In New York City, Evan and the Tennysons stepped into the hotel lobby, taking in the polished floors, bright lights, and the constant hum of people coming and going.
At the front desk, Max handled the check-in while Gwen flipped through a glossy brochure she had picked up nearby, her eyes scanning the pages quickly.
"Wow, this hotel has everything," she said, clearly impressed. "Indoor pool, full-day spa, fitness center…"
Evan leaned slightly closer, glancing over her shoulder with mild curiosity rather than excitement. Most of it didn't interest him much, but one section caught his attention.
"Hm… an all-you-can-eat buffet," he murmured, pausing on that page a little longer than the others.
Ben stood beside them, arms hanging loosely at his sides, already bored with the whole process.
Max finished signing the last of the paperwork and handed the pen back.
"Don't get too excited," he said as he turned toward them. "We're only staying for one night."
Gwen shrugged, still flipping through the brochure anyway, while Evan gave a small nod. One night was more than enough for him.
Ben, however, had already stopped listening. His attention had shifted across the lobby.
His eyes widened. Right there, behind a velvet rope and guarded by a large, stern-looking bouncer, was a display setup with bright lights and a massive screen.
A sneak preview. Of the newest Sumo Slammers game.
"No way!" Ben shouted, instantly energized as he sprinted across the lobby. "A new Sumo Slammers game is in there!"
He rushed up to the entrance, only to have the bouncer step forward and block his path without even looking impressed.
"Pass?" the man asked flatly.
Ben froze for a second, then quickly checked his pockets, patting himself down like he had actually lost something important.
"I must've left it inside," he said, trying to sound convincing. "I'm one of the game pros testing out the new system."
The bouncer didn't even blink. "VIPs only."
Ben's shoulders dropped slightly as his plan failed instantly. He lingered there for a moment, staring longingly at the screen inside before finally turning around and dragging himself back toward the others.
Max saw the look on his face immediately.
"I know what you're thinking, Ben," he said in a firm tone. "No sneaking back in there."
Evan hands in his pockets gave Ben a side glance.
"I'm not bailing you out if you get into trouble again," he added, already familiar with how this usually went.
Ben raised his hands defensively.
"I won't," he said, sounding just convincing enough to pass if no one knew him better.
Max didn't look fully convinced, but he didn't press it further. With that, the group started toward the elevators, hauling their luggage along.
Ben followed behind them for a few steps. Then he slowed before he stopped. A sly grin spread across his face.
He glanced around quickly to make sure no one was paying attention, then ducked behind a nearby pillar and lifted his wrist.
The Omnitrix dial clicked into place.
A green flash lit up the corner as he transformed into Ghostfreak, his body becoming translucent and eerie as he floated slightly above the ground.
"But he will," Ghostfreak muttered to himself with a grin.
He drifted effortlessly across the lobby, passing right by the bouncer without resistance, phasing through the barrier and into the VIP area like it wasn't even there.
Inside, the game system stood ready.
Ghostfreak floated closer, looking over it with clear excitement.
"The ultimate sneak peek for the ghost with the most freak," he said, reaching out and activating the game.
Moments later, he was fully absorbed, playing through the levels with growing enthusiasm.
...
Back near the elevators, Max pressed the button as they waited.
Gwen glanced around. "…Where's Ben?"
Max turned slightly.
"Ben?" he called, but there was no answer.
Evan didn't even need to look.
"That idiot is up to something again," he murmured, already certain of what had happened.
The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, but the three of them didn't move right away.
...
Meanwhile, back in the VIP area, the game sounds echoed as Ben, now back in human form, leaned forward with complete focus.
"Yes! New high score!" he cheered, finishing a round with a score of 500,000 points.
He leaned back, satisfied. Then he felt something heavy land on his shoulder.
Slowly, he turned his head.
The bouncer stood right behind him, arms crossed, expression unchanged except for a clear hint of irritation.
"What do you have to say for yourself, kid?" he asked.
Ben gave a small, awkward smile. "Uh… game over?"
...
The bouncer stormed back out a moment later, dragging the last of the Tennysons' luggage with him before tossing it down onto the sidewalk in a rough heap. One of the bags bounced slightly as it hit the ground.
"And never come back!" he barked before turning on his heel and heading straight back inside without another glance.
The glass doors shut behind him with a firm click.
For a moment, no one said anything.
Evan stood there, staring at the pile of bags, then at the hotel entrance, then back at the bags again. He slowly exhaled through his nose, trying to keep himself calm, but the irritation was already settling in.
He had been looking forward to that buffet.
It wasn't even about the luxury of the place, it was just the idea of normal food, something simple, something he didn't have to question before eating.
Ever since the summer started, most of what he'd been eating came from whatever Max put together on the road, and while it was edible, it wasn't exactly something to get excited about.
An all-you-can-eat buffet, though, was different.
That was something you didn't pass up.
Growing up in a house with five sisters and a dad who was barely around, Evan had learned early that if you wanted food, you had to be quick about it. Meals didn't last long, and if you hesitated, someone else would take your share without a second thought. It taught him to eat whatever was available.
He wasn't picky.
But that didn't mean he didn't appreciate something better when he had the chance.
And now that chance was gone because of Ben.
Evan rubbed the side of his head slightly, then let his hand drop, his expression flattening as he glanced toward Ben without saying anything yet.
Max turned to his grandson, his face serious in a way that didn't leave much room for excuses.
"I told you specifically not to sneak in there," he said.
Ben shifted a little under the look, but he didn't back down completely.
"Well, if you want to get technical about it..."
Gwen cut him off immediately, throwing her hands up in frustration.
"I never even got the chance to take a shower!" she snapped. "A real shower for the first time all summer!"
She gestured back toward the hotel like it had personally betrayed her.
"And they had a spa. A spa. Do you even know how rare that is for us right now?"
Ben opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Gwen folded her arms tightly. "Nice going, doofus."
Ben frowned slightly, glancing between them.
As they made their way back to the Rust Bucket, the mood stayed tense the entire walk. The moment they got inside and the door shut behind them, Max turned around and faced him directly.
"How am I supposed to trust you if you keep misusing the Omnitrix?" Max asked, his voice firm and controlled.
Ben threw his hands up, already frustrated. "Excuse me, I've used it like a hundred times for good at this point. Why can't I use it just once for me?"
"It's not about how many times you use it," Evan said from the side, his tone steady but clearly irritated. "It's about how you use it. You said you wanted to be a superhero, remember? So why are you acting like this now?"
Ben frowned. "It was no big deal."
Evan's expression tightened slightly. "No big deal? Ben, with great power comes great responsibility. I didn't deal with a group of elite galactic bounty hunters just so you could treat the Omnitrix like a toy."
There was a sharp edge to his words now. Unlike Ben, Evan knew what it was like to actually work for things, to deal with responsibilities that didn't just go away when you got bored. Food, money, effort, none of it came easy when you don't have power, and seeing Ben casually dismiss all of it because he currently didn't have to work for those things didn't sit well with him.
Ben snapped back immediately. "I didn't ask you to help! I can handle things myself! And like I said, it wasn't a big deal!"
"To you," Max said. "And that's the problem. That's all you're thinking about. Evan stuck his neck out for you when you needed it most. The least you could do is acknowledge that. But you can't even do that."
Ben looked away, jaw clenched.
"So here's what's going to happen," Max continued. "No Sumo Slammers anything for two weeks. No comics, no trading cards, no-"
"Fair!" Ben cut in quickly.
"Neither is getting us kicked out of a four-star hotel I already paid for," Max shot back without missing a beat.
"Fine! Take it out of my allowance!" Ben said, folding his arms.
"You don't get an allowance," Gwen said flatly.
"Stay out of this!" Ben, Evan, and Max all snapped at the same time.
Gwen blinked, then sank back into her seat, muttering under her breath.
Ben turned back to Max, his frustration boiling over. "This is my vacation too. You can't just keep telling me what to do all the time."
Max didn't respond right away.
Ben narrowed his eyes. "You're not my dad."
The words hung in the air.
Evan's head snapped toward him immediately. "Idiot. He's your grandfather. That makes him your dad's dad."
Ben didn't even look at him. "Stay out of this. I didn't ask for your opinion. This is my family, so mind your own business."
"Ben!" Max said sharply, clearly taken aback.
For a moment, it looked like things were about to escalate even further, but Max stopped himself. He took a breath, forcing himself to calm down before things got worse.
"I… I'm going back to the hotel," he said, his voice more controlled now. "I'll see if I can at least get some of my money back. I won't be long."
Ben stood there for a second, still tense, then turned and stormed toward the back. "Don't hurry!" he called out before yanking the curtain shut behind him.
Gwen watched him go, then glanced at Max. "He'll be fine."
Max looked back at Evan and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't listen to him," he said. "Stay Gold is like a son to me, her children are also my grandchildren, and that makes you family too."
Evan didn't respond right away. He just nodded slightly.
A moment later, he raised his wrist and activated his other Omnitrix.
A golden flash filled the RV.
Brainstorm appeared in his place, adjusting his posture slightly as his mind sharpened instantly.
"I'll get back to my work, Grandpa," he said calmly.
He moved over to his materials, opening the container filled with components he had been collecting. With precise electrokinetic control, he began assembling and modifying them, small pieces lifting into the air and snapping into place under his guidance.
Max watched him for a moment, then sighed quietly before heading back toward the hotel.
Inside, the RV settled into an uneasy silence.
From the back, Ben's voice suddenly broke it. "Not fair! Not fair! Totally unfair!"
Gwen rolled her eyes slightly. "Glad to see you're handling things so well."
The curtain slid open, and Ben stepped out, still annoyed. He glanced at Brainstorm, who didn't even acknowledge him, completely focused on the components floating in front of him.
Ben scoffed. "Whatever."
He turned and headed for the door.
"Ben, where are you going?" Gwen asked.
Ben paused just long enough to glance back. "Where does it look like? Out."
"Get back here!"
"Sorry, I don't speak dweeb," Ben shot back before stepping outside and walking off.
Gwen hesitated for a second, then looked at Brainstorm, who still hadn't moved or reacted.
"…You're not going after him?"
Brainstorm didn't even look. "He made his choice."
Gwen sighed. "Yeah… and now I have to deal with it."
She hurried out after Ben.
Time passed.
Eventually, Max returned to the Rust Bucket, stepping inside and immediately noticing how quiet it was.
Inside, he saw Brainstorm near the table, small metallic components floating in the air around him. Tiny sparks of electricity connected pieces together as he carefully assembled something more refined than before.
"Evan, where are Ben and Gwen?" Max asked.
A golden flash filled the RV again as Brainstorm reverted back to Evan, who now held two small chips in one hand along with a circular lid.
"I don't know," Evan said calmly. "They went out on their own."
He activated the Omnitrix again, letting the dial pop up, and placing the chips inside carefully.
A faint female mechanical voice followed.
[Data Upgrade Detected. Battery amount increased.]
[Data Upgrade Detected. DNA Repair Mode is now available.]
Evan looked at the device in his hand for a moment, his gaze steady as he went over the result in silence. Then he closed it, his expression unchanged, like he had already moved on to the next step in his head.
Carefully, he placed the circular lid onto his Another Omnitrix, making sure it locked into place properly before activating it again.
The dial popped up again. A yellow holographic projection of Feedback flickered to life just above the watch.
He smiled, studied it for a second, seeing that the visual improvement he had made had actually worked, and he powered off his watch.
After a while, the RV door opened. Gwen stepped inside.
The moment she did, she immediately noticed the atmosphere. Max was standing near the front with his arms crossed, his expression serious, while Evan hovered slightly off the ground on his board, looking as calm and indifferent as ever.
Neither of them spoke at first.
Max broke the silence. "Where's Ben?"
Gwen hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "Yeah… it's kind of a funny story."
Neither Max nor Evan reacted.
Gwen sighed and then explained everything, from running into Kevin, to Ben deciding to go alien in public just to beating up a group of kids, and finally, running off with Kevin without even looking back.
By the time she finished, the RV felt even quieter than before.
Max slowly raised a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes as a headache started to build.
Evan just sighed.
"Hundred bucks says he commits a crime next," he said flatly.
Max: "…"
Gwen: "…"
Neither of them responded right away.
Evan glanced at them both, then continued in the same calm tone, like he was just stating something obvious.
"What? He's already shown he's willing to misuse his aliens for personal gain, beat up civilians in broad daylight, and now he's running off with some juvenile delinquent. Do you really think he's going to suddenly make better decisions from here?"
Max lowered his hand slightly, exchanging a look with Gwen.
Gwen didn't say anything, but her expression shifted, the weight of the situation starting to sink in more clearly now that it was laid out like that.
Max's face hardened a bit.
Evan leaned back slightly on his hoverboard, arms resting casually at his sides.
"So," he added, "does anyone want to take that bet?"
The question snapped both of them out of their thoughts.
Gwen frowned. "This isn't a joke, Evan."
"I didn't say it was," Evan replied.
Max exhaled slowly, straightening up.
"No bets," he said firmly. "We're going to find him."
Evan gave a small shrug. "That works too."
Gwen crossed her arms. "You don't sound very concerned."
"Yes," Evan said simply. "It's hard to care for someone once you know they didn't even care when you stuck your neck out for them."
Max frowned, but he didn't say anything; he could understand why Evan was angry at Ben, so he moved toward the driver's seat, already thinking ahead.
"Kevin, you said? Did he mention where they were going?"
Gwen shook her head. "Not really. Just… somewhere to hang out."
Max sighed, clearly not liking how vague that was.
"Then we start looking. We don't have time to waste."
He started the Rust Bucket and drove off looking for Ben.
Evan crossed his legs, sitting on his hoverboard. "Let's go pick up your future criminal."
Gwen shot him a look.
Evan didn't react.
Max didn't say anything, focusing on the road ahead, focusing and looking for any trace of Ben.