CHAPTER 7:THE SEARCH BEGINS

Julie Yamamoto drove recklessly. Normally Julie was very much a defensive driver. However, the current situation at hand demanded urgency. So she found herself weaving in and out of traffic. Her poor pet Ship was being tossed around with each swerve of the car. Julie apologized more than once to the little mechanical alien, but she couldn't stop. She had to reach the Plumber base in Bellwood as soon as possible. She glanced down at the communicator device sitting in her cupholder. She was certain that today's events were definitely something Ben would want to know about.

Just hours ago, Vilgax landed on Earth and went on an aimless rampage of destruction. Last Julie had heard, the villain had been imprisoned in some deep space prison. He must have escaped somehow. His swath of chaos destroyed multiple buildings and vehicles. The alien warlord reportedly had been looking for Ben, another attempt to obtain his Omnitrix no doubt. She watched the news reports with an impending sense of doom. Luckily a unit of plumbers quickly arrived on the scene. However their weapons and technology were no match for Vilgax's strength and durability. According to what Ben told her, he was the only one who truly stood a chance against Vilgax. At the time she figured that was partly just Ben bragging. But now seeing the damage Vilgax had caused, she had started to take him more seriously.

Luckily, Vilgax left a few hours after his arrival. Most of the news outlets labelled Vilgax's attack as a random act of destruction. But Julie knew better. He must have realized that Ben was no longer on the planet and left in search of him. But not before he swore to destroy Earth and every one Ben cared about and take over the universe. As soon as Julie heard that declaration she knew she needed to let the Plumbers know about the communicator Ben had given her. It had been so long ago that she had nearly forgotten about it. But if Vilgax was loose, there was no telling what he would do. And if any of the stories she had heard from Ben were true, they would need him back.

She arrived at the Plumber base's front entrance. And by front entrance she meant the incognito store front that served as disguise for the underground facility. She approached the run-down storefront and walked through the front door. She saw an older man in denim overalls manning the front counter. She walked up to him confidently without any fanfare and spoke.

"I need to see Max Tennyson. It's important." She said seriously. Whether the attendant was surprised or not he didn't show it. He simply responded matter-of-factly.

"And what are your credentials?" He asked with a level stare. Julie frowned. She had never really needed to access Plumber HQ before. She instead picked Ship up from the ground and held him in her arms.

"I'm Ben 10's ex, and I might know where to find him." She lied. Although she supposed it was only a partial lie. The plumber attendant stared at her intently, his eyes flicking between her and Ship.

Finally the man pressed a button underneath the counter. Behind him a hidden door opened up leading to a sleek high tech elevator. He let her through behind the counter and allowed her to pass. Julie mouthed a thank you to the man and stepped into the interior of the elevator. The doors closed in front of her and without her pressing any buttons she felt the lift begin to descend. She watched through the green tinted glass as she moved deeper underground. The main base was impressive especially for being underground. She had only been here a handful of times. She hoped she would be able to find her way around. Soon the elevator came to a stop and let her out into a large corridor with 3 passages. Julie looked around at her surroundings. There were multiple aliens and humans walking around, but seemingly no signs or indicators of where she was. Deciding to trust her memory she set off down the middle corridor, Ship following dutifully alongside her.

Luckily, her memory was better than she thought. She was able to make her way to the control room with relative ease. Although there were some who looked at her with a questioning gaze, no one stopped her. Julie doubted that any one recognized her, they were probably all to busy to pay attention to an innocent girl and her pet alien. Then again, she supposed the man up top could have informed someone she would be arriving. Either way, Julie soon found herself in the central hub of the Plumber base. She looked around to see many different aliens, all monitoring large computer screens. She looked around to see anyone she could recognize. Thankfully, she spotted Gwen on her phone a little ways away. Julie walked towards the older girl.

"Yes Mr. President, I can assure you that the Plumbers are looking into the matter… I understand the ramifications of the attack… No I know what's at stake but as I've said before we can handle it. The plumbers aid foundation will be responsible for the clean up and rebuilding. I assure you I will keep you in the loop. Thank you." Gwen spoke into her phone. She sighed in exasperation as she hung up. Being one of the sole people on the planet responsible for human-alien interactions was certainly exhausting. Gwen turned around and nearly dropped her phone in shock.

"Julie? What are you doing here?" Gwen asked incredulously.

"Hey Gwen, I needed to talk to someone about this." Julie said trying to take the cube out of her pocket. Gwen however, had misunderstood her.

"Tell me about it, this whole thing with Vilgax has put the entire Plumbers organization on high alert." She said gesturing around them.

"Do we know what he wanted?" Julie asked concerned.

"Apparently he was looking for Ben. Unfortunately, he's still missing." Gwen answered.

"About that…" Julie tried to interject, however she was cut off by Gwen's nervous rambling.

"Luckily for us, once he realized Ben wasn't here, he left pretty easily. I guess we can count that as a small blessing." Gwen said. Suddenly they were joined by a familiar voice from behind them.

"Miss Yamamoto? What are you doing here?" Asked the smooth voice of Rook Blonko. Julie turned around to face the taller alien.

"Hi, I came to see if I could help." Julie said. However, she was rudely interrupted by another voice from off to the side.

"What could you do to help?" Kai rudely asked. The two women glared at each other from across the room.

"Ship and I have seen more than our fair share of battles. I'm sorry who are you?" Julie asked indignantly.

"Kai Green, deputy plumber. And you're Ben's Ex right?" Kai looked Julie up and down, she crossed her arms clearly not too impressed with what she saw. Julie felt herself getting flustered despite her best attempts to stay levelheaded. She recognized the girl as Ben's new girlfriend. It made sense that Ben would go for someone just as egotistical as he was. Before the two could get into it further, Rook intervened.

"Any help would be appreciated Miss Yamamoto. However, at the moment we are mostly doing damage control and trying to figure out Vilgax's next move." Rook explained. He made his way over to a console. Pressing a few buttons the screens floating above them began displaying footage from Vilgax's rampage. Each angle was different, being compiled either from news footage, security cameras, or cellphone video of bystanders. They showed Vilgax destroying his surroundings with reckless abandon.

"We've been playing back footage of Vilgax's attack trying to find clues as to his next move. This particular segment is of most prudent interest." Rook explained. Julie and Gwen stepped forward to stand by him, while Kai leaned against the console sending a withering glare towards Julie. For her part Julie did her best to try and ignore the antagonistic girl. Instead she focused her attention on the screen above them. It showed Vilgax atop a pile of rubble making a declaration of some kind.

"Hear me, pathetic earthlings. I have come with a warning for Ben Tennyson, your cowardly hero who has abandoned you. I have found the lost Demiurge Hammer. Once I have it in my grasp the universe will be mine! And then Ben Tennyson, you will be utterly helpless!" The screen showed Vilgax disappear in a beam of transporter light. Just then a voice called out from behind them.

"If Vilgax is after the Demiurge he's crazier than I thought." The group turned to see Kevin Levin walking towards them, casually sipping on a soda.

"I wouldn't be too quick to discount him like that son." Max spoke up.

"What you actually think it's real? Come on seriously?" Kevin retorted.

"Vilgax wouldn't have made a declaration like that unless he had proof. And if he thinks the Demiurge is real than we all better be prepared." Max countered.

"Can someone explain what this stupid Hammer thing is already?" Kai complained crossing her arms. Max stepped forward to the group, his gaze fixed on the image of Vilgax.

"The Demiurge Hammer, also known simply as the Demiurge, is a legendary almost mythical tool of ultimate creation. Supposedly it has the power to rewrite the very rules of reality itself. With it you could alter the fundamental laws of physics, time, and space. It is an engine that runs on imagination. And if it were to fall into the wrong hands there's no telling the amount of damage that could be done." Max explained seriously.

A hushed silence fell over not just their little group but the entirety of the plumber base that could hear Max's explanation. The thought of a weapon that could change reality was inconcevieable yet terrifying. Julie's face paled as she considered the implications of such a device. The only thing she could compare it to was the Ascalon from years back. The more Julie thought about the potential threat, the surer she was that Ben needed to be alerted.

"Yeah but… I was always told the Hammer is nothing more than a myth." Kevin said soft spoken.

"So were the Contumelia and the Annihilaargh, until Ben and I found them that is." Rook countered. Kai spoke up from beside them.

"So you're saying this Demiurge might be just as real then?" She asked.

"Like Grandpa Max said, if Vilgax thinks it's real then we should all take this seriously." Gwen stated with an air of authority. Around them the assembled plumbers all nodded gravely as they returned to their work.

"So first order of business: How are we going to find it before Vilgax?" Gwen turned to ask Max. Max scratched his chin in thought.

"I'm not sure. Vilgax seems to have info on it that we don't. I'm issuing a high priority order. All available research personnel will be dedicated to analyzing the known legends and stories regarding the Demiurge. With any luck we might be able to find a workable lead." Max concluded.

"Magister, shouldn't we also be looking into finding Ben as well?" Rook asked. Next to him Kai scoffed.

"Yeah, and how are we supposed to let that dick know about all this when we don't even have the first clue as to where he is?" Kai scowled with crossed arms. Julie hugged ship tighter in her arms. She looked around and saw the concern and betrayal evident on all of her friend's faces.

"I hate to say it but Ben did leave us kind of high and dry here. If only he left behind some clue as to where he was heading." Max said thoughtfully.

Julie looked around at the worried expressions surrounding her. Even the rest of the Plumbers around them seemed to have a grim outlook about them. She slipped her hand into her pocket, her fingers grasping around the data cube that Ben had entrusted to her. She took a deep breath and steeled herself. If there was ever a world threatening event that warranted Ben's attention, it was this. Julie cleared her throat and all eyes turned towards her.

"Actually… I might be able to help with that." The faces around her gazed at her with mixed expressions of confusion, disbelief and curiosity.

"What?" Kai scoffed with an angry tone. Her tumultuous gaze was fixed on Julie who slightly withered under the intense look. But Julie calmed herself and breathed deep. She pulled out the data cube from her pocket and held it out in front of her. Max walked up to her and she handed it over to him.

"Ben gave me this 3 years ago… before he left. He said it contained a way to contact him." Julie explained. The assembled heroes all looked at the data cube in confusion.

"Ugh and he gave this to You? Why?" Kai asked disgruntled. Julie finally fixed the girl with a stern look of her own.

"Ben said I was the only one he could trust with it." She shot back. Her expression fell as she recalled the day that he trusted her with his charge. "He said and I quote: 'I was the only one who would use it when it was absolutely necessary." Julie explained with a somber note. Max examined the cube, flipping it over and inspecting it. Then he handed it off to Rook who inserted it into the console. Julie could still feel everyone's eyes on her and continued to speak up.

"He told me only to use it if there was a world threatening emergency." Julie explained. She began to shrink in on herself at everyone's continued stares. "I know you all missed him a lot but he made me promise. And I feel like this definitely counts as an emergency." She said casting her eyes downward. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Max smiling gently at her.

"You did good work kiddo. I'm sure Ben appreciates your discretion." Max told her. Julie smiled, despite the fact she could hear Kai grumbling and barely stifling a scream behind her. All of their attention was drawn to the screen however as Rook had seemingly pulled up the information stored on the device.

"The data appears to be a command function trying to utilize our communications array." Rook said tapping on the keyboard. In a few moments he had a signal display on the screen. It started blinking, indicating it was trying to send the signal.

"I think this is automatically sending a signal out to wherever Ben is. We should make contact momentarily." Rook explained. They all waited patiently with baited breath as the signal was sent out into space. The blinking continued for a few minutes. Suddenly the signal indicator stopped blinking and instead was replaced by a large red X mark on the screen. Confusion and concern filled the room.

"Rook?" Max asked.

"One moment. I'm trying to figure out what happened." Rook tapped away at the keyboard again. On the screen an image of two Galvans popped up. The Plumber's resident Galvan duo to be precise.

"Blukic, Driba, any idea why that signal failed?" Rook asked.

"It wasn't on our end." Blukic's dry voice piped in as he tried to connect a power coupling.

"Something is blocking the signal externally and preventing it from reaching the reciever." Driba expounded. His body lit up with a sudden electrical spark as Blukic connected the wires.

"Oops." Blukic said.

"So some kind of interference eh? That's unfortunate." Max said, ignoring the two Galvan's antics.

"Do we even need to send him a message? Gwen can't you do your mana tracking thingy and just find Ben for us?" Kevin asked. Gwen frowned and looked away sheepishly.

"I've tried… Several times in fact. But Ben either has figured out how to block my spell, which is unlikely, or whereever he is it's too far away for it to work." Gwen replied.

"Hmm it seems we'll have to try finding Ben the old fashioned way. Although it would be helpful if we had somewhere to start." Max mused aloud.

"Wait Magister Tennyson, it appears as though there is a subroutine trying to execute." Rook said typing more on the console keyboard. In a matter of moments the screen switched to display a set of numbers in big bold text. "They appear to be spatial coordinates. Hold on while I input them into the computer." In another few minutes the computer had brought up a map display centered on a field of asteroids. "The coordinates lead to an isolated asteroid field a few star systems over." Rook noted. Kai glared at the screen before speaking up.

"What so that's where Ben is? Why go through all this trouble of hiding himself if he's just going to tell us where he is anyway? I swear that moron doesn't think anything through." Kai said with a huff.

Julie glanced between Kai's indignant complaining and back to the large screen monitor. Something didn't feel right. She thought back to when Ben had given her this device. She remebered him seeming desperate and disheartened. But most of all she remembered him seeming almost paranoid, as though someone would figure out his plan. Surely he wouldn't make it this easy for them. Julie decided to voice her concerns.

"I don't think Ben would let us know where he is this easily." She said. As attention gathered to her she continued to explain. "When Ben gave this to me he made it seem very important that no one know where he was going. I don't think after all this he would just put in a map that would lead us right to him." She reasoned.

"I think you've got a good point there Julie." Max agreed. Julie smiled despite herself.

"Whatever is at those coordinates though, it's sure to at least help us find him." Max continued. "So we'll need to put together a search team to investigate this. Gwen, Kevin, and Rook I want you three to be ready to ship out in twenty four hours. We'll need all three of you to help find Ben." Max said.

"Magister Tennyson, I'm sorry what about me?" Kai started to ask annoyed but trying to hide it. Max turned back to her with a concerned expression.

"I'm sorry Kai, but I really need you to head up our search for the Demiurge." Max explained. Kai was about to protest but Max continued over her. "You have the most experience with archeology, folklore, and history. The Demiurge is mentioned in the stories of over a hundred alien cultures. I need you to sift through them to determine what's credible and what's not. Maybe that way we can get a clue as to where to find it." Max placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Please Kai." He asked.

Kai crossed her arms and debated speaking out but decided that Max was right. No one other than her would be able to accomplish this task. "Of course Magister. I'm honored by your trust in me." She replied with a small bow.

And with that the Plumber base seemed to return to it's normal bustling activity level. Kai had walked off down a hallway, presumably to begin her research into the Demiurge. Max turned to regard another screen over a plumber's shoulder. Gwen, Kevin, and Rook were discussing travel plans amongst themselves. Julie regarded all this with a sort of detached experience. It seemed that now that her job of delivering the cube was done she became inconsequential. Julie didn't mind this feeling at all. She had been more than happy living her life after Ben 10. But something nagged at the back of her mind. A vauge uneasiness that said something was very wrong, more than Vilgax or the Demiurge. The only sort of description she could put to it was a concern for Ben, but it felt more existential than that.

Julie debated in her mind. She could walk away from all of this now. She had done her job, her involvement had ended. She didn't have to commit any more of herself to this problem. Yet her subconcious was screaming at her that she needed to find Ben and make sure he was okay. Julie took a deep breath to steel herself again. Then she came to quite possibly the most important decision in her life. Julie approached Grandpa Max and cleared her throat slightly to grab his attention. Max looked up from the console and smiled at her.

"Julie, thanks again for delivering Ben's data cube. We can take care of the rest from here." Max told her. But Julie frowned, that nagging feeling in the back of her mind still pushing at her.

"Actually Mr. Tennyson…" Julie began.

"Please you can just call me Max." He said with that same warm smile that put Julie at ease again.

"Well Max, if it's okay with you. Ship and I would like to go on the search mission for Ben as well. If that's okay with you of course." Julie asked with equal parts hope and apprehension. Max's smile faltered and he regarded the girl curiously. Julie could tell that he was thinking in his head.

"I hope you don't mind me asking Julie but, I was under the impression you didn't really want anything else to do with Ben." Max asked delicately. Julie became flustered and stammered out a reply.

"Well yes, but, kinda sorta. Uggh." Julie moaned. "Look, I'm not interested in Ben anymore but, I can't deny that he's a hero. He's probably the most heroic person I've ever known. But something keeps telling me that he needs help and I just don't think I could rest easy without knowing he's okay." Julie tried to explain. She ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "It doesn't make any sense to me either but I just feel like I have to do this. More importantly even if Ben and I didn't get along I still want him to be okay ya know? Also if this whole thing with Vilgax is as serious as you all think then I'd say it's probably safest to be next to some of the greatest heroes in the galaxy don't you?" Julie finished.

Max's expression stayed neutral as he weighed Julie's words over in his head. He smiled at her then and looked up behind her. Julie turned around confused and saw that Gwen, Kevin and Rook were all looking at her with bemused smiles on their faces. Julie blushed realizing they must have over heard her impassioned speech.

"Well I can't hardly say no to such a request as that. What do you guys think?" He asked the search party.

"Of course, we'd be happy to have you Julie. It'll be like the old days." Gwen said happily and came over to hug her.

"I'm looking forward to seeing your bravery in action Miss Yamamoto." Rook said congenially.

"Better get your luggage ready then. We leave first thing tomorrow morning." Kevin said with a finger gun and a wink.

Julie smiled, happy that her request was more than accepted.