Dark Light Chapter 7 (Patreon)

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Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Alan met the guys, and was given a warm welcome. “So he’s with us then?” Kevin asked Ben.

“In the fight against the DNAlien’s yes, our care yes, but as far as our darker duties I’d like to keep his hands clean.” Kevin nodded.

“Understood.” Though that did raise the question. “Labrid’s not gonna let this go, just him being here is gonna make him criminal.”

“I know, but in the end I’ll protect him, no matter what.” His hand balled into a fist. ‘I’ll protect all of you.’

Kevin grabbed his hand. “You are strong Benji, but you don’t have to do it all alone, with us by your side we’ll have your back.” They held hands.

“Yeah, I know…” Kevin frowned, but quickly hid it.

He knew that until they found Max, Ben would have a chip on his shoulder. “Ben...I know you miss your grandpa, and Max is tough I’m sure he’s fine but...have you thought about what’s gonna happen when we do find him.”

“I...don’t know…” Ben could be a good liar, but when the matter hit close to home he sucked.

-x-

Gwen was not having the best time, after curing the DNAliens they had in custody, Magister Labrid was giving her a lecture. “Again, you’ve allowed Ben Tennyson to get away again!”

“Are you done?”

“Ugh!” He was pissed.

“Magister listen to me, you want to capture Ben and his team, but he agreed to help us and you double crossed him. He’s gone off grid because now he can’t trust me because I work with you. Everything you are doing is hurting the cause.”

“You can’t honestly expect the Plumbers to freely work with criminals?”

“Like it? No. Do it? Yes!” This recent mess with Alan was just proof his way wasn’t working. “The Highbreed are a bigger problem right now, there are clearly more nests, they have some kind of cloaking tech so we can’t find them, we can’t find Grandpa Max.”

“He’s a threat Miss Tennyson, he openly fought against local authorities.”

“To protect a young man. You’ve pushed an innocent away, and by not honoring your deals you’ve made it so Ben won’t trust you and work with us when it was only by his help we located either of these areas.”

Labrid huffed.

“We need help sir, if you won’t work with him, find someone who will.” She turned and Labrid grabbed her.

“I hope you are not planning to betray us, do we need to worry about your conflict of interest?”

“What are you saying?”

“Given your powers you could find Ben Tennyson and bring him in.”

She pulled her arm free. “One: Never grab me like that again!” He backed up from her. “Two: Never doubt my loyalty to the plumbers, both my Grandfather and myself have sacrificed plenty for you, and it’s been your foolishness that’s made this mission difficult. Three: Even if I could find Ben, beating him is...beyond me...if we fought for real...the whole planet may very well suffer…”

Gwen was done with this conversation. Though Gwen was starting to wonder if his issues with Ben and were deeper, maybe personal. Labrid however was too much of a stickler for the law and the rules. No matter how much help Ben and his team would/could be he wasn’t gonna wipe their slates clean.

‘Ben Tennyson might have a team, but I have a team of my own. It may take some time to prepare but we’ll bring them down and bring them in sooner or later.’

-x-

Alan was fitting in at the club, he joined Argit as a waiter/server. Plus given the nature of the club, he got to have more clients of variety and have his fun safely. On slow nights he picked up hours in Kevin’s garage, he knew a thing or two about engines and parts, and what he didn’t know Kevin and Cooper were willing to teach.

Though nothing really beat the feeling of having meals with the guys, getting off work and having some friends he could chill with. “I should have done this sooner.”

While Alan was enjoying his new life. Ben was seeming off, they hadn’t gotten any missions or clues. So even though there cover business was booming Ben just couldn’t be happy. The whole Grandpa Max thing and DNAliens thing was getting to him.

Cooper got some of the DNAlien tech and was analyzing it to see if they could track their cloaking tech, but it’d take time.

He was putting on a brave face, but those closest to him knew Ben was gonna need something soon.

-x-

“Hey Argit, I need a favor.” Kevin pulled the porcupine off to the side.

“Sure thing Kev, name it.”

“I need you to get in touch with Vulkanus for me.”

“WHAT?!” He shrieked and Kevin covered his mouth.

“Shhh!”

“Are you crazy, that guy’s a freaking psycho path, he hates me, he hates Ben, and he despises you!”

“To be fair he tried to kill me first, so any double crosses were justified.” Argit crossed his arms.

“No way not gonna happen.”

“Argit…” Kevin smirked. “I didn’t know you cared so much about me. I’m touched.”

“Heh, we might be friends Kev, but I’m not stupid. If I set up a meeting with Vulkanus, and he hurts you, Benny is gonna hate me and my ass is out of this place. No fucking way!” Argit was many things, but he knew not to fuck with a good thing, especially when it benefits him.

“Oh come on Argit!” He looked around. “Please, it’s for Ben.”

“I...ugh…” He ruffled his quills. “No! Whatever it is, if it’s so important tell Benny and we can do this with him.”

“I can’t tell him, my source wasn’t very clear, and if it’s not what Ben needs, then I’ll get his hopes up for nothing.”

Argit rubbed his face aggressively. “Fine!”

“Fine?”

“Yes fine, I’ll set up the meeting but I’m going with you.” Kevin raised a brow at him. “Like I said, Benny will hate me if anything happens to ya, so I’ll go and watch your back.”

“Thanks man.”

-x-

Ben was setting up for the day, when a girl walked into the club. “We aren’t open yet.”

“I’m not here for the club.” She walked in further. “I’m...I’m not really sure why I am here.”

Ben looked at the girl. “I know you, you’re Julie Yamamoto, you’re a famous tennis player.”

“I am.” She fidgeted with her hands.

“What can I do you for?”

“Do...do you believe in magic?”

“Can’t so I don’t, why do you ask?”

“Well I have a problem.” She handed Ben a photo. “See these two girls here, they were my biggest rivals in the last tournament.” Ben listened. “They at first were getting better and better, almost impossibly good.”

“Roids?”

“That might be the first idea, but during a practice match I accidentally sent the ball too high, and she...jumped 30 feet into the air and hit it back.”

“Okay that’s definitely strange, and the other girl?”

“She suddenly got weirdly flexible, able to hit really weird shots, and in a match I was observing I...you’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Try me.”

“I swear she stretched her arm to make a hit!”

“So you think these girls are using magic to help them win?” It’d be easy for him to investigate and find out.

“That’s the thing, before the big tournament they went missing.”

“What?”

“They are just gone, I don’t know where they are no one does.”

“You know I’m not police right?” She shook her head.

“I’ve already been to the police. They can’t find them. What’s worse there was another girl who was acting strange. I went to check on her and found her room like this.” Julie opened her phone and showed Ben some pictures.

It looked like a wild animal had torn up the place. “She’s missing now too.” Three of her opponents had gone missing, no doubt put some stains on her victory. Ben could read the girl’s mana, she had no hand in this and she was telling the truth.

“But why come to me, I’m just a humble club owner.”

“I don’t know…” She reached into her purse and pulled out a card. After going to the police, she’d swear she felt someone following her. “I was freaking out in my apartment when suddenly this card appears on the table. It wasn’t there before I swear!”

It was one of the club’s cards. “I was gonna throw it away, but suddenly the phone starts to ring. When I answered it, a woman told me to come to the club and ask for your help.”

Ben examined the card. “I see…”

Julie sighed. “You don’t believe me do you?”

“No, in fact, not only do I believe you, I’m gonna take the case.” He put an enchantment on the card and gave it back to her.

‘Looks like the club won’t be opening tonight.’ He told Julie to go home and relax, he’d find out what happened to the girls and if possible bring them home.

“Where is Kevin and Argit?” Ben asked after he called for everyone.

“I think they went out a little bit ago.”

“Together?” Alan nodded. Oh he didn’t like that. Those two together could get into all kinds of trouble.

“Looks like we got a job.” He filled them in on what happened. “Deefus, since Kevin is out I need you on guard duty, someone might be after Miss Yamamoto.” He was sure the lenopan could handle it. “Stake out her place and keep watch, make sure nothing happens to her.”

“Aye aye.”

“Cooper, you are with me, bring some gadgets anything you got that might help us with the investigation.” He nodded.

“Can I help?” Alan raised his hand.

“Sure,” Ben smiled. “We could always use the back up.”

As everyone got ready, Ben tried to call Kevin on his phone but the raven didn’t pick up. “Hey Kevin it’s me, I heard you went somewhere with Argit. Give me a call okay, or shoot me a message, you know.”

Kevin and Argit were allowed to do things of course, but they had a protocol, especially after the one time where Kevin got paralyzed by one of Argit’s quills and was left bare ass naked in a desert. ‘What are those two up to?’

To be continued...Big Score