3) A promotion?

'Laser Lances are Level 5 Alien Tech. It is run on ether point energy cell, dangerous technology that is too advanced for humans, thus it is illegal to sell Level 5 tech to people on Earth, due to Earth being a Level 2 planet.'

It didn't matter to him though. He had promised the other party, and he was delivering it. As long he got paid for the deal, he was okay with it. Besides he was only the middleman in the whole thing. He only brokered the deal. He didn't know where and how are they gonna use him.

"Level 5 lancer lances. Powered by ether point technology." Kevin proclaimed as he took one laser lance from the collection.

"It can be shot for 35 minutes of continuous fire at 0.6 terawatts." He continued. He fired the laser at the nearby concrete wall.

"Enough to leave a large hole on a concrete wall. And there's dial for changing the power of the lance." He commented after seeing the results of the attack.

"We accept the deal." The leader of the small group of Forever Knight replied. It was hard to see his reaction from outside the helmet, but Kevin could feel that the man was impressed.

He watched as the Forever Knights came out with suitcases full of money and handed him. He opened the suitcases and saw the money. The deal was of 35 Million. The suitcases contained bills of hundreds. While more than half of the money was to be transferred online. About 2 million was gonna be transferred in cash. One million was going to be with him. The other would be with the sellers.

"Payment received." The bald middle aged man from the sellers spoke out. His voice was calm as ever as he told of the payment received.

The bulky man from the selling party nodded and started to unload more of the containers from the truck. 

Within 5 minutes the Forever Knights took every crate of laser weapons and loaded in their truck. They drove away quickly from there without much talking from their part. But then again it was the norm for them.

Kevin took the suitcase offered to him by the seller. He smiled to the man infront of him. He extended his hand for a friendly handshake but the man refused to see it.

"It was a good deal. We hope you bring us more like it. We appreciate good money." The man said with a smile.

Kevin nodded. He found it strange that the man was denying him a handshake. But then again it was okay. He knew why they did so.

The group of men were wearing ID masks. It might change their physical appearances to others. But it didn't change their other aspects. If he touched their bodies, he would be able to feel the difference instantly. Moreover they also smelled a little different. There was a pungent and bad smell coming from them. A fact which instantly proved their disguise. 

He walked to his car and went away from there. He completely missed the careful eyes spotting everything from the distance.

_________________________________________________

It was twelve in the night. He was getting ready for the sleep, when it happened. Over the last few days, he had installed various security weapons around his house. He felt the vibratory beep signalling the entry of an intruder. 

He immediately went to the hall and waited for the intruder to show up. If the intruder had only alerted a single of his advanced traps, then it spoke of his skill set. He wasn't some amateur. He was knowledgeable in advanced technology.

He was alert and had already absorbed iron to face him. The door opened silently as the intruder slowly entered the room.

The intruder entered calmly. He wasn't being careful as if he didn't fear running into him. The identity was surely a surprise though. He had certainly not expected him of all people.

"Max Tennyson. What a surprise?" Kevin commented dryly as he folded his arms. He looked at the grandfather of Ben Tennyson. 

"Kevin Levin." Max acknowledged with a careful nod from his part.

"Mind telling me about sneaking into my house this late at night?" Kevin asked with a frown as he looked at one of the most famous Plumber of all times.

"Null Void didn't change you. You're still engaging in illegal activities." Max declared with a hard pressed frown. He had hoped that the boy would change after his stint in Null Void. Clearly he was wrong after what he witnessed today.

"It changed me. But a man needs money to live. I have no formal education after the long years in Null Void. I grabbed the best chance I got." Kevin replied as he willed away his metal covering. If his guess was right, the man wasn't here for fight. If he had been, he would have carrying the huge laser blaster in his arm, rather than his back.

"Have a seat." He offered to the older Tennyson. The latter wanted something else. It was yet to figure out though. What? It remained the question till now.

Kevin sat down calmly on the couch. His gaze didnt leave the old Plumber for a second. It would be foolish to underestimate the old man.

"I want to know the location of the weapon suppliers." Max finally spoke up authoritatively. He took a seat opposite to the young boy. He could feel it. Null Void had changed him. It was yet to see, if it was for good or worse.

"Don't know. I only brokered the deal. And I focus on it only. A healthy habit. It doesn't do good to poke around others unwanted business." Kevin replied with an amused smile. His eyes didn't leave the old Plumber's face as he said it. It was gonna piss him. But it was the truth.

Max frowned looking at the boy. He could sense the truth in him. He wasn't lying for sure, but he wasn't speaking the whole truth either. There was only one way to make him speak complete truth though.

"I knew your father Kevin." Max spoke suddenly. His voice was calm and composed as he looked at the dark haired boy.

"He was my partner. The best I had. He was a plumber too." Max continued. He knew from his suddenly impassive face, that he hit the mark.

Kevin pondered on the options. There were many things which he could do at the moment. One suited the best though.

"There was noone named Devin Levin. You're mind has been tampered with Max Tennyson." Kevin replied calmly. Best to go for cold truth. It would be easy in the long run.

Max was confused. What did he even meant by it? He was seriously confused by the whole thing.

"Let me break the mental barriers." Kevin offered as he got up and touched Max's hand with his index finger. Max didn't remove his hand. He wanted to gauge the sincerity of Kevin's words there. It sounded like hoax, but he wanted to be sure. Kevin sent a tendril of energy from his body. The energy knew what needed to be done.

Max was suddenly assaulted by an onslaught of memories. He immediately went into a trance. He saw memories of Kevin from his own eyes. He saw his old friend Servantis and the other rooters. He saw the atrocities they committed. He saw memories being implanted upon him about Devin Levin and other Plumbers. How he was coaxed into looking out for Kevin and the other kids. By the end of it, he was seething internally. Servantis had crossed all lines.

After long minuted of silence on both of their parts, Max finally looked at the calm and composed boy infront of him. He was surprised by the amount of things Kevin had gone through his life. It really made sense now.

"I am sorry." Max finally spoke up. It was part his fault that the boy had to suffer so much.

"Don't be. It's all happened. It couldn't be changed." Kevin replied with a laid back smile. He was a little curious though. Max Tennyson was a good guy. Perhaps the most jolly go person in the whole series. He wanted to see his next action though.

Max nodded. He lifted himself a little and took out his Plumber badge from his back pocket. He looked at Kevin for a moment, before finally pressing a dial in his batch for five times.

The badge immediately beeped after the fifth tap. However nothing happened in front of their eyes.

"Is it faulty?" Kevin asked. He didn't know what Max had done with the badge. But it didn't seem to have worked though.

Max only smirked in return. His face sported an eager grin now.

"Wait to see." Max replied excitedly. The badge beeped again this time. It was time then.

Slowly a blue light flashed in the room. Teleportation, Kevin realised. He immediately thought of future protections against teleportation at that moment. A female alien was there when the light disappeared.

She was a tall and slim humanoid and had cyan skin. Instead of hair, she had four short tentacles with brown spots. She wore the same headband. She had wrinkled, dark green lips, no nose and yellow eyes. Her Plumber Suit looked similar to what regular Plumbers wore, but her badge gave the impression of a ribbon. She also had a small skirt on her pants and a coat that covered her legs.

"Magistrata." Max greeted respectfully with a polite nod. 

"Max Tennyson." The Magistrata greeted back. Her eyes squinted as she observed the old Plumber.

"You are allowed to summon me, only on extremely demanding matters." She reprimanded strictly. She didn't think that this situation was demanding. Looking over everything around there, it didn't seem that something demanded her attention.

"This situation demands your attention respected Magistrata." Max replied with a focused look. This was something which needed being reported to the supreme authority.

Her questioning looked prompted Max to start his tale. He started with his report on an increased alien activity, which then moved to Kevin and his back story. 

Kevin was surprised to see silent anger forming on her face hearing about the actions of the Rooters. He knew about the Magistrata. She was the ultimate authority in the Plumbers. Her word had the final say in everything.

"Is it true?" Magistrata asked turning towards him.

Kevin nodded. "I can show you." He offered to the Magistrata. It would be better for everyone involved.

"Do it." Magistrata ordered. She wanted the full information on this subject. This was a serious breach of Plumber protocols.

Kevin did the same with Magistrata. He sent a tendril of his energy wishing to do the same like Max earlier. He watched as the Magistrata went into a trance like state, the same of Max.

When she opened her eyes, her gaze was focused. She was silent for few moment, before her attention turned to them.

"Max. You will continue your work on investigating the alien activity. The lack of active Plumbers here is causing problems for Earth. Your semi active duty isn't sufficient. We need a new active Magistrate of this sector." She ordered with a calm look on her face. 

Her face turned towards Kevin. She looked at him intently and spoke up finally.

"Kevin Ethan Levin. You are hereby appointed as a Plumber and one of the Magistrates of the Milky Way galaxy. You will be the most supreme Plumber on Earth." Magistrata ordered looking at him. She ignored the baffled look from Max Tennyson.

"If you have any problems. Say it aloud." She continued waving away Max's doubts on the whole thing. Even if Servantis' actions were wrong, she won't deny that his concerns were actually right. A human mind acted tumultuous during the influx of adrenaline. She couldn't risk such opportunity.

The Omnimatrix, in the hands of a fickle teenager, was something which no sound mind will agree on. His actions had caused enough stir already. She and the others were right to worry about it.

"Well. I am not trained enough." Kevin replied uncertainly. While this was unexpected even for him, he wasn't gonna waste this chance. Earth was only a measly planet in this Universe. He had a chance to be part of the greater cosmos now. Surely he wasn't gonna waste the opportunity.

"While Servantis' actions are condemnable. He is a great proctor, probably one of the best. If he has trained you, without pulling punches. You are already more than half ready for it." Magistrata spoke up factually.

She had seen the memories firsthand now. The boy was skilled. His success in those numerous underhanded missions were enough testament to it. Besides she needed someone on Earth as a fulltime Plumber. Max was getting old. He was not what he was earlier. She needed a hand to trust here. And what better than a recruit who had history against Ben Tennyson. Moreover the boy had one in a trillion mutation. His mutation was unique and too useful for their corps. She wanted to tie him with their universal corps. What better way than to make him a Plumber too?

While the Plumbers were okay with Ben Tennyson. She wasn't going to ignore the threat possessed by him. Max was his grandfather, it made him an unsure asset to their forces. During tense situations, he would side with his family, rather than agreeing with them. They couldn't have that. It was better to have someone capable of individual thoughts. A Plumber with an unique mutation, who could also exploit the chances.

"I will do it." He would honestly love it. This way he was going to be immune to many things. Being a Plumber would mean that he could access many things across the Universe without impairments. A prospect which sounded thrilling.

"He has a criminal record Magistrate. Moreover, he dabbles in shady acts." Max protested calmly. The Magistrata's words were surprising to him. He had called her for informing about Servantis. She had not talked about him more than necessary. She hadn't even revoked their licenses or anything. Instead she had proceeded to elevate Kevin to the rank of supreme Plumber and a Magistrate.

"I will leave them. Though I have to retain some connections. It's actually useful sometimes." Kevin replied calmly with a smile. What he said was the truth. The Underworld connections did helped him. It certainly helped him in depositing a million dollars to his bank accounts, that too without too much paperwork from the bank.

Magistrata nodded. While the choice for the Magistrate of this sector was not best. It was okay for work. Besides it was better for everyone. She would leave Servantis and his rooters at the moment. Their intentions were understandable, but the execution was not right on their part. If they attempted anything nefarious again, she will strip them from everything. Moreover, she couldn't deny their usefulness for the Plumber Corps. The Rooters were necessary for them. They carried the most dangerous and vile operations required by the Plumbers. A necessary evil on their part.

"I will keep an eye on your actions, Kevin Levin. Meanwhile, help Max to uncover the motives of these aliens, and try to fulfill your new duties." Magistrata replied with a frown. She took out a spare Plumbers badge from her pocket and handed it to him.

Kevin gracefully took the Plumbers badge from the Magistrata. It was quite unrealistic, that he was promoted to a Plumber and Magistrate at the same time. But then again, stranger things had happened in the cosmos.

Magistrata gave the two of them a final look, before she gracefully flicked her wrist and the same blue light appeared around her. The next moment she was immediately teleported back to her office.

"That was unexpected." Kevin replied as he looked at the Plumbers badge in his hand.

"It was." Max affirmed silently.

He was surprised by the sudden actions of Magistrata, but it did made sense. She wasn't going to waste the chance of having an Osmosian in their ranks. Kevin's powers were too useful to be wasted. Moreover she also felt that he was getting old. Perhaps she was right though. He wasn't the same as his prime self. Old age did came with its own problems.

He looked at the joyful face of Kevin Levin and couldn't help but be worried. It was certainly confusing and alarming now.