A Certain Powerful Omnitrix 3: The Hate That Dwells In Shadows

Fear the Freak

Mikoto walked through the dark maze of crates. She wasn't the type who was afraid of the dark. It was what tended to hang out in the dark that scared her. Ever since that incident where Ben had went out of control as GhostFreak, every time it went dark she thought she could see that furious purple eye staring out. She suspected maybe Ben was having the same issues. Sometimes at night, when she got up to get a drink of water, she would see Ben sitting on the back porch outside, sipping a smoothie. Something he only did when he couldn't sleep.

Suddenly the comlink in the Plumbers Badge in Mikoto's light jacket pocket beeped. Mikoto took the badge out. "Ben? Are you all right?"

She could tell that Ben must have turned into Swampfire from the tough congested sounding voice that came out. "Yeah, I kind of found the intruders."

"Intruders?" Mikoto said noticing the plural.

"Firstly I found Index."

"Index!!?" exclaimed Mikoto. "What the heck is she doing here!!?"

"That we can deal with later." said Swampfire's voice. "Right now there's a bigger issue. You remember the Vreedle Brothers I told you I met when I was 12?"

"Redneck accents, like to make stuff go boom?" Asked Mikoto.

"The very same."

"Don't tell me..." said Mikoto groaning. "They're on board too."

"Bingo, and I've got them trapped here. Big problem is, apparently Octagon has some bombs planted around the cargo hold that's linked up to trigger he has with him. I'm gonna try to get the trigger, but I need you and Tetrax to find the bombs in case I.......well......you know. I don't know how long before the Omnitrix decides to be a jerk and turn me into GreyMatter."

"B-bombs!?" Mikoto stuttered.

Diffusing bombs never had been much of a big problem for Mikoto. Usually she could just use her esper abilities to electronically disrupt the circuits. But if this was a bomb of alien make, then she didn't know how she was going to pull it off without accidentally taking the entire ship's crew to meet their maker.  However, the trigger was an easier matter. If there was one thing that Ben and his Grandfather had taught Mikoto about alien tech, it was that the triggers all tended to be the same simple Galvan radio wave beamer. Especially if the trigger was being held by someone lacking in money like the Vreedle Brothers.

"Listen..." said Mikoto. "I've got an idea to steal the trigger, just keep them busy. Contact Tetrax an get him to diffuse the bombs."

"Hurry." said Swampfire. "Cause if I know anything about these guys it's that they really can't stand to wait too long without blowing something up. They're complete morons where aliens are concerned."

Mikoto followed the coordinates on the Plumber's badge in the direction of Ben's location hoping that the Vreedle Brothers didn't decide to go Festival Fireworks due to boredom.

Meanwhile, Swampfire was leading the Vreedles with Index close behind around the ship.

"Where is them tech you been talking about?" asked Octagon. "Because you knows what happens if we don't get all them ship's valuebles. Ain't that right Boid?"

"Boom." Was all Rhomboid had to say.

"Uhh....sure." said Swampfire. "All the super tech is close by. We'll be there soon." Truthfully, Ben was actually leading the brothers around in circles, but luckilly, the idiots had a pretty dim sense of time and direction, so Ben theorized he could keep them busy for at least another 4 hours. Or at least until they got bored and decided to blow something up. Personally, Ben was hoping the next time the Omnitrix malfunctioned again, it would turn him into Big Chill or Articguana, Then he could freeze Octagon before he could pull the trigger. But of course, that wasn't going to happen.