[28] Aftermath and Attraction

Chapter 28: Aftermath and Attraction

—

The red light faded from my body as I landed on a fire escape three blocks from ground zero, the familiar weight of my human form settling back into place.

My legs shook slightly—whether from exhaustion or adrenaline, I couldn't tell. Probably both. That was an intense fight, after all. Below, emergency sirens wailed like banshees, and military helicopters circled the destruction like mechanical vultures.

Holy shit. I actually did it.

The Harlem incident was contained, controlled, and casualties minimized.

In the original timeline, half the block would've been rubble by now. Instead, most buildings still stood, battered but intact. Sure, there'd be insurance claims and therapy sessions, but people were going home tonight instead of to morgues.

That had to count for something.

I climbed down the fire escape, trying to look like just another concerned citizen instead of the four-armed alien who'd just tag-teamed with the Hulk. The streets buzzed with that post-disaster energy, with people clustered in groups, phones out, voices raised in excitement and fear. Everyone had a story, a theory, a grainy video that would be on YouTube within the hour.

"Did you see that red guy?"

"Four Arms! Like, actually four arms!"

"Damn, he's probably with the military, right? Our country is so safe.”

Huh. Is he delusional? I wondered while weaving through the crowd. I needed to find the others. Jessica first. I left her to handle the evacuation on the eastern perimeter, she should still be there.

Then Gwen and Grandpa, who were probably coordinating with emergency services or trying to look inconspicuous while doing it.

After jogging for a minute, the sound of concrete crunching under enhanced strength caught my attention. I turned to see “Jewel” crouched beside an overturned sedan, her hands braced against its roof as she carefully lifted it off a fire hydrant that had been pinned underneath. Water sprayed everywhere, soaking her jeans and making her now dark-pink hair cling to her face.

Even disheveled and covered in dust, she looked incredible.

"Need a hand?" I called out, jogging over.

She glanced up, and relief flooded her features. "Ben Tennyson~! There you are." She lowered the car gently, water continuing to cascade around her feet. "I was starting to worry you'd gotten trampled by your own fan club."

"Fan club?"

"The crowd back there is going crazy for Four Arms. They know the two green beasts would have destroyed the city without you. Half of them think you're some secret Super Soldier, the other half are convinced you're an alien invasion." She wiped water from her face, smearing dust across her cheek. "Both groups want autographs."

I laughed, reaching out to brush the streak of dirt away with my thumb. The simple contact sent electricity through my fingertips. "Well, they're half right."

"Which half?" she asked, while her hand grabbed mine from her cheek, eyes locking with mine, her voice dropping to that husky tone that made my brain short-circuit.

"I'll let you figure that out."

She let go of my hand and stepped closer, close enough that I could smell her shampoo mixed with the scent of concrete dust and adrenaline. "Tennyson.”

“Miss Jones…”

“Don’t be nervous, I’m not going to eat you. You have got to be the craziest guy I know." Her eyes sparkled with something between admiration and disbelief. "I knew you were strong, but this much?? You just fought two big, green, angry monsters and walked away without a scratch."

"Technically, I had help. Hulk's surprisingly good at teamwork once you explain things in small words. You good?"

"Right, because that's the normal part of this situation." She shook her head, sending water droplets flying. "I’m mostly fine. Few bruises from catching that car. Nothing my enhanced durability can't handle. You owe me another smoothie, though. Mine I threw away when the first explosion hit."

"Just a smoothie? After you helped me save Harlem from becoming a crater? You can ask for more.”

She bit her lips. "Fine. Smoothie and dinner. But somewhere with reinforced walls, just in case you attract more giant villains."

“Me? Attracting villains??”

We continued going back and forth for a minute longer. The banter felt good, normal, like we weren't standing in the aftermath of a battle between titans. But underneath it, I could see the questions in her eyes. The same ones I'd be asking if our positions were reversed.

"Come on," I said, taking her hand. "Let's find the others before someone starts asking why we're flirting instead of running away screaming like normal people."

We made our way through the crowds, Jessica's enhanced strength coming in handy when we needed to move debris or help injured civilians. Every few blocks, someone would recognize her costume peeking out from under her sweater.

"Hey, aren't you Jewel?"

"Can we get a picture?"

"Were you really here during the fight?"

She had gained some popularity from the Limax incident, and she'd gain more after today. She handled their reaction with easy grace, deflecting most questions while still being helpful. Watching her work, seeing how naturally she slipped into the hero role, I felt the familiar worry return.

She has potential in this career. She understands the responsibility, the pressure, the weird balance between normal life and saving people.

So it made me angry to think some mind-controlling bastard is fated to take all that away from her, turning her into a sex slave in the future. I won't let that happen.

We found Gwen and Grandpa Max near a makeshift triage station that had been set up in a parking lot. Gwen floated supplies between stations with her telekinesis while Grandpa coordinated with a few soldiers.

"Took you long enough, dweeb," Gwen said as we approached, though relief colored her voice. "Try not to level half the city next time you play superhero."

"Hey, I saved half the city. Show some gratitude."

"I'll show gratitude when you stop giving me heart attacks." She lowered a box of medical supplies gently to the ground. "Do you have any idea how terrifying it was watching you fight those things? They could have pulverized you!"

"But they didn't. Because I'm awesome."

"Because you're lucky," Grandpa Max corrected, approaching with that expression that somehow managed to be stern and proud simultaneously. "That was a dangerous move, Ben. But… you handled yourself well."

He looked me over with practiced eyes, checking for injuries I didn't have. Wounds were transferred from transformation, but not entirely. "We need to talk about what this means, though. The world saw Four Arms today. There will be consequences."

Before I could respond, a red and blue figure dropped from the sky, landing with practiced ease on top of a wrecked taxi. Spider-Man's costume was torn in several places, and his usual wise-cracking energy seemed subdued.

"Hey," he said, pointing at Gwen. "Purple energy girl, right? You saved that businessman earlier. The one who was about to become street pizza?"

Gwen blushed slightly, and I could see she was stunned seeing Spider-Man coming to talk to her. "U-uh, yes?? Just doing what anyone would do."

"Hah! Anyone with telekinetic powers and nerves of steel, maybe." Spider-Man's lenses focused on her with obvious curiosity. "But you're not exactly what I'd call a typical bystander. None of you are, actually.” His eyes fell on Jessica. “Oh, hey Jewel! You’re here too. Gosh, this city has so many superheroes."

“Hey, Spider,” Jessica waved at him. As street-level supers in New York, they might have stumbled upon one another a few times. “They’re my friends, and they’re just normal people. You don’t have to worry.”

"Uh-huh. And I'm just your friendly neighborhood accountant." Spider-Man tilted his head. "Look, I don't know who you people are, but thank you. Just be careful though. The police do not like vigilantes, ugh. I—"

A police siren wailed nearby, growing closer. Spider-Man's head snapped toward the sound. "Aaand that's my cue to exit stage left. Try to stay out of trouble, weird tourists. The city's got enough excitement for one day."

He fired a web-line and swung away, disappearing between buildings with fluid movements.

"Friendly guy," Jessica observed. “Helped me out once from a dangerous situation.”

"Yeah, real charmer," I agreed, watching him go. In a few years, he'd be one of the most important heroes on Earth. Right now, he was just a kid in a costume trying to help. Some things never change.

Grandpa Max's satellite phone buzzed. He glanced at the display and frowned. "I need to take this. Ben, Gwen, keep an eye on things here—"

"Actually," I interrupted, an idea forming. "Jess and I should do a sweep of the area. Make sure there aren't any stragglers, check the perimeter. You know, hero stuff."

Gwen's eyes narrowed. "...Hero stuff. Right."

"It's a good idea," Jessica backed me up smoothly. "Two sets of eyes, cover more ground. We'll meet you back at the RV in an hour?"

Grandpa looked between us, and I could see him doing the mental math. Finally, he sighed. "One hour. And Ben? Try to actually check the perimeter."

"Would I do anything else?"

"Yes," Gwen and Grandpa said in unison.

Then Grandpa walked away, phone pressed to his ear, and I caught fragments of his conversation. Probably the Plumber calling to ask why was a Tetramand fighting with two US Military Experiments. I glanced at Gwen, who stared at me briefly before turning away and focusing on floating increasingly complex patterns of debris.

What’s up with her?

“Well, lead the way.”

***

We walked away from the chaos, heading down streets that showed the battle's fringe effects. Dust coated everything, nervous people clustered in doorways, and the distant sound of sirens. The further we got from ground zero, the more normal things looked. Just another evening in New York, if you ignored the helicopters overhead.

"Smooth," Jessica said, her hand finding mine as we walked. "Real subtle."

"I have my moments."

"Sure you do. Did you see when Hulk used that taxi like a club? Insane!” She shook her head. “I feel like an insect compared to those things."

"Hey, insects are tough. They've survived everything the universe has thrown at them for millions of years. Plus if you're an insect, you'd be a butterfly.”

"Butterflies aren't tough, Mr Sweet-talker." She bumped my shoulder with hers.

We picked our way through the debris field, moving away from the worst of the destruction. The sounds of sirens and shouting gradually faded as we put distance between ourselves and ground zero.

"So," Jessica said after a while, stepping over a chunk of asphalt, "this is normal for you? Random monster battles interrupting dates?"

"Define normal. Last week, it was evil sorcerers. Week before that, alien bounty hunters. My summer vacation's been weird."

"Weird." She laughed, but there was something else in her voice. "That's one word for it. I saw you out there, Ben. The way you just... jumped in. No hesitation. Makes sense I guess, you got a super strong Alien Watch.”

"It's called the Omnitrix… and it's not all rainbows and sunshines. There are people after me, people stronger than Hulk, Jess. Galactic Conquerors who'd do anything to get this watch for themselves,” I said, my tone serious. It was good to let her know the dangers now that we were growing closer. “With the powers I have right now, I might not be able to stop all of them. It was Alien Bounty Hunters last time, next it might be the said conqueror himself.”

She studied my face, and I could see her trying to understand if I was telling the truth. Finally, she nodded. "Fair… Guess all good things come with a catch. Makes your courage to jump in there more admirable.”

"Someone had to."

"No, someone didn't." She stopped walking, turning to face me. "Most people would have run. Hell, most people with powers would have run. Those things were operating on a completely different level."

I thought about how to respond. The truth was, I was brave because I knew just how strong Four Arms was. I'd also known what was coming. I'd seen this play out before, in another life, on a screen. But I couldn't tell her that.

"I couldn't just watch people die," I said finally, which was true. "Not when I had the power to make a difference."

She studied me for a long moment. "God, you're serious about this hero thing, aren't you? It's not just about having cool powers or getting glory."

I raised an eyebrow. "Lady, you're lecturing me as if you've been in this line for a few decades or something. I should be lecturing you to quit instead. I don't want my woman to always be in danger.”

“Your woman?”

“The glory's a nice bonus," I ignored her question and admitted, trying to lighten the mood. "Did you see that uppercut I landed on Abomination? Pretty sure that's going viral."

"There he is." She smiled. "For a second there, I thought you'd been replaced by someone responsible."

We continued walking, the conversation flowing naturally despite the surreal circumstances. She told me about her perspective during the fight – the fear, the adrenaline, the moment she'd realized just how outclassed she was.

"I felt like an ant trying to stop elephants," she admitted. "My strength, my durability – they're nothing compared to that level of power."

"You saved lives," I pointed out. "That mother and her kids would be paste if you hadn't intercepted that car."

"Yeah, but..." She trailed off, kicking a piece of rubble. "...I don't know, Ben. Seeing you transform, seeing what you could do – it puts things in perspective. I'm playing in the minor leagues while you're ready for the cosmic all-stars."

I stopped walking, catching her arm gently. "Hey. Don't do that. Don't diminish what you did today. Powers aren't everything. You chose to help when you could have run. That's what makes you a hero."

She looked up at me, something shifting in her expression. "When did you get so wise?"

"Must be all those hits to the head. Eventually, something got knocked into place."

She giggled, but it didn’t last long. "Ben." Her voice turned serious. "What happens now? Everyone saw Four Arms. That kind of exposure... it’ll change your things."

I'd been trying not to think about it. In the original timeline, Ben had the benefit of relative anonymity for quite a while. Plus, Grandpa definitely notified and took care of the Plumbers before they even noticed the Omnitrix. But this world had more than just the Plumbers, and I'd just gone full superhero in front of hundreds of witnesses, news cameras, and who knew how many government satellites.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Grandpa's worried. He keeps talking about investigations and consequences. SHIELD's probably already pulling footage, trying to figure out what I am. SHIELD is a shadow government agency."

"Are you scared?"

Was I? The rational part of me knew I should be terrified. SHIELD, SWORD, maybe even HYDRA would be interested in the Omnitrix now. But another part, the part that had just gone toe-to-toe with two gamma monsters, the part that knew the limitless potential of this device, felt oddly calm.

"A little," I said. "But it felt right, you know? Using the watch to actually help people instead of just fighting random threats. Maybe going public isn't the worst thing."

"Famous last words." But she was smiling. "So what, you're going to be New York's newest superhero? Get a sponsorship deal, maybe your own action figure?"

"Four Arms action figure would be pretty cool," I mused. "Kung-fu grip on all four hands." She laughed, and the sound did things to my chest. “But no, not yet. I think I can work around the shadow government agencies for as long as necessary before ultimately one day my identity is leaked somehow.”

We'd wandered into a quieter area now, the sounds of chaos distant echoes. The adrenaline was starting to fade, replaced by something else entirely.

"This is not how I expected our coffee date to go," she said softly.

"No? Giant monster battles aren't standard first date material?"

"Second date," she corrected. "The first was when you saved me from alien slime."

"That counts?"

"Oh, definitely. Very romantic. Nothing says 'I'm interested' like protective custody from extraterrestrial goo."

We were standing closer now, the space between us charged with unspoken tension. Her eyes met mine, and I could see my own desire reflected there.

"So what's the protocol for post-monster-battle dates?" I asked, my voice rougher than intended. "Skip straight to the third date activities?"

"Depends." She moved even closer, her hand finding my chest. "What did you have in mind, my little alien?"

"Well, I still owe you that smoothie..."

She pulled me down by my shirt collar, cutting off my words with a kiss that made me forget about smoothies, monsters, and pretty much everything else. When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, she gave me that dangerous smile.

"Smoothies can wait." Her voice was low, full of promise. "Want to go to my place?"

My brain short-circuited for a moment. "You live alone?"

"I live with my sister, but she'll definitely understand. She made me my suit, and chose my name." Jessica's fingers traced patterns on my chest. "So that's a yes?"

"Hard to refuse an offer like that."

I activated the Omnitrix, quickly selecting XLR8. The transformation washed over me in a flash of green, and before she could blink, I'd scooped her into my arms.

"Ben!" She yelped, then laughed as I took off at super-speed. "This must be the fast alien you mentioned last time… B-but a little warning next time!"

"Where's the fun in that?" I called back over the rush of wind.

As I raced through the city streets, Jessica in my arms and the chaos of Harlem behind us, I couldn't help but think about how surreal my life had become. In one afternoon, I'd fought alongside the Hulk, prevented a catastrophe, and now I was heading to a beautiful superheroine's apartment.

Best. Summer. Vacation. Ever.

The world might know about Four Arms now. SHIELD might be hunting for me. The future might be uncertain and dangerous.

But right now, with Jessica's laughter in my ears and the city blurring past, I couldn't bring myself to care.

Whatever came next, I'd face it when it arrived.

After all, that's what heroes do.

**

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