The Rust Bucket was parked out in the middle of the desert, the wind lightly brushing against the vehicle as the Tennysons sat around the table, eating from steaming bowls of soup.
Max watched them expectantly. "Well? What do you think? Bet you've never tasted anything like that before."
Ben and Gwen each took another spoonful, chewing for a second before both of them paused at the same time. There was a noticeable crunch.
Ben frowned slightly. "What's the crunchy stuff?"
Max answered without hesitation. "Dung beetles."
There was a brief moment of silence.
Then both of them immediately spat the soup out in disgust.
Meanwhile, Evan had already reacted the moment he saw what Max was cooking with. He had quietly activated his Another Omnitrix and transformed into Chamalien, turning invisible and slipping out of sight somewhere in the RV.
Max blinked at the reaction. "What? Too spicy? You'll get used to it."
Before anyone could respond, an alarm suddenly went off inside the RV. One of the cabinets opened, and a monitor dropped down in front of Max. Ben and Gwen ducked out of the way as it slid into position.
Max leaned in to look at it. Then his expression changed.
"No…"
"Grandpa?" Ben asked. "What is it?"
"That thing looks kinda ugly," Chamalien's voice said from behind him as he reappeared, peering over Max's shoulder at the screen.
Max turned the monitor toward them.
"The Mask of Ah Puch," he said. "It's the key to the most powerful and destructive weapon ever created."
…
Not long after, the Rust Bucket was back on the road, cutting through the desert. Ben sat up front, watching the road, while Gwen leaned forward from the backseat with her laptop open, already searching for anything she could find.
Max kept his eyes ahead, hands on the wheel, while a projected map hovered in front of him.
"The Mask of Ah Puch is the guide to the Sword of Ek Chuaj," Max explained. "The Plumbers searched for it for decades without success."
"Ek Chuaj?" Ben asked. "What kind of alien is that?"
"Not an alien," Max replied. "Mayan. Ek Chuaj was the Mayan god of war. His sword was said to be powerful enough to level entire cities with a single strike."
Ben leaned back slightly, impressed. "Sounds like exactly the kind of thing the world's most powerful ten-year-old should have."
Max's expression hardened.
"This is not a toy, Benjamin," he said. "Whoever controls that sword controls the fate of mankind. I will not let it fall into the wrong hands."
"I still think Ascalon is stronger," Evan added casually from the back.
Max raised an eyebrow at that but chose not to comment.
Ben and Gwen exchanged a glance. They had seen Max serious before, but not like this. Not even when they had dealt with Vilgax.
After about an hour of driving, they arrived at an oil facility where the mask had reportedly been found.
Max slowed the Rust Bucket to a stop and looked toward the site.
"I'll bet they're keeping it in the basement," he said. "Ben, Evan, you two go alien, sneak in, and open a side door for us."
Ben blinked. "Sneak in? Don't you mean break in?"
"Ben," Max said firmly, turning to him. "I haven't had time to explain just how important it is that we get that mask. Now, can I count on you or not?"
Ben hesitated for a second, then nodded. "You know you can count on me, Grandpa."
Max gave a small nod and stepped out, heading toward the back of the RV.
Ben watched him go, then looked over at the others. "What's up with Grandpa? He's so… intense."
"Cut him some slack," Gwen said, closing her laptop. "He's trying to save the world."
Evan did not say anything. He had already activated his Another Omnitrix, turning the dial until he found what he was looking for. He pressed it down, and a golden flash burst around him before fading.
"Eclipse."
He closed his eyes briefly, focusing.
Ben followed suit, activating his own Omnitrix and scrolling until it landed on a familiar small form.
"It's showtime!"
A green flash went off, and in the next second, Grey Matter stood where Ben had been. Without wasting time, he hopped out of the RV and sprinted toward the facility, keeping low as he slipped past the guards and made his way toward a pipe that led into the structure.
"Chaos Control," Eclipse said calmly.
He vanished from the spot entirely.
Inside the RV, Gwen watched all of this with a concerned look.
"I know Ben can be a doofus sometimes," she said, glancing toward Max, "but don't you think you were a little hard on him?"
Max did not answer right away.
"You're kids," he said after a moment. "I don't expect you to understand. Unlike Evan…"
He trailed off.
There was more he wanted to say, but he stopped himself.
Because the truth was, Evan was not like most kids. Max had been noticing it for a while now. The way he thought, the way he acted, the risks he took without hesitation, it was not normal.
If anything, it felt a little too willing. Like he doesn't care what happens to him as long as his family and loved ones are safe.
Max exhales, pushing the thought aside for now. He was not ready to jump to conclusions just yet.
...
Max and Gwen made their way to the cellar door, where they found Eclipse already standing there, waiting for them with his arms loosely at his sides.
"Hurry," Max said as he moved past him and opened the door. "We don't have much time."
They stepped inside, the door creaking shut behind them as Gwen glanced over at Eclipse.
"Where's Ben?"
Eclipse gave a small shrug. "Didn't see him."
That was not exactly reassuring, but there was no time to argue about it. They followed Max deeper inside.
A few steps later, they spotted a small figure walking toward them.
Gwen immediately reached down and picked him up.
"Why do you smell like dog slobber?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Grey Matter crossed his arms. "I don't want to talk about it."
They kept moving, heading down into the cellar as the air grew cooler and the lighting dimmer. Behind them, outside, a familiar black limousine quietly pulled up, its presence going unnoticed.
Inside, the group moved through narrow halls, Max leading the way with clear purpose as he searched for the mask. Gwen kept close, holding Grey Matter, while Eclipse walked alongside them.
Gwen glanced between them, her concern showing more clearly now.
"Have you ever seen Grandpa this serious?" she asked.
"I've never seen him this serious," Grey Matter replied. Then he paused slightly. "Actually… now that I think about it, I've only seen Evan like this before."
They reached a room along the left side of the hall. Inside, a large safe stood at the far end.
Max stepped forward immediately. "It has to be in here."
"I'm on it," Grey Matter said as Gwen set him down.
He hopped over to the safe, pressed his ear against it, and began carefully turning the dial, listening to the faint clicks of the tumblers. After a few seconds of precise adjustments, there was a soft click.
Max stepped in, grabbed the wheel, and turned it. The safe door opened.
Inside sat the mask. Max stared at it for a moment before carefully picking it up.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" he said quietly.
"Uh… not really," Grey Matter replied.
"Over forty years of searching," Max murmured, almost to himself. "And now, finally…"
Heavy footsteps echoed from the back. They turned just in time to see armored figures stepping into view.
"I thought you had retired from the Plumbing business, Mr. Tennyson," one of them said. "Or may I call you Max?"
Grey Matter immediately pointed. "It's Enoch! And those Forever Knights guys who tried to slice and dice me!"
Eclipse tilted his head slightly. "Who are they again?"
Gwen turned to him. "Seriously?"
Enoch ignored the comment entirely. "How nice of you to remember," he said smoothly. "And of course, how could I forget the family responsible for… certain losses to our order."
"Whatever happened, you brought it on yourselves," Max shot back.
Enoch gave a faint smile. "Still as feisty as ever. I would love to reminisce, but I'm afraid I have plans. Plans that require that mask."
He extended a hand slightly. "So I will be taking it now."
"Over my dead body," Max said without hesitation.
"An excellent suggestion," Enoch replied, gesturing lightly. "Gentlemen?"
The knights stepped forward, drawing energy swords from their coats as they advanced.
Before the situation could escalate further, a security guard suddenly rushed into the room.
"What's going on in here-"
Eclipse moved first.
"Chaos Spear!"
He swung his arm forward, sending a spear of energy straight at Enoch. The blast hit him squarely, launching him backward into the guard and knocking both of them down in one motion.
"Run!" Eclipse called out.
Max did not hesitate. He turned and bolted for the exit, with Gwen right behind him, holding Grey Matter tightly.
The knights tried to block them, but Eclipse was already moving.
He vanished and reappeared beside one of them, driving a punch into the side of his helmet. Before the second could react, Eclipse blinked again, appearing above him and slamming down, knocking him off balance.
That was all the opening they needed to make a run for it.
Behind them, Enoch and the knights recovered quickly and gave chase, but Enoch suddenly raised a hand.
"Wait," he said, glancing at a branching hallway. "This way."
They split off, moving to cut them off instead of following directly.
Alarms began blaring throughout the building.
Max, Gwen, and Eclipse rushed up a stairwell and reached an exit, only to find a guard standing directly in their path.
"Wrong way," Max said immediately, turning and heading back down the corridor.
Eclipse suddenly paused. "Wait, why are we running?"
He reached out, grabbing onto them as he focused.
"Chaos-"
Suddenly, a grappling claw shot through the air, snagging the mask right out of Max's hands and yanking it back down the hallway.
Enoch caught it smoothly. "Your loss is my gain, Tennyson," he said.
"-Control!"
The three of them vanished.
They reappeared outside, the sudden shift leaving only the sound of the distant alarms behind them.
Eclipse immediately looked at Max. "Where's the mask? You didn't drop it, right?"
"Enoch took it," Max said sharply. "We need to move."
They ran for the Rust Bucket.
As they climbed inside, Grey Matter timed out mid-motion, reverting back into Ben, who immediately toppled onto Gwen.
"Ugh…"
Max was already in the driver's seat. He started the engine without another word, his focus completely locked in as the Rust Bucket roared to life and sped away from the facility.
...
Enoch sat back in the limousine, turning the mask over in his hands as a quiet, satisfied chuckle escaped him. The dim lighting inside the vehicle reflected off the carved surface, the gem-like eyes faintly glinting as if responding to his attention.
Up front, one of the armored guards glanced into the rearview mirror.
"Sir… we have company."
Enoch barely had time to look up before the Rust Bucket pulled up alongside them.
Inside the RV, Max's expression hardened. He reached over and flipped a switch, the radio panel shifting aside to reveal a hidden weapons console. Without hesitation, he pressed a button.
The reinforced bumper extended outward with a mechanical snap.
"Hold on!" Max warned.
The Rust Bucket swerved and slammed into the limo.
Enoch was thrown slightly to the side as the impact rattled the vehicle. One of the guards immediately reacted, hitting controls on the dashboard. The trunk popped open, and a rotating saw blade extended outward, grinding violently against the Rust Bucket's bumper.
Sparks flew as metal scraped against metal.
"Come on!" Ben shouted, slamming his Omnitrix.
Gwen looked down at him and asked. "Wildmutt, Ripjaws, somebody!"
"I'm trying!" he snapped a second later. "This stupid watch is still recharging! All I can do right now is this!"
"I'll handle it," Eclipse said calmly.
Before Ben could react, Eclipse grabbed him and shoved him toward the back, clearing space. Then he slid open the side window and leaned out, gripping the frame with one hand to keep himself steady against the rushing wind.
His quills whipped violently behind him as the air tore past.
He raised his free hand, fingers shifting with his index and middle finger pull back and his thumb moved over them as chaotic energy gathered, forming a compressed sphere of swirling wind.
"Chaos Wind."
With a flick of his fingers, he launched it.
The blast struck the limo and erupted outward into a violent storm of chaotic air, lifting the entire vehicle off the ground. The limo was thrown upward, flipping past the Rust Bucket before crashing back down onto its wheels, barely stabilizing.
Eclipse pulled his arm back, already preparing another attack.
Then a blur slammed into him from the side.
"Ahh!"
A Forever Knight on a motorcycle crashed straight into him, dragging him out of the RV and disappearing down the road with him.
"Evan!" They shouted, staring for a split second, stunned.
Max quickly refocuses. "This is a job for a Plumber."
He pressed another button.
[Auto-driver engaged.]
The steering wheel adjusted on its own as the RV maintained its course. Max stood up and headed toward the back.
"Uh… Grandpa?" Ben asked.
Max did not answer. He stepped into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
Outside, the limo braked sharply, dropping back behind the Rust Bucket. Two armored knights jumped out and sprinted forward, climbing onto the roof of the RV with heavy thuds.
Inside the limo, Enoch activated the mask.
Green beams of light projected from its eyes, forming a floating map in the air, marking a location.
"Excellent," he murmured.
Back in the RV, Ben kept hitting the Omnitrix.
"Come on, come on, work already!"
The bathroom door suddenly opened.
Max stepped out, now dressed in a blue Plumber suit fitted with various gadgets, a red badge gleaming on his chest.
Ben blinked. "Uh… Grandpa? What's with the fashion show?"
"It's my Plumber suit," Max said simply. "Been saving it for the right time."
He glanced toward the window as the limo pulled alongside them again.
"Like now."
Without hesitation, he opened the door and jumped.
Max landed against the side of the limo, slamming two magnetic pads onto it. They locked instantly, anchoring him in place. He shifted his footing, bracing himself as he climbed upward, eyeing the mask through the open roof.
Enoch reacted instantly.
He drove his energy sword downward through the roof, aiming straight for Max. Max twisted away just in time, the blade barely missing him as he slipped, hanging on only by the magnetic pads.
Inside the RV, loud pounding echoed from above.
A knight was hammering at the roof with a mace.
Another knight swung through the open door, landing inside and advancing on Ben and Gwen.
Gwen ducked low, rolling under him.
"Hey!" Ben shouted, getting his attention. "You want a fight? Try someone your own size!"
The knight swung his energy sword downward. Ben barely managed to dodge, scrambling backward to create space.
Outside, Max struggled to maintain his grip as the limo scraped against the side of a bridge barrier, sparks flying everywhere.
Inside, the knight charged again, but Gwen kicked the fridge door open, slamming it straight into his face and knocking him off balance.
From behind them, the roar of a motorcycle grew louder.
Max and Enoch both glanced back.
Eclipse was riding one of the knights' motorcycles, closing in fast. His gaze locked onto the situation ahead as he saw one knight on the roof and another just being thrown out of the RV.
He raised one hand.
"Chaos Spear."
The chaos energy projectile shot forward, striking the knight on the roof and blasting him off instantly.
Enoch kept driving his sword downward through the roof, trying to hit Max, but Max adjusted quickly.
He slapped one of the magnetic pads onto the sword itself.
The blade stuck in place, lodged into the roof.
Before Enoch could react, Max climbed up, reached through the opening, and grabbed the mask with his other hand.
Enoch turned, realizing what had just happened.
Max dropped back, pulling himself away and leaping back into the Rust Bucket.
"I got it," he said as he landed inside.
Ben and Gwen both let out a breath.
"That was way too close," Gwen said.
Before they could relax, headlights appeared ahead.
A truck was coming straight toward them. On their side of the road.
Max immediately ran to the driver's seat and disengaged the auto-driver.
"Hold on!"
The others scrambled into their seats and buckled in.
Max slammed a button, activating rear thrusters. The Rust Bucket surged forward, gaining speed rapidly. At the last second, Max yanked the wheel, swerving just enough to avoid the oncoming truck as it roared past them.
Without missing a beat, he hit another switch.
Spikes deployed behind them. The limo ran straight over them.
Its tires shredded instantly, sending it veering off the road and crashing into the desert beside the highway.
Behind them, Eclipse's motorcycle also hit the spikes. He reacted instantly, leaping off mid-motion and tapping his Omnitrix.
A golden flash burst around him.
"Fasttrack!"
He landed running, accelerating instantly, keeping pace as he sped alongside the Rust Bucket.
Behind them, Enoch could only watch as they escaped with the mask.
His expression darkened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
"Send in the bird."