B-10: a Ben 10 story

TIME - Chapter XI

"Hey, this is Kai Green. Can I talk with..." Who was it that she had to talk to anyway? She looked at the contract. Alizee Corbain. Never heard of. Maybe she should have looked them up earlier before she took such a crazy job.

"Hello, Miss. Green. Nice to hear you. So, it's good to know you're alright".

"Alright is not really the terms I'd use after being almost eaten alive and left in some random planet to suffer from a horrible death".

"But you didn't, right? And your friend, Miss. Platt is also safe, isn't she?" Kai didn't answer. "So, no problem. And considered your history, I believe you've been through worse. And, of course, if you feel like you've been wronged, I can offer you fair compensation for it".

"It won't be needed. Just abide by the terms of the contracts, and it'll be enough".

"So, how was the travel? Did you get everything?"

"The mapping didn't go well, as you may have already concluded considered the images, we sent you".

"Oh, I don't think so. On the contrary, it surpassed my expectations. It'll be enough to get our expedition and research site approved, at least. Give yourself some credit, you're the first travelers there in centuries". There was some machinery and music on the background. And some animals' sounds. It was really hard to define where this person was. "I'll send you more information about your next mission. And, taking your difficulties in consideration, I'll arrange the necessary equipment and personnel. The material you collected, and the artifact, have already arrived in safety".

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about it. I would really like some time to study it, if possible. As the researcher in charge of the expedition, I think it's my duty to analyze it and..."

"Sorry, that won't be possible. I understand this material is important for your research, however there is no way to guarantee you, or anybody else, access to the object". And that enlarged her suspicious.

"Okay", it was not okay, but what else could she say, "can I at least know what is it".

"That is not possible either. My apologies, but it's all confidential".

"Is there any information that I can have about it?" Kai heard some noise on the other side of the line. The person went silence. Some seconds after the voice came back.

"Sorry, I have some urgent matter to attend". The line disconnected. Kai wondered where she got herself into. She didn't like the secrecy.

Kai searched every corner of the internet, but there was no information about anyone named Alizee Corbain. She checked aliens' databases, but she got nothing. Maybe it was an alias or something. She decided to call Ester, maybe she knew something.

"Kai?"

"Hi, can we talk?". She heard someone in the back asking: who is it?

"Just one second. Antonio came to get me and we were going out to eat".

"I can call you later, if you want".

"No, it's okay. I wanted to talk to you too".

"I guess we want to talk about the same thing".

"Probably".

"Did you talk to them?"

"I sent them my report and they called me to ask if I was okay. The products they promised have been delivered to the village while you were on the mission, and they are exactly what they promised, but..." Ester couldn't finish the phrase.

"You're also suspicious, aren't you?"

"Yes. It all seemed too good to be true in the beginning, and I wanted to trust them".

"Me, too. I called them, and they said they will send me more information later about missions, research and all. But when I asked about the artifact we recovered, they hang up".

"Do you know what was it?"

"No, I couldn't identify it".

"Me neither". In the background, Antonio asked if she wanted fries with her hamburger and she answered yes. "And there is no information about them anywhere. No one ever heard of them".

"There is nothing on the web either. Not even in the alien's database. I think we have to contact the Plumbers. See if they know something".

"But that means..."

"There are far more people working for them, and Ben is not the one knowledgeable about it".

"But he still works for them, and you can't avoid him".

"Yes, I can".