The Elemental Enerithian (Ben 10)

Undercover

"This is a very bad idea." Gwen says, watching Kevin place a banana on the teleporter. "I mean, we don't even know how to work a teleporter pad." Gwen tells Kevin. "Gotta start somewhere." The boy replies. "Ben, Ari, tell Kevin this seems like a very bad idea." Gwen tells the two teens. "Ben?" Gwen questions, looking around and then at some boxes. "Are you hiding?" She asks. "I mean, I would hide too if we're about to deal with something we know nothing about." Aria says. "That's not it. It's just if a fly lands on that banana when it teleports and it rematerializes as a deadly banana fly monster, I don't want to be standing right next to it, is all." Ben explains and Kevin walks over to the controls. "Don't see the big deal, Tennyson. Didn't you used to turn into an insect all the time?" Kevin asks, powering up the teleporter. "That was different." Ben tells him, walking over. "Here we go." Kevin says, pressing the button. The teleporter whirs and the banana levitates, then electrical sparks come off the quartz and teleport the banana away.

The banana comes back and explodes, and the teleporter malfunctions. "That's not good." Kevin says. "Turn it off before it blows!" Ben advises. "It's too hot!" Kevin says as sparks fly off the control panel. "I know who can take the heat!" Ben says and activates his watch, then he transforms into Swampfire and is about to turn off the machine but a bright light comes off it and it stops working. "Open the door." Swampfire says as he runs to the teleporter. Gwen throws a mana disc at the door's button and opens it. Swampfire rips the teleporter off the ground and throws it outside. "Everybody down!" He shouts and Aria puts up an energy shield to protect them from the explosion. "Everyone all right?" Ben asks after he detransformed. "Forget that! What about the teleporter pad?" Kevin asks, holding his head. "Deep down, he's really glad we're okay." Gwen says as they watch Kevin run to the teleporter and they walk over to him. "It's totally trashed." Kevin points out. "At least it's not a monster fly." Aria shrugs and Gwen glares at her. "What?" She looks at the girl, confused.

"I know a kid who might be able to fix it." Kevin says, standing up. "Fix alien tech?" Gwen asks. "He's a total super genius with any kind of machinery. Doesn't matter if it's human or alien." Kevin shares. "I'll bring Copper over from his lab." He adds. "Cooper?" Aria asks. "Pasty kid?" Ben asks. "Blonde? Bad haircut?" Gwen asks. "Had a big crush on Gwen?" Ben asks. "Ow!" Ben shouts after getting elbowed by both girls. "Sounds like the same guy. But, uh, who wouldn't have a crush on you?" Kevin asks Gwen. "He helped us out once back when we were kids. You should have told us you knew him." Ben tells him. "Didn't exactly come up." Kevin says turning away from them. "You didn't think a kid with the ability to manipulate alien tech would have been helpful against the DNAliens?" Ben asks as they walk to the car. "It's possible I know two or three people I haven't told you about, Ben. Anyway, if you're so smart, why didn't you think of him before?" Kevin asks. "Okay, that's a fair point." Ben replies. "Let's go." Ben tells him.

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The car ride to Cooper's house was silent. When they got there, the group exited the building. "I thought you said we were going to Cooper's lab." Gwen tells Kevin. "We are." Kevin replies. "Doesn't look like a lab to me." Aria says, looking between the house and Kevin. "It's here, don't worry." Kevin says, and they walk to the front door. "So, Gwen, excited to see your ex?" Kevin asks. "Zip it." The girl says. "You had to mention the crush?" She asks her cousin. "Probably not." Ben says. "Probably?" Aria asks, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

Kevin breaks into the house and the group enters heading towards the basement stairs. "Why break in?" Gwen asks. "Why break in? Couldn't we have just left a message for Cooper's folks?" Gwen asks. "Because Coop never leaves his lab-- never. Something's seriously wrong." Kevin tells her, walking down the stairs with the group following. "He probably just went out for a..." Ben trails off when Kevin turns on the light. "smoothie." He finishes, taking in the lab. The teens separate and look around the room. "Wow. He really never leaves the lab." Gwen says, holding up a dirty shirt. "Look for signs of a struggle." Kevin tells them. "I see it." Aria speaks for the first time in a while. "You do?" Ben asks. "I'm tracing multiple energy trails." Aria says, looking around the room. "Must've been his parents." Gwen suggests. Ben steps into some spoiled pizza and picks up a gun-like weapon, activating it. He panics and points it at the monitors, turning them on. "If anyone finds this recording..." Cooper's cut off by screeching. A DNAlien chases him and he tries his best to fend it off, but one jumps in front of him sticking his foot to the floor with goo, and the others surround him. "No!" He screams but is teleported away. "There you fo-- signs of a struggle." Ben says once the recording cuts off.