Ben reeled from the explosion; even for Diamondhead, this was too much...
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Only an hour earlier, Ben was working to get everyone out of the nuclear power plant.
It appeared as though something had caused a malfunction and the entire area could be leveled to ash within minutes.
As the last family drove away, Ben glanced at the trembling structure.
20 minutes at best,He knew the radiation had to be intense.
With a flash of green, Ben's skin crystallized and formed into Diamondhead. For once, listening to Gwen pays off. Ben thought, as he rushed into the plant.
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A few hundred miles away, Gwen glanced up from the exhibit at the History Museum.
Where had Ben run off to now? Gwen remembered him mumbling something about using the restroom; from which he hadn't returned.
For once they were doing something she enjoyed and Ben couldn't bear a few hours with her?
Does he even like me? The thought echoed through her mind.
Ben never seemed to care about her unless they were fighting aliens.
However, the change was instantaneous. He became protective, risking life and limb for her.
Even just for those moments, she felt he really cared… it was secretly one of the reasons she had for staying on this trip.
Gwen's thoughts were interrupted by Grandpa's stern voice: "Where's Ben?"
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With sirens blaring, Ben continued his search. Whatever it was, it couldn't have gotten far in such a massive plant.
From the corner of his eye, Ben saw a shadow rush past a door, leaving it slightly ajar.
He burst into the room, expecting to find the culprit, but saw no one.
He looked back at the door, noticing it was the control room; he immediately began looking around for a shut-off switch of some sort.
"Whatever happened to big red buttons?" His search was cut short by a powerful fist connecting with back of his head.
Kevin laughed as he watched Ben fly through four steel walls before coming to a stop.
Ben looked up only to see Kevin waving a lever, "Looking for this?"
Ben gritted his teeth.
"I didn't want you to spoil your present, so I thought I'd take this just in case."
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Gwen was startled by her Grandpa's voice, it sounded more concerned than usual.
"He said he was going to the restroom but…"
Ben hadn't wanted to go to a Museum that day; he had been overtaken with the urge to visit one of the biggest nuclear power facilities in the country.
Max had promised to go the next day, but knowing Ben, he probably could have sped there and back without anyone being the wiser.
The question was, why hadn't he come back?
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Ben glared, "Do you have any idea what you've done..!"
Kevin cocked his head, "Killed us all? Well that was the plan…"
Ben's gasp sounded closer to a choke as he stared in disbelief.
"Even if I couldn't kill you, I know what can…"
The machines behind him began to groan.
Ben took the initiative and lunged at Kevin; who simply laughed as he avoided the first strike, only to be hit with a strong barrage of crystals.
"It doesn't matter Tennyson… It's OVER!"
Ben had no time to react…
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Before Max could ask her more, the TV in the lobby began airing the latest news, including the explosion of the famed nuclear facility.
Gwen dropped to the floor, pale as snow; her trembling eyes and shaking body immediately told Max more than he wanted to know.
He clutched his granddaughter as he ran to the RV, praying desperately for a miracle.
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Ben watched in horror as the steel around them became pools of liquid metal.
… it was all happening in slow motion…
Kevin was hit by the bulk of the initial release of energy, causing him to sink into one of the walls that were quickly disintegrating.
Ben was overcome by a wave of pure heat and radiation; his head began to swirl…
The next waves of the explosion sent him miles high with heavy falling debris all around him.
Even as he fell, shockwaves carrying more debris shot up from the exploding facility.
The final blast sent three large concrete supports crashing into Ben,
Their weight bearing down on him as he collided with the mountainside.
Even for Diamondhead, this was too much...
The Omnitrix finally gave out as Ben lay unconscious…
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That was a short first chapter, I plan to write much more… please review and let me know what you think.