Ben cradled Flygirl in his arms, hurrying back toward the Rustbucket. Her breathing was shallow, and her skin was clammy. He laid her gently
Ben cradled Flygirl in his arms, hurrying back toward the Rustbucket. Her breathing was shallow, and her skin was clammy. He laid her gently on one of the beds, tucking a blanket around her. "Just rest, Flygirl," he murmured. "I'll figure this out."
He glanced back at the circus grounds, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach. Something was wrong, deeply wrong. Ben left Flygirl to rest. He had to find the others.
But when Ben returned to the circus grounds, the vibrant, chaotic atmosphere was gone. The tents had been dismantled, the games packed away, and the trailers were nowhere to be seen. Zombozo and his entire troupe had vanished, leaving only bare ground in their wake.
A chill snaked down Ben's spine. This wasn't right. He should feel his heart pounding in his chest, but he feels nothing.
A growing sense of dread washed over him, and he started searching for Max, Gwen, and Laura. As Ben navigated the town, a disturbing picture began to emerge. People stumbled through the streets, their faces blank and hollow. Some were sprawled on the sidewalks, unconscious, while others wandered aimlessly, their eyes vacant. A pall hung over the town, a heavy blanket of despair that seemed to smother all joy.
The happy environment was replaced with empty smiles and joyless laughs. The people looked tired and drained. It was not good.
Then, he saw him. Max sat on the steps of a closed storefront, a vacant smile plastered on his face. He was laughing weakly, a hollow, mirthless sound that sent shivers down Ben's spine.
"Grandpa Max?" Ben asked, his voice laced with concern. "Are you okay?"
Max looked up, his eyes unfocused. "Hehehe… Ben? Oh, hey, buddy. Am I okay? I… I don't know. I just feel… glum."
Ben stared at his grandfather, his mind racing. The listless faces, the drained energy, the unnatural laughter… It all clicked into place. These were the signs, the telltale symptoms of a drained spirit, the tell of a person whose positive energy had been forcibly taken. And there was only one person Ben knew who was capable of such a thing: Zombozo.
But how? Ben didn't see the device that drains Positive Energy in the circus. So how had Zombozo done it? How had he managed to steal the town's joy without leaving a trace?
"Where's Gwen and Laura?" Ben pressed, his voice urgent.
Max chuckled, shaking his head. "Gwen? Laura? I dunno, Ben. Probably off having fun somewhere. Don't worry so much, kiddo. Hehehe..."
Ben knew something was seriously wrong. He left Max and started searching for Laura and Gwen, his pace quickening with each passing moment. A sense of panic gnawed at him.
He found Laura slumped against a building, motionless. As he rushed to her side, he noticed the front of her shirt was gone, exposing her chest. Ben's eyes widened momentarily, but he quickly forced himself to focus. This wasn't the time. He took off his jacket and gently covered her.
He checked her pulse, relieved to find it steady. He shook her gently. "Laura? Laura, wake up."
Laura stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked, confusion clouding her face, then saw Ben. Relief washed over her features. She reached up, touching the jacket Ben had placed over her. Her gaze drifted down, and she saw her melted top, her cheeks flushing crimson. She averted her gaze, a silent thank you in her eyes.
"What happened?" Ben asked, his voice strained.
"It all started during the show," Laura began, her voice hoarse. "I noticed the clowns… something was off. People—Gwen, Max—started acting strange. I saw... something flowing out of them, sucked upwards. It happened to me, too, but my healing factor stopped it. Gwen… she volunteered during the show. Then she disappeared."
Laura paused, her expression hardening. "I went looking for her. I found her… in Zombozo's clutches. I fought them—the Circus Freaks—demanding they return her, but… I lost." Her voice cracked with anger and guilt. "They took Gwen, Ben. They took her."
Frustration welled up in Ben. If he hadn't been so impulsive, if he had stayed with the group, maybe he could have prevented this. "Did you see anyone else working with Zombozo, besides the clowns?" he asked.
Laura thought for a moment. "There was a man… he had a fishbowl on his head. Green mist inside."
Ben's eyes widened. Mysterio? That meant the Spider-Man villain was somehow connected. "That's not good. That's really not good," he muttered. Mysterio and Zombozo, together? The thought made his stomach churn.
"We have to go after them," Ben said, his voice firm. "Gwen's in trouble."
He and Laura helped Max to his feet, supporting him as they walked toward the Rustbucket. The Rustbucket felt less like a mobile home and more like a lifeline. They helped Max inside, settling him on a bed. He needed rest, but Gwen needed them more.
Ben slid into the driver's seat, his hands gripping the wheel. He knew they were likely headed to the next town, where Zombozo's circus would set up shop once more, ready to drain the joy from another unsuspecting community. He started the engine, a grim determination etched on his face. "Hold on tight," he said to Laura. "We're getting Gwen back." He put the Rustbucket in drive, and sped off into the night, and set off for the next town.
The Rustbucket ate up the miles, its headlights cutting through the darkness. Laura stared out the window, her brow furrowed in thought. After a while, she turned to Ben, her voice low. "What exactly happened back there, in town? What happened to Grandpa and all those people?"
Ben gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. "Zombozo," he explained, "he takes their positive energy. Drains it right out of them." He glanced at Laura. "It's how he gets stronger, how he keeps his circus running. He needs the fear and the joy, like fuel."
He paused, his expression grim. "And while he's doing that, setting up his circus and gathering the people, Mysterio must be hitting the town. Stealing whatever he can get his hands on."
Laura's hands clenched into fists. "So, Zombozo steals their happiness, their life force… and Mysterio just robs them blind?"
Ben nodded, his jaw tight. "It's a twisted partnership, but it makes sense. They both thrive on other people's suffering."
A cold fury ignited in Laura's eyes. "Those bastards," she spat, her voice laced with venom. "They're going to make them pay. I swear, they are."
"Don't worry," Ben stated, his voice steely, "they're going to get what is coming to them."
Dawn broke as they arrived at the next town. True to form, Zombozo's Traveling Circus of Laughs was already setting up its garish tents.
Ben donned his Omni-Exo suit, its metallic surface gleaming in the morning light. Together, he and Laura slipped into the town, melting into the early morning bustle, approaching the circus grounds.
Laura took the lead, her senses heightened, her movements fluid and silent. She was more experienced in this than him. She was a predator, born and bred, and he trusted her instincts.
They skirted the edge of the main tent, spotting Thumbskull, Frightwig, and Acid Breath unloading boxes from a truck. The Circus Freaks looked as unpleasant as Ben remembered.
"Together, we'll take them down," Ben whispered, ready to smash them with all of his might.
"I can do this myself," Laura replied, her voice low and dangerous. "I want payback. For Gwen, for everything."
Ben understood. He saw the burning anger in her eyes, the raw need for vengeance. He trusted her, perhaps more than he trusted himself at that moment. "Okay," he conceded. "Just… be careful."
A faint blush touched Laura's cheeks at his concern. "Go stop the clown and fishbowl," she said, her tone softening slightly. "Save Gwen."
Ben nodded, turning towards the main tent. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders.
Laura stepped out of the shadows, revealing herself.
Thumbskull, Frightwig, and Acid Breath stopped what they were doing, their eyes widening in surprise.
"Look who it is," Frightwig sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "The little Wolverine wannabe. I guess she didn't learn her lesson the first time."
"Back for another beating, freak?" Acid Breath cackled, his green gums visible.
A low growl rumbled in Laura's throat. "I won't lose again." She unsheathed her claws, the adamantium glinting sharply in the sunlight. They were ready for some action.
The Circus Freaks attacked.
…
Ben stood in front of the entrance to the tent. Its gaping maw of inky darkness and promise of entertainment, laughter, and wonder seemed to die at its threshold. He stood before it, unable to discern what awaited him.
Suddenly, Zombozo's voice boomed to life, amplified by hidden speakers, echoing through the grounds. "Well, well, well! What have we here? It seems we have a guest of honor! Step right up, hero! Don't be shy! The show's about to begin, and I wouldn't want you to miss the grand finale!" The voice was laced with mocking cheer, a twisted invitation that made his skin crawl.
Taking a deep breath, steeling his resolve, he stepped forward. The darkness swallowed him whole. The air shifted as he passed through the threshold, the temperature dropping noticeably. The smells of cotton candy and popcorn were replaced with something stale and musty, something that hinted at decay. The darkness gave way as he entered the tent.
***
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Advance chapters are in my P@|r3on - Najicablitz