yeah."
The first ship entered the atmosphere.
It didn't burn.
It didn't slow.
It simply descended.
Another followed.
Then another.
The city became silent.
Then every phone in New York received the same emergency message.
UNKNOWN MILITARY THREAT
SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY
Peter looked at Ben.
"This is going to be all over the news."
Ben nodded.
"I know."
Carol suddenly grabbed Ben's arm.
"Wait."
Ben looked at her.
"What?"
She pointed toward the sky.
"That one."
Ben followed her finger.
A larger ship was approaching.
It looked different from the others.
Older.
More heavily armored.
Carol's face went pale.
"That's the command ship."
Ben studied it.
"How do you know?"
"I've seen it before."
Peter looked at her.
"That's bad, isn't it?"
Carol nodded.
"Very."
The ship stopped above New York.
A strange symbol appeared across its surface.
Then a voice echoed through the city.
Every speaker.
Every phone.
Every television.
The same message.
"Earth."
People froze.
The voice continued.
"We have come for the fugitive."
Ben looked at Carol.
The voice continued.
"Return the one known as Carol Danvers."
Carol's face went pale.
Peter whispered:
"Danvers."
Ben looked at her.
"That's your name."
Carol slowly nodded.
"Yes."
The voice continued.
"Return her."
Silence.
Then:
"Or this planet will be considered hostile."
Ben looked around.
Millions of people were watching.
He could feel the pressure building.
Peter looked at him.
"What are we going to do?"
Ben didn't answer immediately.
He looked at Carol.
She looked terrified.
Then he looked at Eli.
Marcus.
Peter.
Finally, he looked at the ships.
Ben took a breath.
"We're not handing her over."
Peter nodded.
"I figured."
Ben smiled slightly.
"Then let's think before we punch an alien army."
Peter smiled.
"That's new."
"Very funny."
The Unexpected Visitor
Before anyone could move—
A bright flash appeared above them.
Everyone looked up.
Something fell from the sky.
Fast.
Very fast.
Ben immediately activated the Omnitrix.
He prepared to transform.
But the object stopped.
It hovered above them.
A man stood in the air.
Red and blue clothing.
A cape.
Dark hair.
He looked around.
Then looked at Ben.
Ben froze.
Peter's mouth opened.
Marcus stared.
Eli whispered:
"Who is that?"
Ben slowly lowered his hand.
He knew that face.
He had seen it countless times in his previous life.
The man looked toward the alien ships.
Then back at Ben.
"Are you the one they're looking for?"
Ben stared.
For once, he had absolutely no idea what to say.
Peter whispered:
"Ben."
Ben finally answered.
"Yeah."
The man nodded.
"Then we should talk."
Peter looked at Ben.
Ben looked at the flying man.
And somewhere inside his head, one thought appeared.
This universe is getting complicated.
The man slowly descended.
He landed on the rooftop.
Ben looked at him.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"Clark."
Ben stared.
"Clark what?"
The man hesitated.
Then smiled.
"Kent."
Ben's eyes widened.
Peter looked confused.
"You know him?"
Ben slowly shook his head.
"Not personally."
He looked at the sky.
Then at the Kree fleet.
Then back at Clark.
"Something tells me we're going to need a bigger team."
Clark smiled.
"That's what I was thinking."
Above them, the Kree command ship began charging its weapons.
Ben looked up.
His expression changed.
"Everyone..."
The Omnitrix began glowing.
"...get ready."
The first weapon fired.