Chapter 68: Hypnotized Ben
The neon lights of the mega-mall cast a vibrant, artificial glow over the sprawling parking lot. Night had fully settled in, but the energy inside the massive shopping complex was still buzzing. Klein, Gwen, and Grandpa Max strolled toward the exit, their arms laden with shopping bags, preparing to head back to the Rustbucket.
"This place is absolutely amazing, Grandpa!" Ben practically vibrated with leftover adrenaline, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "We could spend the entire summer right here! It literally has everything!"
"Don't be silly, Ben." Max chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he shook his head. "We still have a whole country full of awesome sights to see."
Ben opened his mouth to argue, likely to list out the arcade's virtues, but a piercing siren shattered the casual atmosphere.
The mall's security alarms blared. Glass shattered somewhere in the distance. A heartbeat later, two figures clad in heavy trench coats sprinted out of the main glass doors, clutching duffel bags. Half a dozen mall security guards poured out after them, shouting into their radios.
"Looks like they need some heavy backup!" Ben grinned, slamming his hand down on the Omnitrix dial. "Time for a hero to make an entrance!"
A blinding flash of emerald light illuminated the parking lot. Where the ten-year-old boy had stood, a massive, orange-furred beast now crouched. Wildmutt let out a guttural roar, kicking off the asphalt and bounding after the fleeing thieves on all fours.
Klein watched the giant alien dog sprint into the night, his expression completely flat. He adjusted his grip on his shopping bags. "Leave it to Ben. We'll head back to the Rustbucket and put our stuff away. I am not chasing petty thieves on a full stomach."
Gwen rolled her eyes but followed Klein's lead. Max, however, frowned, his protective instincts kicking in. After helping the two load their purchases into the RV, he immediately slid into the driver's seat and fired up the engine, determined to keep an eye on his impulsive grandson.
By the time the Rustbucket rumbled onto the main road surrounding the commercial district, the situation had escalated. Flashing red and blue lights painted the streets. The security guards had piled into their patrol cruisers and were currently swerving through traffic, chasing directly after Wildmutt.
"Get in!" Max yelled, pulling the heavy RV alongside the galloping orange beast and throwing the side door open.
Wildmutt didn't hesitate, leaping through the doorway with a heavy thud that rocked the vehicle's suspension. Max slammed the gas pedal down.
The security cruisers, seeing the giant monster vanish into the battered motorhome, immediately redirected their pursuit, their sirens wailing as they tailed the Rustbucket.
Max gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. He handled the bulky vehicle through the tight streets with surprising agility, but the patrol cars were relentless. Suddenly, three more security vehicles swerved out from a side alley, forming a barricade directly in their path.
Max stomped on the brakes. The tires squealed, burning rubber against the asphalt. He yanked the steering wheel hard to the right to avoid a head-on collision. The RV fishtailed violently, missing the cruisers by inches, but the rear bumper slammed heavily into a nearby utility pole. The impact rattled their teeth and sent a shower of sparks raining down from the streetlamp above.
Before the dust could even settle, the security guards were out of their cars, flashlights drawn and shining directly through the Rustbucket's windows. They surrounded the vehicle, demanding the occupants step out.
When they forced the door open, flashlights sweeping the interior, they froze.
Inside the cramped living space, there was only an elderly man in a Hawaiian shirt and three completely normal children. There was no giant orange beast. The tiny bathroom and the overhead bunks offered zero space to hide a creature of that size.
Klein leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. He stared down the bewildered guards with a dry, mocking smirk. "Who exactly are you looking for? Bigfoot? Or did you guys just want an autograph?"
...
The next morning brought a bright, glaring sun. While Max stayed behind at an auto shop to get the dented bumper and scraped paint repaired, the three cousins decided to kill time by wandering through the mall's massive indoor promenade.
"Oh, great hero, you are just so amazing!" Gwen clapped her hands in mock awe, her voice dripping with heavy sarcasm. "You completely failed to catch the actual fugitives, got us mistaken for their accomplices, and dragged us into yet another terrible car chase."
Ben walked with his hands stuffed in his pockets, a smug grin plastered on his face. "Hey, you should be thanking me! Because of my heroics, Grandpa has to fix the RV, which means we get to stay here for a few more days!"
Gwen paused, her annoyance faltering for a second. "Alright, fine. You have a point." She wasn't about to deny that she enjoyed the air-conditioned shopping center far more than the dusty desert roads.
Klein, who had been trailing behind them in comfortable silence, suddenly stopped walking.
"Sublimino's Hypnosis Show... today is the last day?" Klein read the bold lettering on a garish, purple-and-yellow poster plastered against a nearby pillar.
Gwen noticed him lingering and jogged back over. "Do you want to see it, Cousin? Let's go check it out!" She assumed Klein was genuinely interested, and honestly, a stage show sounded like a fun distraction.
Klein didn't bother correcting her. He had absolutely zero interest in parlor tricks or stage magic. But his eyes narrowed as he studied the short, odd-looking man depicted on the poster. Something about the guy's beady eyes and oversized top hat screamed shady. It was a gut feeling, and Klein's gut was rarely wrong. He figured it was worth a look.
The three of them handled to the mall's central atrium, where a makeshift stage had been erected. A decent-sized crowd of shoppers had already gathered, filling the folding chairs arranged in neat rows.
They didn't have to wait long. The overhead lights dimmed, and a booming, theatrical voice echoed through the PA system.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm, captivating welcome to the master of the mind... Sublimino!"
A loud pop echoed across the atrium. A thick cloud of cheap, purple theatrical smoke erupted from the center of the stage. A moment later, a short, balding man wearing a ridiculous oversized pocket watch around his neck pushed his way through the black velvet curtain. He immediately doubled over, coughing violently as he inhaled his own special effects.
"Well, that is just sad," Klein deadpanned, leaning back in his chair.
The rest of the audience seemed to agree. The silence in the atrium was deafening. Not a single person clapped.
Realizing his grand entrance had completely flopped, Sublimino straightened his suit, cleared his throat, and decided to skip the pleasantries. "Now! May I have three brave volunteers come up on stage to assist with my performance? Come and personally experience the true power of hypnosis!"
Ben scoffed loudly, crossing his arms. "How could anyone actually be hypnotized? Only people with completely empty heads could fall for a scam like that."
Gwen's eyes lit up with malicious glee. She shot her hand into the air, grabbing Ben's wrist and yanking his arm up with hers. "Over here! We have a volunteer right here!"
"Hey! Cut it out!" Ben hissed, violently shaking off Gwen's grip.
"What's wrong, Dweeb?" Gwen whispered, a wicked smirk on her face. "Are you admitting that your head is actually empty?"
Ben's face flushed red. Refusing to back down from a dare, he stomped out of his row and marched up the stage stairs, an incredibly sour expression on his face.
He joined two other volunteers already standing under the stage lights: an elderly man with a cane and a sweet-looking older woman holding a handbag.
Sublimino paced in front of his volunteers, pulling a standard, shiny pocket watch from his coat pocket. He let it dangle from its chain, swinging it back and forth like a pendulum.
"Now, stare deeply into the center of this watch," Sublimino crooned, his voice taking on a rhythmic, soothing cadence. "Gradually, your eyes will become very, very heavy. You will feel a deep relaxation washing over you. You will fall into a deep sleep."
The watch ticked back and forth.
Nothing happened. The old man blinked. The old woman looked bored. Ben actually let out a loud, exaggerated yawn and shrugged, making it perfectly clear he felt absolutely nothing.
Sublimino's polite stage smile twitched, his expression darkening into genuine irritation. He quickly pocketed the normal watch and reached into his vest, pulling out a different, much bulkier pocket watch. His thumb subtly pressed a hidden button on the side of the casing.
He aimed the face of the device directly at the three volunteers. A faint, almost imperceptible hum connected in the air.
Almost instantly, the old man, the old woman, and Ben slumped forward slightly, their eyelids drooping shut as a glassy, vacant look overtook their features.
From his seat in the audience, Klein's posture shifted. His lazy demeanor vanished for a fraction of a second. He could tell immediately that the man on stage was a complete fraud with zero actual talent. The magic wasn't in the voice; it was entirely in that mechanical watch.
Klein leaned his chin on his hand, his eyes tracking the device. He had no interest in the clown on stage, but that little gadget? That was interesting. He made a mental note to track the guy down tonight and permanently borrow the toy.
Completely unaware that a terrifying anomaly was currently plotting to rob him blind, Sublimino continued his act. "Next, when I snap my fingers, you will wake up. But you will act exactly as if you are newborn babies."
He snapped his fingers.
The three volunteers snapped their eyes open. Ben immediately dropped to the floor, curling his fists and making bizarre, exaggerated sucking motions with his mouth as if drinking from a bottle. He even managed to squeeze out a few pathetic, wailing tears.
"Oh, I absolutely have to film this to show the Dweeb later." Gwen was already digging into her backpack, pulling out her camcorder and hitting record with a massive grin.
"And now... you are a graceful ballet dancer! And you are a ferocious brown bear!" Sublimino pointed his device at the old man and the old woman.
The elderly man immediately dropped his cane and began attempting clumsy pirouettes across the stage, while the old woman dropped to her hands and knees, growling and swiping at the air.
The audience finally erupted into laughter.
Sublimino turned his attention back to the ten-year-old boy. "As for you, my little friend... you are an alien."
Ben's glassy eyes widened slightly. Still trapped in the hypnotic trance, his right hand slowly moved toward his left wrist. His fingers brushed against the dial of the Omnitrix.
"Okay, this isn't funny anymore," Gwen gasped, dropping the camcorder.
Klein was already moving.
The two cousins vaulted over the front row of seats and sprinted up the stage stairs.
Gwen reached Ben first, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcefully shoving him backward, straight through the black velvet curtain. A split second later, a brilliant flash of green light illuminated the fabric from behind.
Simultaneously, Klein stepped directly into Sublimino's personal space, completely blocking the short man's view of the curtain.
"Hey! You ruined my show!" Sublimino shrieked, his face turning purple with rage. He reached out, trying to shove past the teenager to pull the curtain open.
Klein's hand shot out, his grip locking around Sublimino's wrist like a steel vice. The hypnotist gasped, the bones in his arm grinding painfully under the pressure.
"Sorry about the interruption," Klein said, his voice smooth, calm, and utterly devoid of warmth. "But we need to get my cousin to a doctor immediately. It seems there is something seriously wrong with his head. It's almost as if his mind is being artificially controlled by something."
As he spoke, Klein's dark eyes shifted deliberately, locking onto the bulky pocket watch clutched in Sublimino's free hand.
Sublimino froze. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead. The teenager's grip was terrifyingly strong, but the look in his eyes was worse. It was the look of a predator analyzing a very slow, very stupid prey. Sublimino swallowed hard, suddenly terrified that this kid knew exactly what his device was.
The two stood locked in a tense stalemate on the brightly lit stage. The audience murmured in confusion.
A moment later, Klein caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Gwen had slipped out from behind the curtain and moved to the back of the audience area, giving him a sharp, confirming nod. Ben was secure.
Klein's lips curled into a faint, chilling smile. He abruptly released Sublimino's wrist, letting the man stumble backward. Without another word, Klein turned on his heel and walked off the stage, his hands casually stuffed back into his pockets.
Sublimino stood trembling, rubbing his aching wrist as he watched the teenager's retreating back. "What a strange, infuriating brat," he muttered through gritted teeth, a cold chill running down his spine despite the warm lights.
[Akarin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me and keeps these daily updates flowing!
Want to read 50 chapters ahead or just want to help keep a shameless translator alive? (My livelihood actually depends on this, haha 😭). You can support me directly here:
(P.S. Just remove the brackets and replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters): patreon[.]com/AkarinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/AkarinTL
🔗 All My Links: linktr[.]ee/AkarinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]