It was the middle of the night and everyone except Torta was sleeping. He worked on the computer, trying to analyze the planet. Mutt Daimon barked out the window.
Torta went to the ship's window, seeing Ninja Lu outside. Torta turned to the deck where Alex slept on the captain's seat. "Alex," yelled Torta, startling Alex out of his sleep.
Mutt Daimon ran to Alex. "What happened?" asked Alex, petting Mutt Daimon.
"Lu is back," said Torta. "Without Delvis."
Alex went over to the window and saw Lu. "That's strange. Let him in. I'll meet him at the dock."
"Okay," said Torta as he opened the loading dock. "I'll inform the others."
Alex and Mutt Daimon made it to the dock just as Ninja Lu came inside. "Lu, what happened to Delvis?"
Lu didn't quickly answer as Mutt Daimon came to sniff his leg. Lu observed the ship before turning to Alex. "They sent me away. I guess having two Lus on one ship was way too much for them."
"Understandable. I guess wearing those wraps wasn't enough."
"Guess not." Mutt Daimon barked at Lu.
Genie Tirado appeared on the loading dock behind Lu. "You're back sooner than expected," said Tirado, startling Lu. "You okay there? I don't think I've ever startled you before."
"Yeah, It's been a long night and I'm off my game." Mutt Daimon continued to bark at Lu.
"What's wrong with you, Mutt Daimon?" asked Alex. "Come over here boy." Mutt Daimon did as he was told and stood at his master's side.
Torta, Papo and Celi entered the loading dock, joining the rest of the crew. Papo rubbed his eyes and yawned. "I take your presence here means they've made their decision?"
"Not yet," answered Lu. "Their leader sent me away because I freaked him out."
"Hmpt," scoffed Papo. "This world's Lu is more of a wimp than I thought."
"We need to send someone to protect Delvis," said Celi.
"Can't be you," said Papo. "They already have a Celi too."
"We'll go," said Alex, looking down at Mutt Daimon.
"That would be the right decision," said Torta. "If things don't go as planned, you'd be the perfect person to help out Delvis."
"You can go right ahead," said Lu. "They're waiting for my replacement."
"We'll get going then," said Alex. "Anything I should know before I go?"
"Nothing of importance."
"I'll see you guys soon." Alex and Mutt Daimon left the ship.
"You really didn't learn anything of importance?" asked Torta.
"Actually, I learned what type of gargoyles we're dealing with," answered Lu. "Let's get to the deck. I can point out where the gargoyles are located."
Everyone gathered at the captain's deck. Celi looked out at the Earth while everyone else stood at their stations. Lu noticed a glass case in the middle of the room and couldn't take his eyes off of it.
"I'm surprised we haven't run into the gargoyles yet," said Celi.
"The gargoyles in this world had given up trying to fight the humans," said Lu, his eyes still on the glass case. "Their ship is too strong for them and they found the fight pointless."
"That sounds promising," said Papo. "If the gargoyles aren't putting up a fight with these humans, they're not going to have a chance against us."
"Are we missing someone?" asked Lu as he approached the glass case.
"Only Joe," said Tirado. "Resting in his room until he's needed. Is there a reason you're staring at my lamp like that?"
Lu opened the glass case and picked up the lamp. "I can wish for anything with this thing."
"You know you can, but you've already made your two wishes."
"I wish to be the strongest man on Earth," said Lu.
"No!" yelled Tirado as he stretched out his arms towards Lu. His arms glowed as a beam of light hit Lu.
A flash of light hit Lu and blinded everyone on deck. Everyone's vision came back and noticed Lu was more muscular and his face wrap had fallen.
"How is that possible?" asked Tirado.
"He's not our Lu," said Papo.
"No, I'm not," said Lu as he flexed his arms.
Celi unsheathed her sword and Torta turned his arms into blades. The two went to attack Lu, but he was too quick. He easily dodged every single one of their strikes. Lu pulled his fist back then struck Torta with all of his force. Torta shattered into thousands of pieces. Celi released her sword and put her hands in the air. Lu looked over to Papo who also shot his hands up in the air.
Lu turned his attention to Tirado. "Are you going to fight me?"
"No," answered Tirado. "I know I can't beat you."
"Of course," said Lu, marveling at his new power. "I'm the strongest person on Earth." He went over to the lamp and grabbed it. "I have another wish. I want the power to fly."
Tirado stretched out his arms towards Lu and blasted him with a light. Everyone watched in wonder as Lu began to float. He strapped the lamp on his belt.
"Now to get rid of the gargoyles," said Lu, before blasting out through the ship's window.
Papo went over to the ship's computer. "Fuck, this is going to be a problem." He typed something on the computer and made a large screen pop up in front of the deck.
The ship shot out a drone that went flying in the direction where Lu went. On the screen was a picture of what the drone could see. The drone tracked the superpowered Lu.
"What are we going to do now?" asked Celi. "Do we send out Joe?"
"Not yet," answered Papo. "First thing we have to do is find out what happened to Delvis."
"You think they killed him?"
"I don't know," said Papo. "Good thing we have someone on the inside." Papo typed something else on the computer. "Torta," he called out. "Are you still alive in there?"
"Of course I am," answered the computer. "As long as this ship is alive, I'll be alive."
"Good to hear your voice," said Celi. "Seeing you get shattered was quite traumatic."
"Enough," said Papo. "Torta, connect us to Alex?"
"It found him," said Celi, pointing at the screen. "Super Lu."
Everyone looked at the screen and saw Super Lu flying over a city. With the black ninja outfit and his muscular physique, Lu actually looked like a superhero out of a comic book. The gargoyles came into view as they surrounded Lu. He didn't seem phased even though he was ridiculously outnumbered. The first gargoyle went in for the attack. Lu ducked then kicked the gargoyle in the stomach, breaking it in half. The other gargoyles went in for the attack and Lu maneuvered around them, striking and killing each and everyone of them.
"Looks like he's going to handle the gargoyle problem on this Earth," said Tirado.
"The gargoyles are not going to be the problem on this Earth," said Celi. "That version of Lu is."
"Maybe we should recruit him?"
"Not if he killed our Lu. We can't trust a guy like that."
"Agreed," said Papo.
"I got a hold of Alex," said Torta through the computer. "Would you like me to connect you?"
"Right away," said Papo.
"What's going on up there?" asked Alex through the computer.
"A lot, but are you okay? Have you reunited with Delvis?"
"Not yet," answered Alex. "Some alarm went off and they locked me away in some room. Said something about the gargoyles attacking. Is that true?"
"No. This Earth's Lu snuck onto our ship disguised as our Lu."
"Really?"
"Yes, and he got a hold of Tirado's lamp. He made two wishes and now is the most powerful human on this planet."
"That's not good. What does that mean for the rest of our crew?"
"Celi, Tirado and I are fine. Torta lost his body, but he'll be okay. Joe is still in his room and the ship has taken some damage."
"Damn it. I should have known something was wrong. Mutt Daimon was barking at him."
"Don't worry about that now. You have an important mission. You need to find out what happened to Delvis and Lu, and rescue them if possible."
"On it," said Alex.
****
Alex and Mutt Daimon observed the room carefully. They put him in a comfortable room and not a cell. Alex pulled up his sleeve, revealing a gauntlet, and Mutt Daimon barked.
"Yes boy," said Alex. "It's time for our great escape."
Alex tapped on his gauntlet, causing him and Mutt Daimon to shrink to the size of ants. Mutt Daimon barked and ran excitedly around Alex. They were so small they could sneak out through the bottom of the door.
"Come on boy." Alex and Mutt Daimon ran under the door and entered the hall, finding it empty. "Great, now to figure out where Delvis and Lu are at." Alex pulled out a piece of black cloth. "Here, smell this."
Mutt Daimon took a sniff of the cloth and then ran off down the hall, Alex followed. Due to their size, it took them a long while to make it to their destination. Mutt Daimon ran under a door and Alex followed. Mutt Daimon stopped and barked at two figures above him. Alex tapped on his gauntlet and they returned to normal size, startling the two men.
"Hmpt," said Alex as he looked at Ninja Lu. "Are you our real Lu?"
"Excuse me?" said Ninja Lu.
"What Earth are you from?"
"Earth 99. Why the hell are you asking?"
"Because you don't startle easily and we startle you."
"You just appeared out of nowhere and it's been a long night."
"Funny, this Earth's Lu used the same excuse."
"What's going on?" asked Delvis. "Please tell me you guys didn't let that guy break into our ship?"
"He didn't break in," said Alex. "We let him in." Delvis and Lu glared at him. "It gets worse. This Earth's Lu is now a superhero and is currently killing the gargoyles."
"You let him get his hands on the lamp?"
"Not me. I was on this ship to relieve you," said Alex, looking at Ninja Lu. "The others let him grab the lamp. He took out Torta and made two wishes."
Delvis sighed. "Great. How is our ship?"
"Took a bit of damage but it's still standing."
"How strong is superhero Lu now?"
"He wished himself as the strongest person on Earth."
"Was that his exact wish?"
"I don't know," answered Alex. "I wasn't there. That's how Papo phrased it."
"Alright," said Delvis. "Then we still might have a chance here."
"What you planning, boss?"
"Still in contact with the crew?"
"Yes I am." Alex pulled out his ear piece and tried to hand it over to Delvis.
"No thanks," said Delvis, looking at the earpiece with disgust. "Tell them to release Joe and tell him to knock this ship out of the sky."
"What? But what about us?"
"We'll survive," said Ninja Lu.
"Tell him to knock the ship down with the least amount of casualties as possible," said Delvis. There was movement coming from outside of the room. "Alex, shrink now. I don't want anyone knowing you're here."
Alex and Mutt Daimon shrunk as the doors slammed open. There were five guards at the door as they scanned the room.
"Is there a problem?" asked Delvis.
"You need to come with us," said one of the guards.
"Is it to see your boss?"
"Just come along."
Two guards went to grab Lu and Delvis.
"I think we'll escort ourselves," said Delvis as he and Lu sidestepped the guards, dropped them and stole their weapons; swords. They used their swords to incapacitate the other three guards.
Alex and Mutt Daimon grew back to regular size. "That was impressive."
"Did you give Papo my orders?" asked Delvis.
"Yes sir."
"Shrink again. You'll be my wild card."