Chapter 15: Numbers and Secrets
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The late afternoon sun cast shadows across the pavent as I stepped out of the Rust Bucket, Jessica following close behind.
A pleasant soreness lingered in my muscles, a reminder of our passionate encounter as I turned to her. Jessica fussed with her costu, straightening wrinkles and adjusting the blue and white bodysuit where it had twisted out of place. I couldn't help but smirk as I watched her, feeling a rush of male pride.
"Allow ," I murmured, reaching over to fix a twisted strap near her shoulder. My fingers brushed against her skin, and I felt her shiver slightly at the contact.
Jessica's lips curved into a small smile. "Thanks. Wouldn't want to look like I just... well, you know."
"Had the ti of your life?" I supplied helpfully, earning a playful swat on my arm.
"Don't get too arrogant," she laughed, but her eyes told a different story—one of shared secrets and newfound intimacy.
The sound of throat-clearing shattered our mont. We turned to find Gwen standing with her arms folded across her chest, one eyebrow arched so high it nearly disappeared into her hairline.
Her green eyes darted between us, reading the situation with uncomfortable accuracy.
"...Have you two been in the RV all this ti? I've been looking for you all over the place," Gwen remarked dryly. Jessica's cheeks flushed a delightful shade of pink, and I couldn't suppress a laugh. Gwen narrowed her eyes. "What were you guys doing?"
I rubbed the back of my neck, not bothering to hide my satisfaction. "Ah, nothing. Sorry, we got a little distracted." I shot Jessica a sideways glance that made her bite her lip to stifle a laugh.
Gwen's expression said she wasn't buying it for a second. "Right. Nothing."
The awkward tension hung in the air for a mont before I decided to move things along. I pulled my phone from my pocket and turned to Jessica with a grin.
"So, hero girl, we're trading contacts now, right? Can't have you getting into trouble without backup." My tone was casual, but there was genuine interest behind the playfulness.
I wasn't planning to date her, I didn't want to date anybody yet. But sothing about Jessica intrigued beyond just physical attraction—a kindred spirit in this strange superhero business. And even if she wasn't my girlfriend, I wanted to make sure she'd never fall to Killgrave's hands.
That'd piss off.
Jessica's eyes sparkled with amusent. "Pretty cocky, assuming I'll need your help again. You just found on a bad day." She pulled out her own phone, though, already opening her contacts.
"We both know you enjoyed my backup skills," I countered smoothly, maintaining eye contact as she took my phone. The double entendre hung between us, and I watched her struggle to maintain her composure.
"You're not subtle at all, are you?" she muttered, her fingers dancing across my screen as she entered her number. When she handed it back, I noticed she'd saved herself simply as "Jewel 💎" with a winking emoji.
I added my contact to her phone, brushing my fingers against hers. Jessica rolled her eyes at my obvious move but couldn't hide the pleased smile tugging at her lips.
After saving my number, she glanced up with a mischievous grin. "Well, if you get into trouble, don't hesitate either, big hero."
The emphasis wasn't lost on , and I felt a rush of heat in my pants at the mory of her earlier surprise. She added, "I don't usually do rescues outside Manhattan, though. Today was just a coincidence, ca here for a Uni project."
My mind raced with the new information. Manhattan—now that I thought about it, that was her base of operations in the TV show. I shrugged nonchalantly, trying not to seem too eager. "Lucky you, then. I attend school pretty near Manhattan, it shouldn't be too far—I'm just on sumr vacation here. Call when you have any troubles.”
The change in her expression was imdiate and gratifying. Her eyes widened slightly, and a genuine smile broke across her face. "Really? You should've opened with that!"
I could read the thoughts behind her eyes—she'd been expecting this to be a one-ti thing, the magical vacation fling that never translated to real life. Finding out we'd be in the sa area changed everything.
"Figured saving lives was a better way to a lady's heart," I replied with a warm smile. "But I'm serious, text an SOS when you're in danger; I'll be there. I have so transformations that are really fast." And I ant it. I wanted to prevent her bad future.
Other than that, the opportunity to see her again was also very appealing.
Gwen cleared her throat again, this ti more dramatically. "Vacation just started, lover-boy. You won't get to et up in a good few months." Her tone was light, but there was sothing else there I couldn't quite identify.
Jessica and I both laughed, slightly embarrassed at being called out. "She's right. But months go by fast," Jessica said, her eyes eting mine with promise.
"Not fast enough," I countered, holding her gaze.
Jessica took a step backward, beginning her departure but clearly reluctant to go. "See you in New York, then. Try not to miss too much."
"No promises, Jewel," I called back, watching as she walked away with a confident swagger that drew my eyes to the gentle sway of her hips.
She turned one last ti, giving a flying kiss, and a final grin before continuing her path away from us. I watched her retreating figure with a soft smile, already looking forward to our next eting.
When Jessica was finally out of sight, I turned to find Gwen studying with an unreadable expression, arms still crossed tightly over her chest.
"What?" I asked, caught off guard by her intense scrutiny.
“...Nothing. Grandpa and Vera are waiting for us inside. We'll eat lunch, and then leave.” She said, turning around.
I rubbed the back of my head.
****
The Rust Bucket rumbled down the empty highway, its headlights cutting through the growing darkness. I slouched comfortably in my seat, still riding high from the day's double victory—saving people from alien slugs and my intimate encounter with Jessica.
Life was looking pretty damn good.
Man, I loved this watch.
I caught Gwen watching from the corner of my eye. Her expression mixed annoyance with undisguised curiosity, but I pretended not to notice, keeping my satisfied smirk firmly in place.
"What are you so happy about?" she finally asked, nudging my foot with hers.
"Hm? Oh, just been a good day," I replied, stretching lazily. "Saved people, t a cute superhero, got her number... not bad for a Tuesday."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "Yeah, got her number and more from what I could tell."
I simply winked in response, which only deepened her scowl.
Grandpa Max remained silent in the driver's seat, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The usual cheerful comntary about roadside attractions or bizarre food stops was conspicuously absent. His knuckles were white against the steering wheel, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.
The silence stretched uncomfortably until Gwen finally broke it, turning toward Grandpa with narrowed eyes.
"Grandpa, we’re finally alone. No more dodging questions," she said firmly. "Who were those people back there? How co you knew exactly who to call?"
Grandpa's shoulders slumped slightly. He t our eyes briefly in the rearview mirror before returning his gaze to the road. A deep sigh escaped him.
"I suppose I owe you two so answers, yes," he admitted, his voice heavy with resignation. "Those people were called Plumbers."
"Plumbers?” I leaned forward, feigning surprise. “They didn't exactly look ready to fix toilets."
I knew what the Plumbers were. They were the intergalactic police force that protected the Earth from alien threats. But I had to play dumb—but to be honest, I was a little curious how it managed with the existence of SWORD.
Grandpa gave a faint chuckle, shaking his head. "They're not that kind of plumbers. It's an organization that deals with alien threats on Earth. Secretly, of course."
Gwen's eyes widened as understanding dawned on her face. "You were one of them, weren't you?"
Grandpa Max nodded gravely. "I was. And not just any Plumber. I was a Magister, one of their highest ranks. That was many years ago, though."
I watched Gwen's face as various emotions played across it—shock, disbelief, and finally understanding.
I kept my own expression expressive too, absorbing what Grandpa was saying while matching it against my own knowledge from my past life's mories of the show.
Gwen pushed further, leaning forward with burning curiosity. "But why didn't you tell us sooner? We've been dealing with aliens for weeks!"
Max's expression grew conflicted, guilt evident in his tone. "There are protocols. And I wanted to protect you from that life as long as I could. It's dangerous. You saw it. Complicated. But after today, I realize it's too late to keep secrets."
I sat back, quietly absorbing the gravity of Max's words. Inside, I was buzzing with anticipation. This was it—the mont when Grandpa would start revealing the bigger picture, just like in the original tiline but with potential differences in this rged universe.
"So, what's next?" I finally asked, keeping my voice steady and curious.
Max pulled the Rust Bucket over to the side of the road, cutting the engine. The sudden silence felt heavy. He turned in his seat to face us directly.
"Now, you two deserve the whole truth," he said, determination settling onto his features. "It's ti I tell you everything. About the Plumbers, the Omnitrix, and about what's really happening out there."
“Alright…”
Grandpa Max's eyes lingered on the watch on my wrist. "That device you found, It's called the Omnitrix. It's the most powerful piece of technology in the universe."
I glanced down at it, pretending this was news to . "This thing? I an, I knew it was alien, but the most powerful in the universe?"
Not just powerful, I thought, but coveted by Vilgax and countless others across the galaxy. Created by Azmuth, the smartest being in three galaxies.
A device that allowed a typical nobody to transform into entities like Celestialsapien. It was more than just powerful.
"Yes," Grandpa confird. "It was created by a Galvan scientist nad Azmuth. The Galvan are one of the most intelligent species in the galaxy—tiny frog-like beings with extraordinary minds."
"Like Grey Matter," Gwen piped up, making the connection.
"Looks like you there's a Galvan form in that watch too," Grandpa guessed by her words. "The Omnitrix was designed to collect and store DNA from different alien species, allowing the wearer to transform into those aliens. It's ant to be a tool for understanding—to literally walk in another species' shoes."
"But why was it floating around in space? And why did it attach to ?" I asked, knowing the answer but needing to hear his version of events.
Grandpa's expression darkened. "It wasn't supposed to be… Even I don't know the details, honestly. But from the aliens that attacked us before, I know that Vilgax, a powerful space conqueror, is involved.”
I looked down at the watch with feigned wonder. "So this thing brings trouble too, and not just fun. What a coincidence that I found it.”
Or exactly as destined, I thought. So things are inevitable across tilines.
"It really is dangerous, yes. That is the important part—the Omnitrix is seen as a weapon by Vilgax and most others. It does more than just transform you," Grandpa continued. "It contains the DNA of thousands of species. So peaceful, so... not so much. In the wrong hands, it could be used to destroy galaxies."
"That's why those robot drones were after us," I said, piecing things together for Gwen's benefit.
"Yes. Vilgax wants it badly, and he's not the only one. Which brings to the other organizations at play."
Grandpa took a deep breath. "I've tried my best to hide it from them so far, but they'll learn about it soon.”
“Who?” Gwen asked.
“You see, the Plumbers aren't the only group monitoring extraterrestrial activity on Earth. There's also SHIELD—the Strategic Holand Intervention, Enforcent and Logistics Division."
"Dealing with superhuman threats is their public focus," Grandpa explained. "But they have a division that monitors outer space activity too. But that's not the point, since Ben is a human operating on the soil of this planet, they have the right to get involved. However, the more troubling one is SWORD—Sentient World Observation and Response Departnt. They're like a sister organisation with SHIELD, kind of, who are focused exclusively on extraterrestrial threats."
"And how do these groups get along? With the Plumbers, I an." I asked, genuinely curious.
This was new information even to , so I was curious.
"Complicated," Grandpa sighed. "The Plumbers were here first, established centuries ago. SHIELD and SWORD are relatively new operations. There's cooperation when necessary, but also competition, distrust... typical agency politics, but with higher stakes. For reference, SWORD reports to the US governnt. While Plumbers work is largely for the world, with the goal to protect Earth itself from all danger.”
"And where do you fit in all this now?" Gwen asked.
"Officially retired," Grandpa said with a wry smile. "And unofficially… I still have clearance and contacts. But I didn't think I'd need to exercise those things during a fun sumr trip with my grandkids."
A heavy silence fell over us as we absorbed everything. I studied Grandpa's face, seeing the weight of decades of secrets finally being shared.
"I understand why you kept this from us," I said finally. "Secret organizations, alien invasions... it's a lot. I don't bla you for keeping it hidden.”
Gwen nodded in agreent. "I wish you'd told us sooner, but I get it. You wanted to protect us."
Grandpa's relief was visible, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "I did. But it seems the universe had other plans when that watch found you, Ben."
"Yeah… So what now?" I asked, my mind already racing with possibilities.
"Now we adapt," Grandpa replied, a hint of the old twinkle returning to his eyes. "You've been given a huge responsibility, Ben. And I'll help you both navigate this new reality. But at the sa ti…”
“Yes?”
His eyes went serious. “I don't want my grandson to be in danger. Be it Vilgax, SHIELD or SWORD, they'd want your Omnitrix. But it's impossible to safely remove, from what I know. So, they'll try to forcefully get it, harming you or killing you in the process. If that doesn't work, best case scenario, they'll try to bring you into their ranks. I don't want either of that. You're my grandson, and I want to make sure you're safe to make your own decision, Ben. And I can promise you, I'll make sure of that.”
…It was strange. The way he said it, the warmth in his voice, the protective nature of a grandfather. His voice was loud and warm, and I believed every word he said. Grandpa Max was a great guardian.
I smiled, “I won't disappoint you, then.”
He laughed softly, breaking so of the tension. "I know you won’t. It annoys a little that you two went to investigate that alien cave on your own, but I think you're starting to get a hang of the watch, so it's okay. You two have taken this remarkably well. Most kids would be freaking out learning their sumr vacation is actually part of an intergalactic situation."
I shrugged. "After what we've already seen? Aliens, robots, slug monsters... I'm way past freaking out."
"Besides," Gwen added with a small smile, "it's kind of cool having a badass grandpa with a secret alien-fighting past."
He laughed, turning around as the RV began to move again. He turned on the music, and Gwen and I exchanged a smile. The situation was resolved, and we were continuing our journey officially now!
"Oh right, by the way," Max suddenly said, almost too casually, not bothering to turn around, "both of you are quarter alien.”
The Rust Bucket fell dead silent.
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