Ben 10 : To The Fourth (A Fanfiction Continuation of the Ben 10 Classic Series)

Chapter 3 : The Heritage

"Is it just me or are we crowded in here?" Kevin pops his question out of nowhere.

"Is it hot? I'll maximise all the air-conditioning." Max said as he hurries to the front of the Rustbucket and calibrate the air-conditioning settings to a maximized level.

"Wow, grandpa. You're AC's the best!" Kevin lounges as he lies on his back and sits with his hands up behind his head.

"Is he done?" Albedo sighs as he looks at Kevin, earning a glare from the other.

"What was it you were going to say Grandpa?" Ben said as he gets out of his seat and talks to Max.

"Oh. It's about Even ... He's in danger." Max said.

"What danger exactly, Grandpa?" Gwen asks she stands from her seat beside Kevin.

"Yeah, Human Greymatter over here can't even help us at all." Kevin said, earning a nudge from Gwen.

"Hey ... That's twice today. Trying to beat the record of three?"

"I'll make it four if you don't stop being petty."

"Gwen, this might concern you as well, so listen carefully." Max says after he gears up the ride, preparing to drive away from the restaurant they we're earlier in.

"Plumber Intel has it that Even has been taken by a dark cloaked figure, just recently this afternoon from his new apartment."

"I know. I was there, wise Tennyson." Albedo gnarls, sitting with his back up against the seat, looking beyond the window.

"I've downloaded some of the CCTV footages around downtown to see if you can recognize this at all." Max looks at his grandchildren, with Kevin. "Do you?"

"I don't know Grandpa Max." Ben fails to recall who it is exactly.

"For sure, a lot of our enemies wear cloaks like that. Do evil guys always have to hide their bodies with large cloaks? Even in disastrous heat like earlier?" Kevin comments on the suspect's suspective choice of attire.

"I can't sense anything from a picture, but I did sense some strangely familiar energy around the apartment." Gwen suggests.

"Was it him?" Max presses his keyboard and brings up of what appears to be a photo of Michael Morningstar.

"I was right!" Gwen said as she sits down, utterly left in confusion.

"What's the big deal with him? And why is he involving our innocent cousin here too? The guy's quiet over there up in Queens and now that he's here, he's going to be a trump card for his mischievous plans? I don't think so, Grandpa." Ben doesn't hesitate to get his mouth running. Gwen quickly stands up again to relax Ben for a bit, but Ben refuses it anyway.

"You know about what happened ... to your Aunt Jane, right?" Max speaks as he gears up his gas.

"Yeah? But ... What does Even's mother have to do with it, Grandpa?" Ben asks quickly.

"I'm not catching up." Gwen speaks.

"Me either." Kevin tells in the back of the ride. "Two of us, actually." Kevin said as he stares at Albedo.

"When Jane died, it was because of her terminal cancer. You know that story, correct?" Max said.

"Yes." Gwen agrees. "She was a great mother to Even too." Gwen reflected on her past memories of her aunt.

"But I'm afraid I have never told you about what really happened. Particularly, what caused her cancer." Max tells them.

"What is it, Grandpa?" Ben asks.

"It's because of her Anodite heritage." Max breathes deeply. " Her body cannot handle the power so much, that her cells started to grow dry and cause her to mutate some with cancer."

"Her powers ... Caused her death?" Gwen asks in surprise.

"Yes." Max stops the RV and looks at Gwen. "But you'll be alright Gwen. I know you're strong."

"But what does this have to do with Even?" Ben questions Max as he tries to comfort Gwen.

"Even also inherited this power." Everyone grew silent. "He acquired the Anodite gene as well ... No ... The Megadite gene."

"Wait wait wait ... You're telling me, that you're goody two shoes grandson over there ... Who's now kidnapped ... Also has superpowers like Gwen?" Kevin remarks as he gets up from his seat.

"Precisely." Max nods in agreement.

"He did have some nightmares in the past ... Most more recently than ever." Albedo hooks everyone's attention on his story. "He probably moved to Bellwood to ease his mind ... which was a pretty bad move."

"You're talking too casual, Albedo." Ben says. "Even's probably influencing you, huh?"

"Know your place, Ben Tennyson. You're nothing but an Earthling, just beneath me." Albedo warns Ben. Ben turns around and doesn't say a word. He just blinks his eyes for a moment. That's' all.

"What are these nightmares made of?" Gwen asks.

"He often tells me about a living ray of sunlight ... taking on a human form ... And draining the Earth of its energy from its core." Albedo said. " He saw everyone he loves drained of their life force. He was haunted with it since I met him."

"That's no good." Kevin comments.

"It's a nightmare, you imbecile." Albedo replies.

"So, why is Mor ... I mean ... Darkstar ... After him?" Ben asks his grandfather.

"The same reason he has with your cousin Gwen, drain him dry of his mana like a fuel cell." Grandpa Max tells them.

"Where is he right now? Its too dangerous if we take too long to get there." Gwen asks Max quickly.

"It's alright, we're already here." Grandpa Max lightens up the sign board in front of the RV.

"Montgomery ... Island ... The abandoned resort?" Ben questions this after seeing the slightly illuminated sign of the old resort, torn into pieces with its sagging wood planks and peeling paint.

"Yes. And an abandoned Forever Knights Facility, I believe." Grandpa Max tells them as he stands up to grab and reassemble his Mark 12 Techadorian Multibalster.

"Are we going in now?" Gwen said. She stands up quick as she sees everyone preparing to go outside.

"That's the plan." Max quickly runs to the door to secure the area.

"I like this plan." Kevin said, catching up with Gwen.

Ben then gets up his seat and recalibrates his Omintrix, as he sees Albedo sitting by the window table.

"You coming?"

"N-no. I have ... I have no weapon, Ben Tennyson." Albedo speaks up as he looks at his wrist.

Ben then throws a usable weapon for Albedo to use. Luckily, Albedo manages to catch it in time.

"Its a standard issue Plumber's Phase 4 Sun Gun. You can incinerate an enemy with it like Chromastone. The laser beam is fun to use in battle."

"T-thank you." Albedo stands up and carries the Sun Gun.

"If he's your friend, then fight for him." Ben said. "I once nearly killed my best friend, and that was very stupid of me to decide."

"Don't push it, Ben Tennyson." Albedo says.

"Alright. You go first." Ben said as he shows the way to the door with his hands towards Albedo, while the latter angrily stomps off the Rustbucket.