From KP's Archives - The Three Ages of Gwen (Various/Ff)

[KP Presents]

Part 1

Ten

“Come on, you dweeb – Grandpa will be waiting for us.”

Gwen Tennyson laughed as she ran after her cousin towards the Rustbucket, the old camper van that her grandfather had been using to drive them around the country all summer. When she had first heard about the trip, two things had upset her more than anything. Firstly, been stuck in a vehicle that looked like it was being held together with duct tape and not much else. Secondly, having to spend the entire summer not just with her grandfather, but also with the idiot that was her cousin, Ben Tennyson.

She was dressed in her usual clothing – a light blue top with darker blue sleeves that came to just over her elbows, white Capri pants and trainers, with her red hair held back by a single clip. The top had her favourite cat motif on the front. As for Ben, he was wearing that shirt and shorts combo again.

The holiday had started badly, and had threatened to get worse until that night the meteor had fallen out of the sky, and Ben had found that strange watch. At least, he had thought it was a watch, but it had turned out to be something far more than that. It was something called an Omnitrix, and it had fastened itself to Ben’s wrist, giving him the ability to transform into fantastic aliens.

That had been six weeks ago, and their lives had literally not been the same since. They had been attacked by aliens and more human people, wanting to get this device for themselves, and as they had criss-crossed the country that had also discovered Grandpa Max was more than just a plumber. He was actually a former secret agent of a sort, and the Rustbucket had a lot of hidden potential.

Now they had a rare day just to be themselves, camped by Lake Eire, and as the two of them ran back to the barbecue they could see Grandpa cooking something on the grill.

“Who’s for one of my world-famous burgers,” he said as he looked up at them and smiled. The two took one smell of the aroma, and shook their heads. “Your loss,” he said as he turned back to the barbecue, smiling as Gwen turned on her laptop.

“Do you have to do that now,” Ben said as he watched Gwen looking at her computer screen. “Yes, I do – there’s a magic exhibition in the next town along, and Grandpa’s taking us to see it tomorrow.”

“Oh great – every time that happens either Lucky Girl decides to make an appearance, or that old guy and his creepy niece show up and we have to fight them...”

“Who are you calling creepy,” a female voice said from behind them. They turned to see a young girl, slightly taller than them with long white hair held back in a ponytail. She was wearing a purple duster coat, with darker purple leggings visible underneath, and had a small pouch held on a belt around her waist.

“Charmcaster,” Gwen shouted as she stood up. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I was in the area, and I thought I’d just take you two nuisances down,” she said as she pulled something from her sack. The two ducked as a number of small glowing balls were thrown at them, exploding as they hit the ground.

“Time to go hero,” Ben said as he turned the dial on the Omnitrix and slammed his hand down. There was a blinding flash of light as his physical form changed, becoming larger and bulkier as a second pair of arms seemed to grow from him. As the light faded, in the place of the slim ten-year-old was a giant, four armed red skinned being, who stared at Charmcaster with anger in his yellow eyes.

“Where’s your friend, Helix,” he boomed out as he started walking towards her.

“Not here – this is personal time, and not with you. I want your little friend over there.”

“Grandpa, get Gwen out of here,” Ben shouted back, but it was too late. Gwen had already dived into the UV, coming back out with a small leather coloured notebook in her hand and chanting some Latin phases.

“Do you think your little book of weak spells can save you, little one,” Charmcaster shouted as she drew out a small wax figurine from her bag, throwing it towards Gwen. As it travelled through the air, it increased in size and mass so that by the time it landed a fully grown, fire breathing dragon was facing the ten year old.

“Er – a little help here,” Gwen shouted out as she dived to avoid a sheet of white-hot flame that was aimed at her, striking instead the ground she had been standing on. Max ran forward with what looked like a fire extinguisher, aiming it at the dragon, but instead of foam a sheet of liquid nitrogen shot out, enveloping the creature and freezing it on the spot.

This lasted for about a nanosecond as the white block glowed red, and finally exploded out as the creature roared. “Hang on, Gwen,” Ben shouted as he turned and ran towards his cousin, grabbing the creature around the neck and pulling back as far as he could. “Grandpa, get her out of here,” he shouted but when he looked round he saw Max Tennyson lying on the ground, shards of the frozen ice round him.

Gwen ran over and checked his pulse. “He’s all right, just stunned", Gwen said as Charmcaster floated through the air towards her. “Don’t even think about it,” she shouted as she turned and chanted a spell, holding the white-haired opponent in midair as if she was in the grip of some invisible being.

“What on earth have we done to you this time,” Gwen said as she looked at her opponent, hanging helpless in the air. “Who says you need to do anything,”! Charmcaster sneered, but a moment later her eyes widened.

“Oh come on, you expect me to fall for that,” Gwen said, but there was something about her look that made Gwen turn round. “What the...” was all she managed to say as she looked at the spinning vortex that had appeared behind her, before a pair of black clad arms reached out and grabbed her by the arms, pulling her through the vortex before it vanished with a soft “pop”.

“GWEN!!” Ben shouted as he released the dragon and ran forward, grabbing Charmcaster as she fell to the ground. “What have you done with my cousin,” Ben snarled as he shook the girl, but all she could say was “Not my fault, this was not my fault.” A beeping sound could be heard as Ben released her, returning to his ten-year-old form with a blinding flash.

Charmcaster used this opportunity to retreat, the dragon vanishing in a puff of smoke as she did so. Max pushed himself up, rubbing his head and saying “What happened?”

“Grandpa,” Ben said as he ran forward, “something just grabbed Gwen and took her.”

“Took Gwen? Who was it – who did it, Ben?”

“I... I don’t know,” he said, a look of real fear and concern in his eyes.




Elsewhen

Gwen slowly opened her eyes and looked round. She was in a large room, lit with pale blue light coming through windows that ran around the walls. As she looked down, she saw that her trainers had been removed, and her white ankles socks were clearly visible.

She also saw the orange bands that encircled her ankles, as well as her legs above her knees. As she stretched her legs out, she could feel the binding tugging at her skin, so she concluded it was some form of tape – and the fact she could feel something similar pinning her wrists together behind her back confirmed her suspicions.

Looking down her body, she saw that her arms were also held to her side, around erg shoulders and her waist, with more of the tape. She felt something pulling at her mouth as well, and her attempts to speak met only with an “mmmhg” sound.

“Great,” she thought to herself, “Helix must have grabbed me and taken me hostage. Although, come to think of it, she was as surprised as I was. What’s going on?”

“Do not attempt to struggle,” a metallic voice said from nowhere that filled the room. “You are the first – others will come.”

“Others,” Gwen thought as she tried moving again. “What others?



Sixteen

Gwen Tennyson sat on the large rock, looking out over the placid water to the tree on the far side. She hadn’t moved for hours, her mind thinking over the events of the last few days.

“Penny for them?”

She turned to see Ben standing behind her, while Kevin was waiting by the car. A small smile crossed her face as she got up and walked over to join them.

“What can I say? It’s not every day I meet my grandmother, find out I’m a human-Anodite hybrid, and that what I do is a natural ability and not magic at all. All in all, I should be glad I’m not heading for a stay in the bughouse.”

“Well, look at it this way,” Ben said as he walked beside her. “Given I can turn into one of a number of aliens, Kevin can absorb the properties of anything, and you weren’t fazed by that, why should this be any different?”

“It doesn’t bother you that you can’t do what I can do?”

“Nope – what bothers me is finding Grandpa and making sure he’s alright.” The two fell silent as they walked up to the car.

“Are we good, then,” he said as he opened the car door for Gwen to climb in.

“As good as we’re going to get,” Gwen said as the two boys climbed in the front. “Can you take me home – there’s some work I need to get done for school tomorrow.”




As the boys watched her walking to the house, Kevin turned to Ben and said “Are you sure she’s going to be all right?”

“Sure,” he said as they drove off, “After all, she’s a Tennyson.”

Letting herself into the house, Gwen went straight to her room and looked at herself in the mirror. She was still wearing her school uniform – the blue V-necked jumper over the white blouse, grey skirt and tights, and plain Mary Jane shoes.

“I wonder if Ben will ever understand,” she said to herself as she finally sat down at her desk and picked up a book. “It’s different for women – even those whose grandmother is a being of pure energy.” Turning her mind to the mysteries of trigonometry, she tried to apply herself to her studies.

The peace only lasted for about ten minutes before she heard something rapping on the glass of her bedroom window. Sighing as she put down the book, she walked over and opened it to see Kevin standing in the garden.

“I know you wanted to work, Gwen,” Kevin said, “but Ben called – he’s got a lead on your grandpa, and he wants us to meet him at the mall.”

“All right,” Gwen said quietly. “I’ll meet you out front.”



As they drove to the mall, Kevin said “Look, I do know how you’re feeling. It wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs for me when I found out about myself. If you ever want to talk...”

“Thanks, but not yet,” Gwen said as she stared straight ahead. “I want to find grandpa – it’ll take my mind off a few things.”

“Whatever you say,” Kevin said as he turned into the deserted car park. He stopped outside the entrance to Penny’s and looked around, the concrete surroundings silent and dark.

“I don’t like this,” Kevin said as he turned to the rear of the car. “Ben should have shown up by now. Stay here while I have a look round.”

“Yeah, like that’s going to happen,” Gwen said as she followed Kevin out of the car. They walked across the parking area, the dim lights from the roofs of the building the only illumination as they looked round.

“It’s quiet,” Gwen said in a whisper. “Too quiet,” Kevin said quietly, but that was soon shattered as blinding lights burst into life all round them.

“What the...” Gwen said as the sound of heavy boots marching reverberated around the lot. Kevin stood for a moment, before reaching down and touching the tarmac, his body turning grey as he absorbed the properties of the asphalt and adapted to the strength of the material.

“Forever Knights,” he said as the armoured foes came into view, brandishing what looked like spears before them. “Some guys just cannot take a hint. Ready?”

“Oh yeah – I was ready to kick butt,” Gwen said as she rose in the air on a platform of purple energy. “Let’s do this.” Two bands of energy shot forth from her hands, knocking over a dozen of the armoured attack force before they had a chance to begin their assault.

“Knights, Attack!” a loud voice boomed out as four more flanks of the men approached, only to be met with a fist of hard rock and tarmac as Kevin ploughed into them, scattering them to and fro as he approached the crowned leader of the Knights.

“You really cannot forget, can you,” he said as he grabbed the man by the tabard that covered his upper body. “I don’t work for you anymore, so I have no problem with...” He looked at the cold, impassive face of gold, and noticed it seemed to be looking over his shoulder.

“Hey, what could be more interesting than my fist,” Kevin sneered, but the sneer left his face when he heard Gwen shout “Kevin! He...” He turned to see her legs disappearing into a vortex, which snapped closed with a soft popping sound.

“GWEN!!!” he shouted as he looked at the air where she had been floating, then turned back to his captive. “What did you do to her, you little maggot?”

“This was not of our doing,” the Knight said before Kevin’s fist connected with him. As he watched the other scurrying away, he reverted to his normal form and ran to his car, dialling a number on his phone as he did so.

“Ben? We have a problem, somebody or something has snatched Gwen.

“A vortex? Yeah, she got pulled into one, why?

“You’re kidding? I’m coming over – I think we need to compare notes.”

As he sped off from the lot, Kevin had two things on his mind. Who had taken Gwen? And what did Ben mean when he said “Not again?”




Elsewhen

Gwen grunted as she was dropped unceremoniously on the hard floor. She had no idea what had happened, only that something had grabbed her and then blackness until a few moments ago. From the way her legs were feeling, whoever it was had bound them together.

She tried shrugging and moving her arms, only to find that they did seem to be secured to her sides. Probing with her fingers, she felt a smooth surface that was encircling her wrists, which confirmed her worst fears.

“Great,” she tried to say, “Another couple of hours as a hostage.” What actually came out was “grtnfrcplhrshste,” as she quickly realised that something was covering her mouth and holding her lips together.

As the hood was pulled off her head, Gwen blinked and waited for her eyes to adjust to the pale blue light that filled the room. She could hear somebody else, but it took a moment for her to see the young girl sitting against the wall, bound in orange tape and staring at....

“Tcntb,” Gwen mumbled as she realised the girl was her younger self.

“One more to go,” a metallic voice said as the two young girls tried to make sense of the situation...



Thirty

Gwendolyn stood on the shoulder of the Ben 10,000 statue, looking over the teeming streets of the city below. It had been two weeks since the business with Dr Animo, and the visit by her and Ben’s younger selves, and the two of them had started to come to some sort of accord with each other. Maybe not full friendship, not yet, but it was a start after so many years.

There had been so many things she had wanted to tell herself, but she knew that time was a fragile thing, and she had held her tongue. If she had told young Gwen about what was going to happen, the events and trials she would face, would it have made any difference to the way things turned out?

“Probably not,” she said out loud to herself. “After all, how could I have...?” Her thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing coming from her belt. “Great – here we go again,” she thought as she pulled the light blue cowl over her head. “What is it this time, grandpa,” she said into her radio.

“Temporal disturbance in sector 205-A,” Max said through the receiver. “Is this what I think it might be?”

“Could be – cover for me until I get back, will you?” she said as she sped into the distance on a purple disk. She was wearing her standard outfit – tight black leggings and a black top with a pale blue body that matched her hood, with white ankle boots on her feet.

“Be careful,” Max said as she sped off.



Sixteen

“Run that past me again,” Ben said as he sat opposite Kevin in the malt shop.

“We were fighting the knights when I heard Gwen shout. I turned round to see her been pulled into a purple vortex, and then wham – she was gone. Have you got any idea what is going on?”

“Not a clue – but it’s not the first time it has happened.”

Kevin looked up. “When did it happen before?”

“Six years ago – she disappeared for a few hours, and then came back. She had been hurt, but she said not to worry, and there was something I had to do if it ever happened again?”

“Oh – what was that?”

“Wait for six hours, and then go to a certain address. Honestly, Kevin, there’s not a lot we can do at the moment except wait – and hope.”



Thirty

“The thing I hate about time vortices,” Gwendolyn thought to herself as she approached sector 205-A, “is just how much unintended trouble it can cause. By the looks of things, this could be the worst of the lot.”

She stopped above a purple vortex, spinning rapidly as it sucked a number of loose items of furnishing from the park it was hovering over. As she held her hands on high, the purple energy cackling as she did so, she started to chant in a quiet, even tone, reciting the words that would close the hole in the fabric of time.

The energy blast shot into the centre of the whirlwind, closing it with a silent “pop” as the seats fell to the ground. Gwendolyn descended, the motions of her hands returning the fallen items to their rightful places, before she stood on the ground and looked round.

“That was almost too easy,” she said to herself as she looked round. “It’s almost as if...”

She heard rather than saw the sound before she turned round. A swirling purple vortex had again appeared before her, but this one was smaller – and there were a pair of blue armoured arms reaching out and grabbing her by the arms.

“Oh no you don’t” she screamed as she tried to conjure a spell, but the grip was too strong, and she found herself been pulled through the swirling maelstrom head first. She was blinded for a moment, and felt nauseous as she was pulled through to what looked like a small room.

“Who the hell are you,” she screamed at the man standing in front of her, holding her by the arms, and how did yoooooo...” Her words trailed off as she inhaled the gas that was slowly filling the room, her eyes closing as she slipped into a deep sleep.

The man kept hold of Gwendolyn as the gas dispersed, before looking up as a side panel opened and a second man in armour joined him. They laid the young woman on the floor and picked up two rolls of orange tape. As one rolled Gwendolyn onto her stomach and started to tape her wrist together, the other removed her boots and fixed her ankles tightly to each other. The tape covered the cuffs of her leggings, sticking them down to the pale tights she was wearing underneath.

They worked quickly, silently, as her legs were taped together above and below her knees while her arms were taped to her side above and below her chest. Finally several strips of the material were fixed over her mouth, the men taking care to ensure her spiked red hair was not caught in the gag.

They picked her up and carried her down the dimly lit corridors, taking care to be as gentle as they could, before stopping before a door that opened silently. Depositing her on the floor, they ignored the two younger girls sitting there and left, the door closing silently behind them.

As Gwendolyn slowly opened her eyes, she looked at the two redheads sitting next to her, before saying “hgd, tsnw.” She looked down at her own body, wondering what she had forgotten as the tinny voice said “Now we have you all, the master will see to you soon.”



Ten

“Well, there has been a temporal rift here, but where it emanated from is anybody’s guess.” Max looked over at his grandson as they sat at the Plumbers resource centre. “Is there anything you haven’t told me yet?”

“No, grandpa – we were fighting Charmcaster, the portal opened and Gwen was pulled in, and then the purple swirl...”

Max looked at his grandson. “Purple? You’re sure it was purple?”

“Yeah – why?”

“Back to the RV – I have something to show you.”

They made their way back to the Rustbucket, and as Ben sat down his grandfather opened a drawer and took out a letter.

“This – this kind of fell into my lap just before we set off. I wondered what it was about, but now I think I understand.”

Ben looked at the envelope, on which was a scribbled note in Gwen’s handwriting. “Do not open until the purple swirl takes me.”

[KP Presents]

Part 2

Elsewhen

Gwendolyn looked over at the same time as young Gwen was looking at her, the quizzical look in her eyes that she remembered so well from her youth.

“Whru?”

“Mugwn.”

“Ucntb.”

“Ysshs,” Gwen said as she looked down at herself. She had no idea how all three of them had ended up in the same place at the same time – whenever that was – but she had recognised Gwendolyn the moment they had carried her into the room. It may have been six years, but some things still stood out in her memory.

Gwendolyn turned to her and mumbled “nidewhsdngts?”

“Nnn,” Gwen replied as she shook her head. She watched as her older self started to wriggle her upper body, trying to work loose the bands of tape that were holding her arms in place, but with little success.

“You can keep struggling all you want,” she heard a voice say as a door silently opened, “but you won’t break free – and so long as you are silenced, there is not a thing you can do about it.”

The three looked up at the tall person who had walked in, his purple bodysuit and cloak crackling with energy while a silver mask covered his face. Both Gwens looked at the stranger, blank expressions on their faces, while Gwendolyn’s eyes narrowed and she said “Uuuu...”

“Uknwhm?”

“En.”

“So nice to be recognised,” the man said as he looked down on the three captives. “Make yourselves comfortable – this should not take too long. Your counterparts will do their work, and then my victory will be complete.”

They stared at him as he walked out, the door closing silently before him, before looking at each other. Gwendolyn turned and looked at the older Gwen.

“Ledwn.”

“Y?”

“Jstldwn,” Gwendolyn said as she indicated the floor with her head. With some difficulty, Gwen managed to lie on her side and watch as Gwendolyn slid back towards her, her fingers searching for the tape over Gwen’s mouth as she looked over her shoulder.


Sixteen

The red car pulled up at the deserted warehouse, Kevin sitting nervously at the wheel as Ben looked out of the window.

“So, this happened six years ago as well?”

Ben nodded. “I really will explain it all later – but Gwen forgot almost everything that happened to her, except to say that if it happened, be at this spot at a time she specified – five minutes from now.”

“Remind me again why these things happen to you,” Kevin said sarcastically as he stepped out of the car.

“Something in the genes,” Ben said as he looked towards a building at the far side of the road. A purple glow started to emanate from the side, which Kevin also noticed as he turned round.

“Follow my lead, and whatever happens do not interfere,” Ben said as the two of them started to run towards the building. Rounding the corner, they saw a red-haired young woman lying on the ground.

“Gwen!” Kevin shouted as he ran over and knelt beside her, helping her to sit up in his arms. She reached up and rubbed her forehead, the sleeve of her red jersey falling slightly down her arm as she did so.

“Kevin... Ben... What happened? I remember fighting the knights, and then...”

“Don’t worry about it, you’re home now. Right, Ben?”

Ben nodded, a grim expression on his face as he walked behind Kevin and his cousin. Quietly, carefully, he lifted his arm and turned the dial of the Omnitrix to show Goop.


Ten

“GWEN!!”

Max Tennyson ran to the spot where the ten-year-old girl was lying, unconscious on the ground. Ben was a few steps behind him, watching carefully as his grandfather knelt beside his cousin.

“Grandpa... Ben... Oh thank God,” Gwen said as she slowly returned to consciousness. “I have so much to tell you, so many things...”

“Later,” Max said as he picked her up in his arms, “Let’s check you over in the Rust Bucket first.” He nodded to Ben as he walked part with Gwen in his arms, the young boy walking along behind them as he rubbed his arms.



Elsewhen

“Mmmmphwwe,” the older Gwen said as the tape was finally pulled away from her mouth. Sitting herself up, she turned and looked at her younger self.

“I know you’re very confused by all this,” she said as she turned her back to the young girl and reached over to rub at the side of the tape over her mouth, “but this will all make sense at some point to you. For now, let me say this much – I’m you, and she’s you, and we’re all here for some reason which she’ll explain to you when she can.”

“Urmdnshsm?”

“Yes,” Gwen continued as she managed to free the end of the tape and grab hold of it with her fingers. “Now, this is going to hurt like crazy, but try not to cry out.”

“Kkkkoowww,” young Gwen said as the tape came away from her mouth. As she watched her older self get onto her knees and back up to Gwendolyn, she worked her jaw before saying “I’ve travelled in time, haven’t I?”

“Yes, you have,” Older Gwen said as she picked at the gag over Gwendolyn’s mouth,” and you will again. What I don’t know is – nnng – why?”

“I do,” Gwendolyn said as the tape came away from her mouth, “and we’re all in very real danger.”

“Why – who is that guy in the purple outfit?”

“His name’s Eon – and he’s the most dangerous foe we’ve ever – sorry, you’re ever going to face.”


“Eon – what’s Eon?”

“Much better question then you think – but, much as I wish I could tell you who I think they are, I can’t.” Gwendolyn sat back down and looked over at her ten-year-old self. “You both still have this in your future, and there are rules about this sort of thing. Let’s just say that Eon is the most dangerous foe you may ever meet – they make Gargax look like a kitten.”

Older Gwen looked over her shoulder at the bands of material holding her arms in place. “So what are we going to do about this Eon? If the three of us are here - and never mind how may rules of time travel that might be breaking – it means Ben is in big trouble.”

“You have no idea how true that is,” a voice said from the open doorway. It was electronically adjusted, so that the three captives could not even tell if it was male or female, but they all could see the tall figure looking at them, dressed in purple with a metal mask over the face.

“Ben Tennyson is the biggest threat I can face,” Eon continued as he walked into the room, two armed guards standing behind him, “and you three are going to be instrumental in his ultimate doom.”

“Oh yeah,” Gwendolyn said as she stared back at their captor, “and what makes you think he won’t try and find us.”

“Because, dear sweet Gwendolyn,” Eon said as he knelt beside her and raised her head with his hand under her chin, “He won’t even know you are here.”

“Shall we silence them again, Lord?”

“No need – the emanations from the lights in the room will negate their natural abilities. Let them talk together – it will pass the time before I deal with them permanently.”

Eon stood up and walked out of the room, the door closing behind them. “What did he mean by that,” young Gwen said as she looked over at her older selves.

“Exactly what he said,” Gwendolyn said, “I’ve been trying to cast a spell to free us, but nothing’s happening.”

“Same here,” older Gwen said. “What do you think he meant by that?”

“All I know,” young Gwen said as she shuffled over to where her sixteen-year-old self was sitting, “is that I don’t want us to be this way any longer than necessary. Turn your back to me – I may not have powers, but I do have teeth.”


Sixteen

“How are you feeling?” Kevin asked as he helped Gwen to climb into the car. “I’m not sure – I can’t even remember very clearly what happened to me when I was gone,” she said to him as she looked up. “How long have I been away anyway?”

“Not too long,” Kevin said as a green glow flashed a short distance off. “I’m just glad you’re...”

He stopped short as a mass of what looked like green slime flew through the car windscreen, somehow managing no tot destroy the glass but fixing itself around Gwen as she sat in the chair. She tried to pull herself free as Gloop walked towards her and Kevin, his body cackling with energy as he did so.

“Ben, what the hell do you think you are doing?” Gwen screamed as Gloop came closer. “I had a note about you,” he said as he came closer, raising his arm as he did so, “and it told me what I needed to do.”

“Ben?”

“You’re not Gwen,” he said as he shot more of the slime over Gwen’s mouth. Her eyes widened as she tried to breath, before they slowly closed and she fell asleep.

“Man, I hope you’re right,” Kevin said as the green light flashed again and Ben walked the rest of the way over.

“So do I, but I do know one thing,” he said as the slime dissolved and Kevin pulled Gwen out by her arms.

“What’s that,” he said as he laid Gwen on her stomach on the back seat.

“She was wearing a blue jumper earlier,” Ben said as he took a roll of duct tape out and placed her wrists together behind her back, ripping the end free before sticking it on her jumper cuff. As he wrapped it around her crossed arms, he continued “Now it’s red. I don’t think wherever she went has a change of clothing, and besides...”

“Well?”

“She told me that this would happen. We need to keep her secure and quiet for a little while, and then something else will happen.” He quickly taped her ankles together before rolling her over and covering her mouth with three strips.

“You had better be right about this,” Kevin said as he climbed behind the wheel. “I don’t want to see her hurt.”

“Neither do I,” Ben said as he climbed into the passenger seat, “Neither do I.”


Ten

“Gwen? Wake up, Gwen.”

Gwen slowly opened her eyes to see Ben and Max standing in front of her, both with concerned looks on their faces.

“Wh.. What happened? Last thing I remember is the drink that you gave me, Grandpa, and then...”

“You fell asleep,” Max said as he held Gwen’s chin in his hand. “You needed the rest, so I made sure you got it. How do you feel? You gave us quite a scare when you went out as Lucky Girl.”

“Oh come on, you know I can take care of myself as her,” Gwen said with a laugh. “Hey, how come I can’t move my arms?”

“Satisfied, Ben?”

Her cousin nodded as he stood up. “You can’t move your arms,” he said as he walked behind her, “because we’ve tied you to the chair.” Gwen looked down and saw the brown coils encircling her arms and chest. “Now we need to make sure you can’t raise the alarm.”

“Hummmopgp,” Gwen mumbled as the scarf was pulled between her lips. She glared at Max and Ben, her eyes asking a simple question.

“You would not believe us if I told you,” Ben said as he turned the dial, slamming it down as the light filled the room and Gwen saw Four Arms appear. “Right now, we need to watch you for a while and give you a test.”


Thirty

“Grandpa, why didn’t you tell me it had happened for the third time?”

Ben looked over at Max as he sat at the table, his cybernetic arm resting on the steel.

“Ben, how much do you remember of the first time Gwen disappeared like that?”

As he sat opposite his eighty-year-old relative, Ben rubbed his beard. “Not much - been scared mostly, and then following the instructions you found in that letter. You never told me who delivered it.”

“Well,” Max said as he sat back, “maybe now is the time to tell you. It was given to me by Gwen.”

“Hang on – Gwen gave you the letter? So she knew what was going to happen to her?”

“No – it wasn’t that Gwen, it was...”

The two stopped as a ghostly figure appeared before them. It was small, and looked like a young girl. As it slowly took form and shape, Ben and Max both stood up and looked on, eyes wide in shock.


Elsewhen

“That’s better,” Older Gwen said as she brought her arms round and rubbed her wrists. “Give me a minute to get myself free, and then I’ll take care of you both. I’d forgotten that I learnt that trick.”

“Oh yeah – you forgot the games with Jack and the others?”

“As you get older, certain things become just memories – hopefully fond ones,” Gwendolyn said as she watched her teenage self remove the binding from around her legs. As she tore the last piece off, she stretched her legs out, before manoeuvring herself onto her knees and starting to remove the tape around her younger body.

“Once I get you free,” she said as she unwound the orange tape, “free my arms, and then we can take care of Gwendolyn. Have you got a plan for what to do next?”

“Get free, get out of here, find Eon, stop whatever he is doing,” Gwendolyn said as she watched the others freeing themselves. Once young Gwen had her arms free, she shuffled over and started to remove the rest of the tape from older Gwen.

“What was Eon talking about - they won’t even know we’re here?”

“I think I know,” Gwendolyn said, “and if I’m right, we may need to warn them.”

“Warn them? How – oh, wibbly wobbly timey wimey?”

“Ah yes – Doctor Who on BBC America. But yeah, something like that. Let’s get free and get out of here first.”




Sixteen

She slowly opened her eyes, wondering what had happened to her. As she allowed them to focus, she found she was lying on a bare mattress, and glancing down saw the bands of silver tape that were holding her legs and arms together, making her resemble nothing more than a silver sausage.

“Whstgngn,” she said. Actually, what she meant to say was “What’s going on,” but that was what she heard. That was when she realised why there was a pulling sensation around her mouth and jaw, and why her mouth tasted as if it had not seen water for a week.

“You’re awake then,” she heard Ben say, and rolling onto her side she saw him and Kevin standing there, looking at her.

“Kvn, hlopm,” she mumbled as she tried to squirm her way free. “Don’t try,” Ben said as she looked into the eyes of the young man, “That’s Plumbers Tape – reinforced, very strong, and constricts the more you try to get free.”

She could feel that was the case, and stopped moving round. She could see the indecision in Kevin’s eyes, and decided to appeal to that.

“Kvn pls, hlp m.”

“Ben, you said you would show me something?”

“I did, but you’d better brace yourself,” he said as he opened a DVD player and switched it on. Placing a disk inside, the three watched as a face appeared on the screen. She was a red-haired woman in her late twenties, and Kevin looked from her to the young girl on the bed.

“Hello Ben,” Gwendolyn said, “You need to listen very carefully to this. Kevin as well, although he may be a little – distracted at the moment.”


Elsewhen

The doors slid silently open, and Gwen looked out and along the corridor. “Guards at the far end,” she whispered as the three captives made their way out of the room.

“How are your powers feeling,” she said to Gwendolyn.

“Need time,” she whispered in reply, “So we do this the old-fashioned way. Gwen,” she said to the ten-year-old, “stay back and watch.”

“Cool,” young Gwen said as her older personas grabbed the two guards and threw them backwards, using Karate rather than magic or other powers to subdue them. Leaving them sprawled on the floor, they made their way silently down the dim lit corridors until they came to a balcony.

Looking over, they could see Eon giving orders to a group clustered round several control panels. In three tubes at the far end of the room stood...

“Us?”

“Doubles, but for what purpose I can’t...”

The room filled with light as the three Gwens in the tubes shimmered, and then blinked into the ether. “Replicas dispatched,” the man sitting beside Eon said.

“Excellent,” the villain replied as he turned and walked away. “Keep me apprised of progress. I will return to activate the devices in due course.”

Gwendolyn turned and looked at the other two. “We need to know what those plans are,” she said in a low voice. “Can you find a terminal and hack in?”

“We’ll look around,” older Gwen said. “What are you going to do?”

“Find Eon and have a little chat,” Gwendolyn said as she slipped off. “Meet here in one hour.”



Ten

“Bnpls hlpm.”

“Gwen, stop struggling,” Ben said as his yellow eyes glared at her. She looked up at him, her eyes wide over the cloth in her mouth, as he drew his fist back and whispered “I’m sorry.”

The red limb came towards her at a speed unseen, but before it could connect with his cousin’s head an eerie violet light filled the room, enveloping Gwen and cushioning the blow before it could make contact.

“Oh god, she was right,” Max whispered as the ropes fell away from Gwen, her body rising as the gag around her mouth dissolved. She looked down on the others, an evil smile appearing on her face as she said “You have discovered my ploy – but it is too late now. Too late for all of you.”




Elsewhen

The two Gwens looked through the doorway into the control room, noting the fact that the few people inside were intent on their own work.

Moving quietly, older Gwen gestured as beams of purple energy shot forth, picking up those inside and holding them against the walls as younger Gwen ran in and sat at a terminal. “Sleep,” was the command given, and as the costumed workers dropped their heads as one she allowed them to drop safely to the floor.

“Managed to break in yet?” she said as she watched the hands of the ten-year-old moving quickly over the keyboard.

“Almost there,” she said as a series of images appeared on the screen. “Whoever this Eon is, they managed somehow to create clones of the three of us, with a little genetic programming – I think Animo may have had a hand in this.”

“His speciality is animals, not humans.”

“Yeah – but Eon took his notes somehow. At any rate, they are designed to...” Gwen put her hand to her mouth. “Oh no... We have to get back to our own times, or else...”

“Or else what?” The voice was one they had heard before, and as they turned they saw Eon standing there, two guards beside her.

“So, you managed to escape – and found out my little surprise,” she said as both of the girls were grabbed. As they stood there, their wrists were secured behind their backs with thin plastic strips, as Eon walked and stood in front of them.

“One of them will succeed, so at some point I will have my revenge,” Eon continued. “As for both of you, I think you need to be prevented from raising the alarm. Silence them, and then bring them to my chamber.”

“We won’t let you get awmmmfdgd,” Gwen shouted before a strip of cloth was pulled into her mouth, forcing the corners of her mouth back. “Why hasn’t she used tape this time,” she thought to herself as she and her older self were pushed out of the room, the guards following behind them.





Sixteen

“Oh dear god,” Kevin said as he looked from the screen to Gwen, lying on the mattress. “It can’t be – she looks so real...”

“It can be – I remember from last time,” Ben said as he walked to the door. “You heard Gwendolyn – there is only one thing we can do. Coming?”

Kevin looked at Gwen as she frantically struggled, before saying “If you’re wrong...”

“Then I’m about to look very, very silly,” Ben said as Kevin walked out of the door. He turned and looked at Gwen, before saying “Charmcaster” and walking out, locking the door behind him. Gwen stared back before her body went rigid, and a purple mist started to appear round her. As her pupils went yellow, she started to rise into the air as a strong light filed the room.

Outside, Kevin and Ben looked on as the windows flared with light, and then went dark. Opening the door, they waited for the smoke to clear, before looking over to the mattress. “Oh shit,” was Kevin’s only reaction at what they saw.



Thirty

As the image faded, Ben looked at Max. “Do you remember the first time,” he eventually said.

“How could I forget – it was one of the worst things I had ever seen. Why didn’t you tell me about six years later?”

“Some things – some things just don’t bear thinking about.”

A shimmering light filled the room as Gwendolyn appeared. “That was not fun,” she said as she walked towards the two men seated at the table. “Sector 205-A is secure again, but it took a lot out of me.”

She stopped at the table and looked at both Ben and Max. “What is it? You never saw a smarter cousin get the job done? Anyone would think I was the bad girl here.”

“You are,” Max said as he pressed a button. A column of bright light rose around Gwendolyn, and as she tried to walk through she found it was impossible to do so. “We know who you are,” he continued as he stood up and walked round, “so forgive us if we dispense with the pleasantries. Obviously, the other two are going to fail, or we would not be here. A pity you also cannot succeed.”

Gwendolyn looked at the two, her eyes wide even as they turned a deep yellow in colour. The beam lifted from the floor, transporting her elsewhere as a loud popping noise filled the air.

“She should be safe enough in the null zone,” Ben said as he picked up a communicator. “I just hope it does not take too long for the others to get back.”

“How can you be sure they get back?”

“We’re still here, aren’t we?” Ben said with a smile as he walked out of the room.



Elsewhen

Gwendolyn walked into the large, ornately furnished chamber. “Eon – I know you’re there, and I know you know I have escaped,” she called out. “Come out and face me.”

“Why, young Gwendolyn,” Eon said from a doorway at the far side of the room. “You just walked in – how respectful of you.”

“I always give a foe a chance to surrender,” Gwendolyn said as she walked in and looked up into the metal mask. “We know about the replacements, and my younger selves are trying to find out your plan now.”

“You mean these two,” Eon said, and as Gwendolyn looked she saw the two Gwens being walked into the room, bound and gagged. “They discovered what the replacements were, and their purpose, but you are too late to stop them. One of them will succeed, and if they do then we will know – safe here from the resulting time storm.”

“Why? For goodness sake, Ben, why?”

The two younger girls looked at each other as Eon laughed. “You think I am Ben Tennyson,” the masked villain said. “There are an infinity of Eons – and I am not one of those called Ben. Like all of us, however, I seek to destroy the Tennyson name – and you will not be able to stop me.”

“I wouldn’t be sure of that – Gwen?”

The older Gwen kicked out with her right leg, felling the guard behind her younger self before testing and kicking out at her own captor. Before they had chance to react, younger Gwen had flipped her bottom and legs through her arms, picked up the weapon her guard had dropped and pointed it at both of the men.

“I could have a hundred guards here in minutes,” Eon said as the three Gwens came together.

“Not before we had a chance to kill you,” Gwendolyn said as she took the gun from Gwen. “Free yourself – I want to see who I’m talking to, and what sort of man he really is.”

“Man? MAN????” Eon shouted as the gloved hand reached for the mask. “What makes you think I’m a man!”

“Oh... My... God,” the Gwens said in unison as they looked at the lined face behind the mask, greying edges of the red hair falling around her cheeks and forehead. They stared at Eon as the hood fell back, recognising the woman standing there as...

“I said there is an infinity of Eons,” the fifty-year-old woman said as she walked forward. “Did it not occur to you that one of them might be you?”

[KP Presents]

Gwendolyn stepped back, frozen as she looked at the older version of herself. She didn’t even notice as two of the guards approached and pulled her arms behind her back, cuffing them together as her younger selves were grabbed.

“Tsntpsble,” Younger Gwen said as she struggled to get free, looking at her sixteen year old self as she was also held. It just cannot be possible, Gwendolyn finally said, “We cannot all be mmmdgsmdgm” Her voice was silenced as a thick cloth was tied into her mouth, pulled back so that the corners of her mouth were pulled against her cheekbones.

“Get the three of them out of here,” Eon said as she stepped forward, “I will decide what to do with these three doppelgangers of myself in due course.” The three redheads were led off, struggling as Eon turned back to a monitor.



Ten

“Who was right?”

Ben looked at his grandfather as they both backed out of the Rust Bucket, having reverted to his human form, his eyes fixed on the young being that was floating in front of them, following their every move. Being was the right word - she had looked like Gwen, but now had become a golden skinned beast with yellow eyes, her hair flowing behind her as she was surrounded by a light purple glow. Her form was feline, graceful, but the claws that were extending from her fingers showed this was not Ben’s cousin.
“I had a... Look, can we discuss this later? I think we need to deal with...” Max’s words were silenced by a purple energy blast that Gwen was firing at them, hitting the ground between them as both Ben and Max dived to each side. Hitting the ground, she dived forward towards Ben, snarling as she did so.

“Ben DUCK!” Max shouted as he fired a plasma blast at Gwen, knocking her to one side as she leapt to attack Ben. Taking the advantage, he turned the dial and slammed his hand down, the air around him shimmering as his body turned into a crystalline structure, the change to Diamondhead taking only a moment.

“Down, kitty,” he said as he fired a swathe of crystal darts at Gwen, forming a cage around her as she tried to attack him again. She prowled round, snarling at Ben and Max as they walked over and looked at her.

“Who… what is she,” Ben said as he looked at his grandfather. Max rubbed his head as he looked into the yellow eyes of the beast that just a few minutes previously had been his granddaughter.

“I don’t know, Ben,” Max finally said, “except that I was told this would not be Gwen.”

“that letter?”

“Yeah - it said this would happen, and what we both needed to do.”

“Great - who sent us this letter, anyway?”

To Ben’s surprise, Max closed his eyes and said “Gwen did...”


Sixteen

Ben and Kevin were looking at the charred and blackened body on the bed.

“What the hell...” Kevin said as he ran his hand through his hair. “What have you done to Gwen?”

“I told you, she’s not Gwen, she’s...” Ben stopped himself as he saw the body start to rise from the mattress, the charred ropes falling away as it started to glow and catch fire again. “Dammit,” Ben said as he stepped backwards, “I was afraid of this.”

“What the heck is this, a bad zombie movie,” Kevin said as the glowing form flamed brighter, until the flames cooled and a bird/human hybrid stood there, the golden plumage flowing down from the arms as it looked at the two young men.

“Animo,” Ben said as he turned the dial on the Omnitrix again, “At least this time I have a chance of dealing with this creature.” He slammed his hand down, and began to undergo another transformation.




Elsewhen

The three Gwens looked up from the seats they had been placed in as Eon walked in, the two guards stepping out of the room as the door closed behind them. Each was sat in a wooden chair with armrests, their arms strapped down to the wooden rests and their ankles to the front legs.

“Whtduwnten,” Gwendolyn mumbled through her gag as she looked into the face of the older woman. She thought she caught a look of regret in her eyes, before she stepped back and looked at her captives.

“Why, can’t I have a word with my guests before I have them removed,” Eon said as she started to smile. “You know, I remember when I was as young and innocent as each of you, Had I known now what I had to do well, I may have had a happier life.”

She pulled over another chair and sat down. “In my world, Ben was a great hero, until the day something happened - our grandfather was killed by one of the Forever Knights, and he… he went mad. I had to bring him down in the end - the first of many regrettable things I have done since then.”

She looked over at the three young women, staring back at her. “I resolved then that I had to save the world, to make good on the havoc he wreaked. So I embraced my heritage, and did what had to be done. After I had succeeded, I swore to save the multiverse from the risk of my cousin, and so I began to search out those worlds where Ben was still active, before eliminating the risk.

“I have looked at each of the worlds you three have come from, and in each I saw the capacity for Ben to do what he did on our world. Therefore, I removed you and sent my creatures in your place.”

Older Gwen started talking. “Hwdsnmftntds?”

“I’m sorry, did you want to ask something?”

She reached over and pulled the cloth out from her mouth, waiting as Gwen worked her jaw. “How does Animo fit into all this?”

“Oh him - he allowed me to make use of his notes. Actually, allowed is too strong a word - he had no choice, and I killed him afterwards. Each of those clones has been designed to kill each of your Bens, thus saving your world from the menace. Then, you will be returned, and your three worlds will be safe.”

Gwen looked over at Eon. “Our...”

“Udntmnt,” Gwendolyn shouted through her gag, making Gwen stop in her tracks. “Urgngtkls.”

“Please,” Eon said as she stood up, “I said that for the guards. Good henchmen are so hard to find, and so disloyal if they think there will be no blood. I will release you back to your times once they have been cleansed.”

She stood up and walked to the door. “For now, forgive the restrictions - you have proven yourselves to be as resourceful as I am, and I do not want any further interruptions.” She walked out, the door closing behind her, as older Gwen looked over at Gwendolyn.

“She thinks we are from three different parallel worlds, right?” She watched as Gwendolyn nodded. “But if we were from three different worlds, we would not have recognised each other, which means...”

“Which means,” Younger Gwen said as she finally worked her gag out of her mouth, “she has made her first and last mistake. How much wriggle room do you have?”

She watched as her older self tried to form an energy disk. “Not much - not for direction, anyway. What do you have in mind?”

“Can you form enough to loosen your wrist? We need to get free.”

“Efwd,” Gwendolyn mumbled as she watched Gwen form a small hard of purple energy, “thnihfapln.”



Ten

“I found the letter the day before I left to pick you and Gwen up,” Max said as he and Ben sat in the Rust bucket, listening to the snarling sounds behind them. “I had just fitted it out, went out, came back and there it was, lying on the table.”

He handed the sheet of paper to Ben, who opened it and read

Grandpa,

If you are reading this, then I’ve managed to foil her plans, and get a warning to you. I hope you are reading this, because if not...

I know you’re collecting me and Ben tomorrow, and I know what is coming. Its an adventure beyond - but I can’t tell you. For now, please read and understand.

At some point, Ben is going to come and tell you I have disappeared in a vortex, and then I will return. Whoever - whatever it is, do not believe it. Stop it in any way you can, and I will return soon enough to explain everything.

I love both of you, even if I don’t say it often enough, and something tells me I wont be able to explain this for years to come, but trust me - when I tell the tale, you wont believe it.

See you tomorrow.

Gwen.

Ben folded the letter and looked back at his grandfather. “I don’t get it - Gwen warned you before we even started this trip? What’s going on?”

“Your doom,” the creature said from within the cage, “I will kill you and cleanse this earth. I will....”

“Oh, put a sock in it,” Max said as he pressed a button, sending a cloud of gas over the creature. He watched as the eyes slowly closed and the creature slumped to the floor.

“What are we going to with her - it, anyway?”

“I’ve called some friends from the Plumbers - they will be here in half an hour,” Max said as he stood up. “Now we just wait, and hope wherever Gwen is, she’s safe.”



Elsewhen

The three Gwens made their way slowly down the corridor, checking each corner as they went, before slipping into the communications room.

“Right,” Gwendolyn said as she looked at the console, “I don’t think we can send ourselves home from here - and something tells me neither of you want to go anyway.”

“No we don’t” Older Gwen said as she looked at a camera on the wall. “So what are we going to do?”

“Defeat Eon, and then get a warning to Ben for the first two times.”

“What about the third - what about you?”

Gwendolyn looked at younger Gwen, putting her hands on her shoulders. “That, my dear, is going to be for you to do. That camera - is it what I think it is?”

“Yeah - transmitter with coronal circuits. Why?”

“Point it at Gwen - I’m going to type the spatial co-ordinates for the Sanctum just after I left. With luck, Ben and Granddad will be there, looking for me. If I’m right - Gwen, do you know what to say?”

“I think so,” younger Gwen said as her older self pointed the camera at her. “But won’t this bring Eon here?”

“I’m counting on it - right, here goes nothing.” Gwendolyn pressed a button, a low hum filling the room as a red light appeared on the top of the device. Younger Gwen swallowed and started.

“Hi Ben - Grandpa. Its me - Gwen, only a little younger than you might think.

“I don’t have much time, so listen carefully - Gwendolyn is here with me and - well, me. We’ve been captured by someone called Eon, who sent a creature that looks like me to kill you both.

“Be ready, and trap it. When I - when older me gets back, she’ll explain everything.

“I love you both so much,” she finished as the camera light went off. The sound of running feet could be heard through the doorway.

“Magic up to scratch,” Gwendolyn said to her younger self.

“You bet - what are you thinking?”

“Shield,” Gwendolyn said as the door was kicked from outside. Two minutes later, the door was forced inwards and two armed guards held their weapons towards Gwendolyn.

“You got me,” she said with a smile as she raised her hands, “Take me to your Eon.”


Sixteen

Kevin ducked behind a wall as the creature flew overhead, firing purple heat rays at the running form of Ben in his Jetray form. He turned and fired a beam back at the creature, hitting it square in the chest and bringing it crashing to the ground, unconscious.

“What the hell do we do with this now,” Kevin said as he looked at the golden bird-like animal, “and where the hell is Gwen?”

“You heard her - or rather, older her. It’s not where – it’s when.”

“All right - but that was her? She looked - more mature.”

“It’s her - I met her once,” Ben said as he changed back to his normal form. “Anyway, I called the Plumbers - someone is coming to get her.”

“And after that?”

“We do the most difficult thing any of us can do - wait.”


Elsewhen

“My dear Gwendolyn - I had hoped we would be able to end this in a civil manner, but I see that’s not possible.”

Eon looked at Gwendolyn, her hand running through her greying hair as she sat in her seat of operations. “Where are the other two - I would so hate them to miss this moment of triumph.”

“Don’t know - I told them to go and make as much trouble as possible. Surprised you haven’t heard anything yet.”

Eon stood up and walked down the stairs to where Gwendolyn was standing, held on both sides by guards. “You may leave us - she is going nowhere,” she eventually said with a wave of her arm. The two guards bowed and released Gwendolyn, backing out of the room as the door closed silently after them.

“Funny, I never figured myself for the gloating type.”

“I’m not you - just a different universe version. You have no idea of what I have been through, what I have done to others, the loss I have felt?”

“Even so - life is sacred to us, to all of us, and you willingly admit to taking it.”

“If some must do so that the others survive, so be it. Would you not do the same?”

“No,” Gwendolyn said as she crossed her arms in front of her, “I would not - and neither would the other two?”

“How can you be so sure - you do not know each other.”

“Oh, but we do,” Gwendolyn said as she smiled, “we know each other intimately. Girls?”

Eon stared to the side of Gwendolyn as the air seemed to shimmer, and she saw the two younger Gwens appear as if out of thin air. “Concealment spell, very nice,” Eon said with a smile, “but how can you hope to defeat me - you’re little saplings compared to me.”

“You know what the Romans said,” Older Gwen replied, “A twig on its own will break, but bind them together...”

Gwendolyn reached out with her hands, gripping those of her two younger selves as a purple glow started to form around them. “You made one mistake,” Gwendolyn said as she looked at Eon, “when you snatched the three of us. Would you like to know what that is?”

“What?”

“We’re not three different Gwen Tennysons,” younger Gwen said as she felt the power growing in her for the first time, “we’re the same one, and if one of us cannot defeat you...”

“...Then all three of us together can,” Gwendolyn said as her eyes burned a deep purple, the energy cackling round them as she smiled. The energy seemed to coalesce in a ball before she shot it out, the bean hitting Eon and stripping the armour off her as she was lifted into the air.

“This is not possible,” she called out as the three girls walked forward, “I am Eon, I am invincible, I am...”

“Going to shut up,” Gwendolyn said as a band of purple energy closed over Eon’s mouth, as more went around her arms and legs. As she was lowered gently to the floor, the energy formed into bands of material, holding the older woman tightly as the three girls released hands.

“What a rush,” younger Gwen said as she stood there, panting. “Do I ever get used to that?”

“Not really, no,” older Gwen said, but her reply was cut short by the sound of explosions, and the floor rocking.

“Dammit - there was a self destruct mechanism, wasn’t there?” Gwendolyn said as she looked at Eon. The woman said nothing, but her eyes flashed with triumph as she lay there.

“You’re coming with us,” older Gwen said as she gestured, a band of energy picking up the struggling woman as the three of them ran into the corridor, past the guards and towing Eon with them as they made their way to the control room.

The doors were lying open, and small fires were erupting from the consoles as Gwen examined the controls.

“Dammit - there’s only enough energy to get two of us out of here,” she said as she looked up. “We’ve no time to argue - you get into the tubes.”

“But we can’t leave you here – it’s certain death!”

“Yes, I know - but if you don’t get back, this has been for nothing, right?”

“She’s right,” Gwen said to her younger self, “It would take a miracle for us all to get out.”

“I believe that’s my cue,” a voice said from behind them. It was male, British, and one that Gwendolyn had heard before, though not for some considerable time. Older Gwen turned round, not noticing the flames that seemed to be frozen in place, and said “You?”

“Me,” the man standing there said, a lab coat over his shirt and trousers, a bow tie around his neck. “I’m glad I made it in time - Ben would be most upset if I was too late.”

“Which one?”

“Never mind that - who is this?”

“Ah, but I am forgetting we have not met yet,” the man said as he took younger Gwen’s hand. “Call me Paradox, for I am one. I was led to believe you ladies may require some assistance, and it would appear I was informed correctly.”

“You were indeed,” Gwendolyn said as she hugged the new arrival. “How much do you know of what happened?”

“Most of it - I must admit, the idea of a Gwen Tennyson as Eon intrigued me. Perhaps, when this is done, she and I can have a nice, long chat in her confinement.”

“Never mind that - can you get us out of here?”

“Of course I can - but I believe you have something else you need to do?”

Gwendolyn looked at Paradox, nodding as she did so. “The warnings,” she finally said. “We need to prepare the warnings.”

“What,” the two younger Gwens said as they looked at her.

“Paradox, get us to my home - we can take care of things there.”



Thirty

Ben and Max turned and shielded their eyes as the bright light shone for a moment, fading to reveal the four woman and one man standing there.

“Gwendolyn,” Max said as he ran forward and embraced his granddaughter, “You made it safely home.”

“I did,” she said as she looked at Ben, “as you probably knew I would.”

“I did, but don’t ask me how - except I knew old friends would help.” He shook Paradox’s hand as he stepped forward. “Thank you for the rescue - and who is this?”

“This,” Paradox said as the older woman sat herself up, “Is Gwen Tennyson, aka Eon - well, one of them anyway.”

“What are we going to do with her,” young Gwen said as she looked at her alternative self, her eyes wide as she looked round.

“Allow me,” Paradox said as he squatted next to her. “She is a very fragile woman, and I think with the right counselling she may come to see the error of her ways. For now, however, I need you to watch her Ben - I have some errands to run, once these three charming ladies are ready?”

“I need two hours,” Gwendolyn said as she and older Gwen walked to the doorway. “How about you get the youngster here some Ice Cream - and that’s all!”

“What do you mean, that’s all - can’t she...”

“Spoilers,” Paradox said as he helped Eon to her feet. “Come dear lady - let me show you the error of your ways.”



The day before the Omnitrix arrived.

“There, that should do it,” Max said as he closed the bonnet on the Rust bucket. “All I need now is to get the last few things together.”

As he walked away, he failed to notice the shimmer as Paradox and Gwendolyn stepped out of a portal, the woman looking at her grandfather as he walked off.

“Do you think he would have done anything differently, if he had known?”

“I doubt it - the Tennyson breed is a brave one. You had best leave the note - we need to go onward.”

He watched Gwendolyn walk to the old vehicle, wondering what she would say if she knew what the future still held for her. “Not my job to tell her,” he said to himself as she stepped in, returning a moment later and joining him.

“Let’s go,” he said as they stepped through the portal, the shimmering ceasing as Max came back to the van. As he stepped inside, he looked at the letter, his eyes widening as he recognised the handwriting.

“Now that’s strange,” he said to himself as he put the letter to one side, looking at the picture of his grandchildren on the side.



Ten

As Ben and Max waved off the van, they failed to notice the air shimmer behind them, and Gwen step through the portal, the air steadying behind her as she did so.

“Hey dweeb,” she called out, “What did I miss?”

“Gwen!” Ben shouted as he turned and ran to his cousin, hugging her so tightly she said “Hey careful - you might break something.”

“You’re all right,” Max said as he embraced both of them. “What happened? Where did you go?”

“I... I can’t remember,” Gwen said as she stared forward. “It’s all becoming a blur. All I have is this - and a promise.”

She handed Ben a small, silver disc in a clear plastic box. Inside was a note, which Ben read.

“If I ever disappear like that again, play this.” He looked at his cousin. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Gwen said with a shrug. “Hey - why don’t we go and get some dinner - I’m famished.”



Sixteen

Gwen stepped out of the portal behind Ben and Kevin, as they stared at the creature on the ground.

“What’s that,” she said quietly as she walked up behind them.

“That? Oh just a creature pretending to be you, Gwen,” Ben said without turning. She watched for a moment before he raised his head, turned slowly and stared at his cousin, Kevin following suit.

“Miss me?”

Her question was answered by a huge hug from Kevin, and a look of relief on Ben’s face.

“Where did you go? What did you do? And who the hell was that on the DVD we watched?”

“Spoilers Kevin,” she said with a smile as a large truck drew up. “One day I’ll tell you, but not today. For now, be assured we saved the world again - all three of us.”

“All three of you?”

“Did I just say that?” Gwen smiled as she took the other two by the arm. “Do you know what I really fancy now?”

“What?”

“A shake – I’ll even watch you eat those revolting Chilli fries if you pay.”

“Just what happened here tonight,” Kevin said as they climbed into his car.

“Believe me, I don’t know myself,” Gwen said as she shook her head. “It’s all a blur - all I know is that we won.”



Elsewhere

As Paradox led Eon into the chamber, she stared at the high stacked rows of seats. There were hooded figures in them, looking down as he stopped in the spotlight in the centre of the room.

“Remove her bonds,” a female voice said, and as the bands disappeared from Eon’s body and mouth she breathed a sigh of relief.

“So I am to be judged,” she said as she looked round the room, focusing on the lone figure in front of her who had given the command. “And what gives you the authority to judge me? How can you know who I am?”

Silently, the figure removed her hood, Eons eyes widening as she did so. She looked round the room, seeing the others removed their own hoods, as the woman said “You once said that there was an infinity of Eons, and we could not guess that one of them would be Gwen Tennyson. Did it never, ever occur to you that there may also be an infinity of Gwens, waiting for you to make your move?”

Eon stared at the faces, some with red hair, some with grey, before her mouth opened in a silent scream.