Sequel to guestsurprise's story "The Twin Of My Heart".

This is the fifth story in a series of stories from guestsurprise and myself. In order: "The Neighbor", "The Neighbor: A New Beginning", "Queen Takes Knight", and "The Twin Of My Heart". All four stories can be found on my page.

Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. Madison, Maxine, Vamps, and Shocks belong to guestsurprise. I only own Rachel, Vampiro, Tina, and Shelby.

A Wish Granted

Shocks and Rook returned to the Mansion and Rachel met them at the door. "We have our game plan," she said. She was already wearing her Proto-armor and her Proto-Tool was ready as well. The Galactic Monsters were in the living room and Alien X, AmpFibian, Humungousaur, Ultimate Big Chill, Ghostfreak, Big Chill, and Wildmutt joined them. The others also came down to join them and Rachel split them all into seven groups.

"Whampire, Vamps, AmpFibian, Vampiro, Tina, and Alien X will each lead a team of you to find Maxine," she said. "Myself and the rest of the aliens will be on standby here in case we're needed."

She then looked at the aliens leading the teams. "You guys should be able to find Maxine with your infrared and telepathy," she said. "And if there's trouble, you guys know what to do."

Rook came up to Rachel. "My Proto-Truk is ready," he said.

She nodded. "Good luck, everyone. Let's bring her back safe and sound."

Maxine had just finished another hacking job and received her payment and then left, using her teleporter to make it to her secret hideout and count the money. Satisfied that she hadn't been cheated out of her profit and that the bills were indeed real and not counterfeit, she quickly paid some bills, but just then, her hideout was attacked and she turned fast to deal with the intruder, but a white arm hit her and she felt a needle before she was knocked out with knockout gas.

Vampiro was rather surprised when he sensed Maxine's heat signature as soon as they landed. "Either this is a stroke of luck or a trap," he said to the aliens behind him and used his infrared, but found no one else. "She was here just a few moments ago and it looks like her hideout."

"So she came here, but then went back out?" Ghostfreak asked. "Wouldn't we have seen her?"

Wildmutt sniffed the ground and found drag marks and barked, getting their attention. Vampiro glanced at the ground and nodded. "She was dragged away from here," he said.

"Which means someone surprised her," said Alien X as he and his team came up to them. "Our search came up empty."

"If she was dragged away and I am still picking up her fading heat signature, then she was grabbed possibly about five minutes ago," Vampiro said and then suddenly tensed. "I'm picking up another heat signature. It's Dr. Animo's, but there's something unfamiliar about it."

Ghostfreak then found an empty syringe and his eye widened in horror as he recognized it. "Guys, remember last time we busted that creep he was working on another serum to experiment on animals?" He asked.

At the scared tone of his voice, they looked and saw the syringe he was holding up and Alien X examined it. "It's just like that serum the Plumber confiscated, but…he altered it," he said. "I'm also picking up human DNA on the needle."

They looked at each other. "Back to the Mansion," Vampiro said, his voice brooking no argument. "This has just become a race to stop Maxine's possible death."

When Rachel heard that, she had to sit down from the shock and looked ready to be sick before she squared her jaw and her eyes narrowed. "Go find that creep, pound him into next month, and get Maxine here A.S.A.P.," she said.

Dr. Animo placed a strong, mind-control chip on the back of Maxine's neck. "With you as my newest slave, I can continue my work and no one can stop me!" He cackled.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER!"

Dr. Animo jumped at that and turned just in time for Upgrade to merge with his head gear and other gear, damaging the circuits and shocking the mad doctor. "GUYS, GET MAXINE TO FRANKENSTRIKE!"

As Whampire, Vamps, Shocks, and Vampiro destroyed Animo's lab, Tina lifted Maxine into her arms and was worried at how limp the young girl was. "Alien X, get me to the Mansion, now," the female Vladat requested him.

"At once, ma'am," he said instantly and teleported directly to Frankenstrike's lab and the scientist accepted the young girl from Tina, running scans and was shocked to see that the chip was becoming implanted directly into Maxine's skin.

"I can't remove that chip without hurting her," he said. "And it seems to be reacting with that serum he injected into her."

Upgrade came in, holding up something in his hand. "You won't believe this, but it looks like Dr. Animo made an antidote for that serum in case it went wrong," he said.

"No doubt how he got his new look," Alien X said. "He made himself part-gorilla."

Shelby and Madison came running into the lab and Madison screamed at seeing her twin sister's state. "Maxine!" She cried out, trying to go up to her, but Frankenstrike gently stopped her, handing her to Shelby, who held the young girl as they watched in horror as Maxine seemed to be having a bad reaction to the serum. Upgrade gave Frankenstrike the antidote and the scientist quickly administered it.

The atmosphere at the Mansion was tense with worry and Madison absolutely refused to leave her twin's side. Shelby and Upgrade likewise refused to leave the young girl's side as they watched the monitors with worry.

Madison looked at them. "Upgrade, did you really mean it that you and Shelby are going to adopt both me and Maxine?" She asked.

"Yes, little one," he said. "As soon as we find your sister's records, Shelby and I are ready to sign the adoption papers."

"Well, search no more," said Tina, coming in. "Look what we found in Maxine's belongings."

Madison's eyes widened. "You guys found her hideout?" She asked.

"My husband and his team did," the female Vladat explained. "It's where Dr. Animo ambushed her."

The young girl looked back at her twin and felt hands rest on her shoulders. "If your sister is as strong willed as you are, Madison, then I'm sure she'll make it," Tina said reassuringly.

The kind words seemed to be just the thing Madison needed. "Upgrade, Shelby. Um, about the adoption, can we wait until Maxine wakes up?" She asked.

They nodded, deciding that was best so that they could surprise the young girl.

Finally, after about four days, Maxine woke up and saw she was in a lab and tried to sit up, but hands came around her shoulders. "Hold on, young one," said a gentle voice before she felt the top half of the bed she was on shift upwards so that she was in a sitting position, but still laying down. She looked up and her eyes widened at seeing the face of the alien above her head. "How are you feeling, Maxine?" He asked.

She looked at him in confusion and then felt him gently adjust the I.V. needle in her arm and her eyes widened again. "I…I've heard you," she said, making him look at her. "I…I was so tired, but I remember your voice. You'd hear me groan in pain and…you made it go away."

Frankenstrike smiled. "Well, I did my best," he said. "Your sister has been worried about you, as have been the two who wish to adopt you and Madison."

Maxine blinked. "They…want to adopt me?" She asked. "But…I…I don't…,"

She couldn't seem to finish her sentence, but the alien scientist seemed to know and he chuckled in amusement, making her look at him. "Upgrade and his fiancée, Shelby, insist on adopting both of you," he said. "After all, it's not fair that only Madison should gain new parents, right?"

The young girl wasn't sure about what to say. "But, it's not fair to Madison that they won't adopt her unless they adopt me too," she protested.

Frankenstrike smiled. "You are selfless, Maxine," he commended her. "But…aren't you tired of always running? Not having a safe home and a loving family that will always be there for you? Living somewhere where you'll never be attacked by one of our enemies?"

She couldn't argue with him on those points. "But…Madison and I will lose our home," she said.

The alien scientist smiled. "Not if Rachel and Rook negotiate with the police to have your home and the land surrounding it put in their names," he said. "That way, your home will always be there and you'll have another home here."

Maxine looked at him and could tell he was being honest with her. "Why was Rachel looking to buy some of the land around there anyway?" She asked.

"Our family is growing almost every day," Frankenstrike explained. "The Grant Mansion has been remodeled many times and expanded, but sometimes, it's been a bit tough and she's known that the extra space would help."

Maxine looked thoughtful. "You promise that Rachel and Rook would make sure our home stays in the family?" She said.

He smiled and gestured to the door where Rachel and Rook both stood and Rachel went up to the young girl. "Your home would stay in the family, Maxine," she promised. "In fact, Rook and I have already spoken with some friends who are getting the paperwork we need to sign ready."

Madison, Upgrade, and Shelby came in and Madison ran up to her twin, hugging her hard. "Sis, you woke up!" She said happily.

"That's a relief," said Upgrade. "Frankenstrike, were you able to remove that mind-control device?"

"Yes," said Frankenstrike.

"Mind-control device?" Maxine asked.

"Dr. Animo injected some serum into you and put a mind-control device on you," Rachel explained.

The young girl's eyes widened and she turned to Upgrade. "It was you," she said in realization. "I heard you. You told him to…,"

She suddenly stopped. "You called me your daughter," she said softly.

Madison looked up at Upgrade. "You did?" She asked in surprise.

"Why wouldn't I?" He asked with a gentle chuckle. "I already consider you to be my daughter, Madison, so why wouldn't I consider your sister to be my daughter too?"

"He has a point," said Shelby.

Maxine felt a bit overwhelmed, but then took a deep breath to get her thoughts together. "If you do adopt me and my sister, can…can we still work on computers and robotics?" She asked.

Rook nodded. "I've spoken to Magister Tennyson and he has informed me that he believes your talents can greatly benefit the Plumbers," he said with a smile.

Madison then had a thought. "Can…Can we still visit…Mom and Dad's graves?" She asked.

Upgrade nodded. "Of course," he said without hesitation before placing a hand on Maxine's shoulder. "So, what do you say, Wild Child?"

Maxine caught the playful note in his voice and the others chuckled a little as well. She then looked at her sister, who nodded encouragingly. "They want us, sis," she said. "They aren't going to separate us and we won't lose our home. And maybe…maybe our home can be opened up for the aliens too."

The other girl actually thought that was a good idea and nodded before looking at Rachel. "How did you all know where that creep took me?" She asked.

"That was thanks to Vampiro and the aliens that joined him to find you," the owner of the Grant Mansion explained. "They also found all your things and brought them here."

"Even my records?" Maxine asked.

"Vampiro's wife, Tina, found those and brought them to us, but Madison asked that we wait until you had woken up before we adopted you both," said Shelby.

It was quiet as the young girl who had been on the run for so long processed it all, but then, she had one more worry. "But, if we get adopted…," she tried to speak but just managed to speak two more words. "Mom. Dad."

Upgrade gently lifted Maxine into his arms. "Shelby and I aren't replacing them," he said to her, his voice gentle. "No one can ever replace your birth parents. And who says you can't have two sets of parents who love you?"

The young girl clung to him. "You sound just like Dad," she said softly. "You even act like him."

The Mechamorph smiled at the compliment, rubbing Maxine's back comfortingly and the young girl looked at her twin sister and they took each other's hand and nodded before looking at the aliens and humans surrounding them. "How soon can the adoption be made official?" She asked.

"How about…right now?" Shelby said as she revealed the paperwork in her hands.

The twins hugged each other happily as the paperwork was signed and they hugged their new parents.

Rachel smiled as she watched the new family, happy for the twins that their wish, as well as Upgrade and Shelby's wish, had been granted.

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GoldGuardian2418