Night settled heavily over the harbor.
Cold wind drifted across the docks, carrying the smell of saltwater, rust, and engine oil. Rows of towering cargo containers stood like metal walls under the dim yellow lights of the dockyard. In the distance, cranes loomed like silent skeletons against the dark sky while waves slapped quietly against the pier.
Most of the harbor looked quiet. But Jack knew places like this were never truly quiet.
From the rooftop of a nearby warehouse, a blue alien crouched low against the metal surface. XLR8. The sleek alien's tail flicked lightly behind him as Jack scanned the area below.
Several large cargo trucks were parked beside one of the biggest warehouses along the pier. Workers moved quickly between the trucks and the loading dock while a handful of armed men stood guard near the doors. Too many guards for normal cargo.
"Yep… definitely illegal," Jack muttered.
He crept closer to the edge of the roof and peered through a cracked skylight. Inside the warehouse, dozens of wooden crates were stacked across the floor. A few gang members pried one of them open with crowbars. Jack narrowed his eyes.
Rifles. Military rifles. That alone told him everything he needed to know.
A tall man wearing a black jacket stood near the center of the warehouse shouting orders. "All bastards, don't drop anything!" the man barked angrily. "Carefully ship it! The boss wants everything delivered tonight!"
Another gang member wiped sweat from his forehead. "Where are we sending this batch again?"
The man looked irritated. "Harlem."
Jack's expression hardened. Weapons going into Harlem meant gang violence on the streets — more shootings, more innocent people caught in crossfire.
Jack flexed his claws against the metal roof. "Not happening."
He inhaled slowly. Then he moved.
The rooftop vanished behind him as XLR8 exploded forward like a streak of blue lightning. Wind roared past his body as he slipped through the cracked skylight and landed silently inside the warehouse.
For a moment no one noticed him. Then one of the guards blinked. "…What the—"
The blur struck. WHAM. The first guard flew sideways into a stack of crates. "What the hell was that?!"
Another man raised his rifle. Too slow. XLR8 appeared behind him instantly and tapped the back of his neck. The man collapsed before he could even shout.
Chaos erupted across the warehouse. "Something's inside!" "Shoot it!"
Gunfire exploded through the room. But they were firing at empty air. To them, Jack was nothing more than a streak of blue wind tearing through the building. He moved between them like a living storm — a kick shattered one man's balance, a tail sweep knocked another off his feet, a shoulder slam sent a third criminal crashing through a wooden crate. Men spun and fired wildly, but their bullets only hit walls and cargo boxes.
Within seconds more than half the gang lay unconscious across the warehouse floor.
Jack skidded across the concrete and stopped beside a stack of crates. Then he noticed something. A side door burst open and more criminals ran into the warehouse — six, seven, eight more. Too many.
Jack glanced at the glowing timer floating in his vision.
[ Transformation Time Remaining: 00:34 ]
"…Great timing."
He dashed forward again, knocking two more men into a stack of crates before sprinting toward the exit. XLR8 burst through the loading door and raced outside, sliding behind a row of stacked cargo containers as green light suddenly flashed around his body.
The transformation ended. Jack returned to human form and leaned against the cold metal container, breathing quietly.
Inside the warehouse the gang members were shouting. "What was that thing?!" "Did you see it?!" "Search outside!"
Jack looked down at the Omnitrix.
[ Omnitrix Recharging — 60 seconds ]
He exhaled slowly. "Alright… think."
Footsteps echoed from inside the building as several criminals cautiously moved toward the loading dock. Too many enemies to handle with speed alone. He needed power. His mind immediately jumped to one alien — Diamondhead. Crystal armor, projectile attacks, perfect for breaking crates and disabling weapons.
"That would end this fast…"
Thirty seconds passed. Then forty. Footsteps came closer. A few gang members stepped outside the warehouse with rifles raised. Jack stayed perfectly still behind the containers.
Then —
[ Omnitrix Ready ]
Jack immediately slammed the dial. "Diamond—"
KRR-CHAK!
Green light exploded around him. But the hologram flickered. In the panic of the moment his hand had slipped slightly on the dial. Instead of the crystal alien he expected, his body began expanding — muscles multiplying, bones cracking and growing larger, four massive arms tearing through the green light.
A massive red alien slammed down onto the concrete beside the containers.
Four Arms.
Jack blinked. "…Well." He rolled his shoulders. "Not the one I planned, but it'll work."
Then he walked straight back into the warehouse.
The remaining gang members froze when they saw him. One of them dropped his rifle. "…What the hell is THAT?!"
Four Arms cracked his knuckles. "You guys really should've gone home."
The fight turned brutal. One smuggler charged forward swinging a metal pipe. Jack caught it easily with two hands and bent it in half like soft clay. The man's face went pale. Jack grabbed him and tossed him across the warehouse. Another criminal fired his rifle — the bullets bounced harmlessly off Four Arms' thick alien skin. Jack grabbed the gun and crushed it like a soda can.
The warehouse descended into chaos. Crates shattered, weapons scattered across the floor, and gang members flew across the room as Four Arms smashed through the operation like a living bulldozer. Within seconds the entire gang lay unconscious.
Jack exhaled slowly. "Shipment cancelled."
He smashed several weapon crates, snapping rifles and crushing ammunition to make sure none of it could be used. Then he turned toward the exit and disappeared into the night before the police could arrive.
But Jack missed something.
Near the far corner of the warehouse, one man had managed to hide behind a tall stack of cargo containers during the fight. He slowly peeked out, hands shaking. "…Oh my god."
He looked down at the phone in his hand. Two photos glowed on the screen — one showing the blue alien blur racing through the warehouse, the other capturing the massive red figure of Four Arms smashing through a crate.
The man's eyes widened. "That lizard bastard…" He stared at the images in disbelief. "He can turn into different creatures." His fear slowly turned into a greedy smile. "And that second form… that thing looks even stronger."
He carefully saved the photos. "With this information…" He chuckled quietly. "The boss is definitely going to reward me." He slipped the phone into his pocket. "Maybe even make me the next vice leader."
He grinned darkly. "Hehe."
Across the harbor, the mysterious Blur had already vanished into the night.
But tonight, someone had captured the first real proof of the hero's secret.
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