Chapter 26: A Plumber's Fall
The Rustbucket rumbled along, dutifully following Phil's sleek sedan until it pulled into the parking lot of a luxurious hotel.
Klein and the others clambered out, trailing Phil through the opulent lobby and into an elevator that whisked them to the top floor.
The moment the doors to the presidential suite opened, Grandpa Max's expression soured. "A presidential suite?" he grumbled, his eyes scanning the lavish decor with disdain. "You're certainly living well." He already had a sinking feeling about Phil and his connection to the recent alien monster attacks.
"This? This is nothing," Phil said with a grand, dismissive wave of his arm. He spread his arms wide, a salesman pitching the deal of a lifetime. "Just a little something the owner of the meat processing plant arranged to show his gratitude. Mark, as long as you cooperate with me, all of this can be yours, too!"
Max didn't respond immediately, his mind churning as he connected the dots.
"What's wrong, Mark?" Phil asked, his smile faltering slightly at his old friend's silence.
"I was just wondering," Max said, his voice low and steady, "what are the odds of a Vulpimancer and a Null Void Projector showing up in the same town on the same day." He let the implication hang in the air for a moment before turning and walking out of the suite.
"Kids, order whatever you want to eat," Phil called out, forcing a cheerful tone before hurrying after Max.
"Thanks!" was the only reply, muffled by the mouthful of food Ben was already devouring.
As the two old men left, Klein's expression darkened. He turned to Gwen. "Gwen, we're following them." He then gave Ben a sharp pat on the back. "Stop eating! Grandpa's in danger!"
The urgency in Klein's voice cut through Ben's food-induced haze. He quickly swallowed the contents of his mouth and scrambled to catch up with his cousins.
Down in the parking lot, Klein's eyes swept over their designated spot. "The Rustbucket is gone," he stated flatly.
"So is Phil's car," Gwen added, her gaze fixed on the empty space where the sedan had been parked.
"Where could they have gone?" Ben asked, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach.
Klein didn't bother with an answer. He simply slapped the faceplate of the Another Omnitrix.
A flash of pale blue light erupted, and in his place stood the sleek, velociraptor-like form of Fasttrack. Without a word, he scooped Gwen into his arms and yelled back at Ben, "Ben! Keep up!"
…
The Rustbucket was parked on a deserted mountain road, Phil's sedan pulled up right alongside it.
Grandpa Max stepped out, his face set like stone. "You took the Null Void Projector, didn't you, Phil?" he said as his old partner emerged from the car. He had hoped to talk some sense into him, to pull him back from the dangerous path he was treading.
"Mark, what are you talking about?" Phil's expression turned ugly, all traces of his earlier bonhomie gone.
"You released those Vulpimancers. You have the projector," Max stated, deciding to cut through the lies. "Didn't you?"
"Mark, you…" Phil's face twisted into a snarl. "I wanted to cut you in, to work with you. But it looks like I have no choice. I'll have to eliminate you." A cruel smirk played on his lips. "Don't worry, I'll tell Ben your last wishes. I'll tell him how much you wanted him to carry on your work… by teaming up with me."
With that, Phil raised the Null Void Projector. He fired a shot not at Max, but at the ground beside him. A shimmering golden portal tore open reality, and a snarling, hound-like beast leaped out.
"Phil, you…" Max stared in disbelief at the man who had once fought by his side. He barely managed to dodge as the Vulpimancer lunged, its claws tearing through the air where he'd just been standing.
But Max wasn't a young man anymore. His stamina quickly began to wane under the creature's relentless assault. Just as the Vulpimancer lunged for the kill, its jaws wide enough to swallow him whole, two blue-black afterimages blurred past. One of them snatched Grandpa Max, pulling him to safety.
Ben, in his own Fasttrack form, set his grandfather down and glared at a stunned Phil. "I will never partner with you!"
Phil's shock quickly curdled into rage. He raised the projector again. "Is that so? Then you can all just die together!"
Another golden portal ripped open, and this time, more than a dozen Vulpimancers poured out, their growls echoing through the desolate mountain pass.
Klein, still as Fasttrack, shouted to his cousin, "Ben! Protect Grandpa!" He slapped the Omnitrix symbol on his chest. "Gwen and I will handle these things!"
A second flash of blue light, and the lithe form of Fasttrack was replaced by the towering, four-armed brute, Four Arms.
The first Vulpimancer that pounced was met with a massive fist that sent it tumbling through the air like a ragdoll.
At the same time, Gwen's body ignited with a brilliant magenta glow, her Anodite form shimmering into existence. Raw, powerful energy, honed by the magic she had been studying, crackled around her. She unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, sending several of the beasts reeling back with pained yelps.
Gwen raised a hand, and a bolt of lightning arced from her fingertips, striking a Vulpimancer square in the chest. It was charred black and thrown to the ground, but the thick-skinned creature quickly staggered back to its feet.
Seeing this, Gwen didn't frown. A small, fierce smile touched her lips. She had always wanted to fight alongside her cousin like this. Usually, Ben was the one playing the hero, and Klein rarely bothered to transform. On the rare occasions he did, the enemy was either too weak for her to need to help, or the situation was such that she couldn't.
Four Arms sent another Vulpimancer flying with a thunderous punch. He had to admit, these things were durable. They also made for excellent punching bags.
Ben wanted to help, but as Fasttrack, his attacks barely scratched their tough hides. Protecting his grandfather was the more important job.
After a few more minutes of intense fighting, Gwen managed to trap the last Vulpimancer in a constricting field of magenta energy. Four Arms rushed in, delivering a final, decisive blow that knocked the creature unconscious.
Beep beep!
The Rustbucket's horn blared as it pulled up beside them. The window rolled down, and Grandpa Max leaned out. "Get in! We're going after Phil and getting that projector back!"
Four Arms reverted to Klein in a flash of light, and he and Gwen quickly piled into the RV.
…
On a winding stretch of mountain road, Phil gripped the steering wheel of his sedan, a sinister smile spreading across his face. 'They must have been eaten by now, right? Heh! Serves them right for…'
Beep beep!
His eyes shot to the rearview mirror. The familiar, boxy shape of the Rustbucket was gaining on him. "How is this possible!"
"Stubborn old fool!" Phil snarled. He grabbed the Null Void Projector from the passenger seat, rolled down his window, and leaned out, firing a shot at the road just behind the RV.
A golden portal winked into existence, and another Vulpimancer shot out. But the Rustbucket's side window slid open, and a green, insectoid figure zipped out to intercept it. Stinkfly.
Through his side mirror, Phil watched Stinkfly and the Vulpimancer tangle in a chaotic mid-air battle. "An Omnitrix… It really is an amazing device," he muttered, then his smile returned. "But what about this!" He aimed higher and fired another shot directly above the Rustbucket.
The portal opened again, but this time, it wasn't Vulpimancers that emerged. Several bizarre alien monsters dropped from the shimmering tear in space. One was a grotesque, green-skinned creature with no eyes. Another was a blue-skinned alien with four spider-like legs and four red eyes, much like Stinkfly's own.
"Hahahaha!" Phil roared with triumphant laughter as the creatures landed on the roof of the RV. Max and the kids were doomed!
His laughter died in his throat. Through the rearview mirror, he saw a ghostly, hooded figure phase up through the roof of the Rustbucket. As Big Chill passed through the alien monsters, they were instantly flash-frozen, turning into lifelike ice sculptures. A moment later, they slid off the vehicle and shattered into a thousand glittering pieces on the asphalt behind them.
"How—How is that possible!" Phil gasped. His mind raced, and he remembered the quiet, refined-looking boy. "It's him! His watch is an Omnitrix, too?! How can that be!"
But Big Chill gave him no time to recover. The spectral alien soared through the air and unleashed a torrent of freezing breath. The icy mist enveloped Phil's sedan, and the entire vehicle was instantly encased in a thick layer of frost. The tires locked, and the car skidded to a screeching halt. Phil slammed into the steering wheel, but the frozen airbags failed to deploy.
Still, Phil was a Plumber by training. Even in his old age, his physical conditioning was far beyond that of an ordinary person.
He shook his head, trying to clear the ringing in his ears. He shoved at the door, but it was frozen shut. After a few more futile attempts, he drew his leg back and kicked. The metal, made brittle by the extreme cold, shattered, and the door fell away.
The Rustbucket braked to a stop nearby. Grandpa Max and Gwen got out. As Phil stumbled from his wrecked car, he immediately raised the Null Void Projector, aiming it directly at his old friend.
"Give it up, Phil! You have nowhere to run!" Max's voice was stern, but his brow was furrowed with a deep, weary sadness.
Phil's face contorted with rage. "If it weren't for you, everything would be fine! I'd be making my money, and you! Even if you wouldn't cooperate, Mark, why did you have to interfere!"
Just as his finger tightened on the trigger, the projector began to glow with a vibrant purple light. It wrenched itself from his grasp, flew through the air, and landed gently in Gwen's waiting hands.
"No!" Phil roared, unable to accept his defeat. He charged blindly toward Max and Gwen.
Max met the charge with two swift, precise punches that made Phil see stars, then finished it with a clean over-the-shoulder throw that sent him sprawling.
Phil staggered to his feet, leaning heavily against the guardrail at the edge of the road. At that exact moment, the Vulpimancer Ben had been fighting flew erratically toward them, its wings gummed up with Stinkfly's slime. It crashed directly into Phil.
The impact shattered the rusted guardrail, and with a final, terrified scream that echoed down the mountainside, Phil and the Vulpimancer tumbled over the edge and into the abyss below.
"Uh…" Stinkfly buzzed over, hovering sheepishly. "Did I mess that up?"
Grandpa Max shook his head, a long, heavy sigh escaping his lips. "He brought this upon himself."
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