Hidden inheritance

Chapter 4: Incomplete Truth

Unless they wanted to use him as leverage...

"And you knew about the watch the whole time?" asked Gwen, snapping Ben out of his thoughts.

"Not really, just rumors and scuttlebutt. I was as surprised as you guys when it turned up on Ben's wrist." answered Max.

"You always told us we could tell you anything, Grandpa. Guess you didn't feel the same." she sighed, looking away from him.

Ben felt he couldn't relate any more to her in that moment.

Despite only hearing half of the story, Gwen ended up doubting a lot of what her grandfather had been telling her this whole time. She felt betrayed, and rightly so. She didn't know her cousin was related to the giant squid they met earlier that day, but she still was wary of what was going on. Ben realized she truly was the smart one between the two of them.

Had it been her instead of him, Ben was sure he would've kept on believing Max was completely right in what he did, never questioning his actions.

They heard police sirens and looked at the window as Max parked the RV, seeing a few police cars and an ambulance coming. Ben undid his seatbelt, going to talk to Gwen.

"Interested in helping me 'unclog' this new challenge?" he suggested.

"Maybe you should start by unclogging that hairball in your brain, mister plumber." she teased.

"I hope you never change, cous'." said Ben, as he opened the RV's door.

"Uh, Ben?" Gwen questioned.

"Ben, wait!" warned Max.

He didn't see the boy glaring at him as he went outside, fiddling with the watch to get XLR8. The young hero was out of luck as he turned into Ripjaws.

"I know there's sea alien blood in me, but come on, man! This is so not helpful." The fish alien pouted, spotting a fire truck coming. Sneakily hanging onto its back, he started musing about Vilgax's words. "What did he mean by Earth's water and unlocking our, or I guess right now, his species' true form?"

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Vilgax quietly observed his schedule for the next two months, looking at the rest of the meetings he had take care of. He needed to empty it out as much as he could, so he could aid Ben sooner. A king had much to do, many armies to keep active, commanders to receive reports from, drones to keep in check, the ones on his fleet as well as the ones he left to protect his palace, and finally restock his arsenal of weaponry. He didn't want to make the same mistake as last time, after all.

He trusted his people and knew they had taken no role in his son's disappearance, but he knew as well they couldn't get the job done as well as he did. Vilgaxia's inhabitants always preached peace before he came into power, and while his actions as their ruler managed to make them more aware of how their peace couldn't solve everything, it took him losing Ben to show how unforgivable he could be, and most did well in complying with Vilgax rather than keep the ideals that led him to lose his only child and heir.

He hummed, realizing it would take some time before he could return to Earth. It wasn't so bad, as he could start preparing Ben's rooms at home, and with his son to back up the Earth's Plumber bases' rumors, he was believed to be dead as of now, just like one or two decades ago. And now that Ben knew how much Max Tennyson was full of lies, his son could see the old bastard for who he really was.

Vilgax didn't like leaving him behind, but like Ben himself said, his absence on Earth would raise a few flags, and until the life waiting for him on Vilgaxia was fully prepared, he couldn't go back home yet. But staying with Max Tennyson could open the child's eyes, show him how despicable the man could be when his true colors were revealed.