XLR8 stepped through the fence gate into the alley, approaching the basement entrance with cautious curiosity. Peering through the gap, he could see nothing but endless darkness stretching downward, like the mouth of some massive creature waiting below.
"There's definitely something hidden down there."
XLR8 spoke with certainty, but he made no move to tear through the entrance with his razor-sharp claws. Instead, he withdrew his gaze and glided back out of the alley with practiced ease.
In the distance, the monsters were rushing toward the location. Guards were positioned at the entrance, weapons ready in their hands.
Whoosh!
XLR8 vanished from sight, escaping into the air with a burst of supernatural speed.
Now wasn't the time for a decisive battle. He still needed to make arrangements before confronting these aliens head-on. XLR8's responsibility was intelligence gathering and enemy reconnaissance, not direct confrontation. At least not yet.
What's more, the Omnitrix's time limit was ticking down. He had to make the most of every remaining second.
In that brief window, XLR8 at least managed to memorize the route back to Vera's house, his enhanced perception recording every turn and landmark.
He started from the alley, and at the last possible moment, he rushed back to Vera's door with incredible speed. But he wasn't stupid enough to stop directly at the entrance, that would blow his cover immediately. Instead, he vaulted over the wall and landed gracefully in the yard.
Biu~
A burst of green light dissipated across the lawn.
Rolling across the grass wasn't XLR8, but Asher in his human form. After completing a controlled tumble, he stopped in a perfect crouch, absorbing the momentum like a trained athlete.
He rose smoothly, dusting off his hands. "Now I know roughly how to get to that basement entrance. The real problem is figuring out how to draw all those aliens away from it. That's going to be a headache."
As he spoke, he approached the back door of Vera's house.
Asher pushed open the door and stepped into the living room from the yard. The moment he entered, his expression shifted to high alert. His footsteps automatically lightened, becoming nearly silent, and he even closed the door with painstaking care to avoid making a sound.
Ben and Gwen were gone from the living room. Max had disappeared too. The shoe cabinet near the door had been knocked over, lying on its side in a mess that screamed violence.
There were clear signs of forced entry.
After closing the door, Asher crouched low and crept behind the living room sofa. From this vantage point, he had a clear view into the kitchen.
The kitchen knife was missing.
Ben, Gwen, and Grandpa Max have all been attacked! And the monsters are probably still in the house!
Asher's heart pounded with dread.
He'd tried every possible method to lure the alien monsters away, but he couldn't account for their sheer numbers. There were simply too many of them.
Is anyone on the second floor?
After confirming the first floor was clear, Asher slowly stood and moved to the stairs. He hesitated again, weighing his options.
If the monsters were upstairs and he went up alone, wouldn't that be suicide?
But...
What if Ben and the others were tied up somewhere on the second floor? They were the only family he had left, the only people in this world he could truly call his own.
I have to try.
Asher gritted his teeth, determination flooding his features. He ascended the stairs without making the slightest sound, his movements as silent as a cat stalking prey.
When he reached the second floor, he found all the bedroom doors tightly closed.
The hallway was eerily quiet, as if nothing were wrong at all.
Creak...
Asher cautiously approached one of the rooms, stopping at the threshold. He placed his ear slowly against the door, straining to hear anything on the other side.
Suddenly,
SLAM!
The door was yanked open from inside!
Asher's body went into freefall as his center of gravity shifted forward. His lower body remained outside while his upper body tumbled into the room in an ungainly heap.
Swish!
A figure appeared before him!
Ben stood there holding the kitchen knife. Though his hands trembled, his expression was full of warning and protective fury. "Don't, don't come any closer! Monster!"
Gwen was hiding behind him, her eyes wide with fear.
"Ben?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Asher retracted his defensive posture and looked up at Ben in surprise.
Seeing Ben, afraid but still mustering the courage to stand between danger and Gwen, Asher felt a surge of admiration for his cousin.
Even without the Omnitrix, Ben could still be a hero.
A hero who stood up to protect those weaker than himself.
"Asher! Thank god, it's you!"
When Ben saw Asher at the door, he breathed a massive sigh of relief. The adrenaline drained from his system in an instant. He stumbled backward several steps and collapsed into a chair behind him, the kitchen knife clattering to the floor.
"What happened?"
Asher picked himself up from the ground and looked at Ben with concern.
"Asher!"
Gwen saw that Asher had arrived, and she couldn't help herself. She strode forward, came directly in front of him, and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. The fear in her heart immediately lessened.
She blushed instantly, withdrew her hands like lightning, and took several steps back. "I'm sorry, Asher."
"It's okay..."
Asher gave Gwen a comforting look and said, "Ben and I are here now. You're safe. Nothing's going to happen to you, I promise."
His words carried absolute conviction and strength. Gwen seemed to take a reassurance pill, feeling infinitely more secure.
After hearing this, Ben's face showed a hint of embarrassment, followed by an expression of self-reproach. "It's all our fault. We couldn't help Grandpa!"
"It's alright. Take your time, tell me everything."
Asher shook his head and comforted both of them. He quickly moved to close the door and lock it securely. The three of them stayed in that small room together, creating at least some illusion of safety in this nightmare scenario.