Chapter Text
“Are you sure of this Kevin?” asked Renita.
“I’m sure,” said Kevin. “They have something that might be a threat to Earth.”
“How do we play this?” asked Gwen.
“I’ll go in first before you two enter,” said Kevin. “I will scope what they are selling and bring you guys in once I have something.”
“Let us do this then,” said Renita.
Kevin called the person and set up a time and place. It was outside of Bellwood in an old, abandoned factory. Gwen and Renita would teleport there and wait outside until Kevin called for them. Renita did not like waiting but she understood that this was something she had to trust Kevin to do first.
Renita knew Gwen couldn’t hear what was being said but that was because she still did not connect to her mana in a way that would enhance her hearing. She rarely left her human skin to be a full Anodite. Kevin had just exited his car. She could hear someone walking towards Kevin. This must be the man selling to Kevin.
“What have you go for me, Fitz?” asked Kevin.
That was an odd name to have. It must be either fake or a last name.
“I knew you’d be the guy to call on this, Kev,” said Fitz. “This is big, and I figured you’d have the connections to-"
“Show me,” said Kevin.
Fitz fumbled with something before dialing on a phone. That was not right. Wasn’t he the one selling the item? Why would he need to use a cell phone. It did not make sense. That was when she heard the sound of motorcycles. There were three of them heading Kevin’s way.
What was Fitz’s game?
“I’m just the middleman,” said Fitz.
Ah, he was just supposed to find a potential buyer. Who were they? Why were they selling something like criminals? Who was she kidding? Fitz and the seller were probably criminals. The bikes stopped. Three people, two males and one female by the feel of their mana. She could not make sense about it.
“Are you the buyer?” asked one of the males.
“It depends,” said Kevin. “What are you selling?”
“Alien Technology,” said the same male. “The good stuff.”
The two males had approached Kevin and his car. They seemed to have a case each.
“Watch the paint,” said Kevin.
Go figures that he would be worried about the paint of his car more than the deal. Ther cases were opened.
“What is it?” asked Kevin.
“You don’t know,” said the same male.
Is the other male not going to speak? That male had walked away from the car. Kevin moved.
“You don’t know, do you?” asked Kevin. “Is it a weapon? Does it fire? Can it blow stuff up? See, this is important information for a prospective buyer.”
“It’s alien technology, man,” said the first male. “It’s gotta be worth some money. Are you interested or not?”
“Just chill,” said Kevin. “Let me talk to my partners.”
“Let’s go Gwen,” said Renita.
“Partners?” asked Fitz. “You didn’t say anything about partners.”
“Neither did you,” said Kevin.
Gwen and Renita walked around the corner and into the abandoned warehouse. Fitz was a tall white man wearing a hat and jacket. He pointed towards them.
“You’re working with her?” asked Fitz.
What did that mean? She was offended. Gwen stopped a few feet from Kevin. Renita moved to stand in between the two of them.
“Actually, I am working with her,” said Renita, referring to Gwen. “Kevin does not really work; he just stands around flexing his muscles.”
“Yeah, how about I flex ’em in your face?” asked Kevin.
“Who are these jokers, man?” asked the second male.
He was a white guy wearing a yellow, white and black biker jacket. The first guy was black wearing an orange, white and black biker jacket. He had a barely their mustache and beard.
“I can’t tell you,” said Fitz. “I’m just the middleman.”
“We’re just some regular old folks who are beginning to think this is a big, fat waste of our time,” said Gwen.
“What do we have?” asked Renita looking at Kevin.
Kevin turned to look at the tech.
“I’ve never seen anything like ‘em, Ren,” said Kevin. “They’re complex. Must be Level Nine Tech at least.
The Omnitrix started making noises. It was whirring an orange color. This was not new, but it was still unusual. Her Omnitrix has only done this a couple of times before.
“Whatever they are,” said Renita. “They’re screwing up the Omnitrix.”
“What’s with you guys?” asked the orange jacket biker. “I’ve never met buyers like you before.”
“You never met anyone like them before because they’re not just black-market lowlifes like you,” said the female voice. “They’re Plumbers.”
It sounded a little familiar. Was she someone she knew? She knew about Plumbers. How did she know about it?
“You mean they’re gonna pay for this stuff by fixing my toilet?” asked the orange jacket biker.
“The Plumbers are a secret Intergalactic Police Force, saving the world so we don’t have to,” said the female in the red jacket.
“Oh, right, of course,” said Kevin. “We’re cops from outer space. Or maybe, we’re firemen from Atlantis.”
“How did you learn about these Plumbers you think we are?” asked Renita.
The female got off from the bike. She walked forward talking.
“Everything I know about the Plumbers,” said the female. “I learned the same way you did…” She removed her helmet. “Gwen.”
“Elena?” asked Renita.
Elena had short black hair that went down to her shoulders. She had black eyes. She wore a red leather jacket over a black shirt, black leather pants and black heels.
“No way,” said Gwen.
“How do you know me?” asked Elena. “Oh, you still remember me. I’m honored.”
“I was Ben Tennyson,” said Renita. “I go by Renita now.”
“Hello?” asked Kevin. “Can anyone toss me a clue as to what’s going on here?”
“Kevin, this is Elena Validus,” said Gwen. “She’s a Plumbers’ kid, like us.”
“Not like you, Gwen,” said Elena. “None of my ancestors were aliens. I don’t have any cool powers to rely on.”
She did her research. That was the only way she could know about their ancestors being different life-forms. Why did Elena research her family? How did she do the research? Did she have the ability to research Plumber secrets? Renita wanted to know because there was much research she wanted to conduct.
“We hung out for a while back in the day,” said Renita. “Then Elena’s dad quit. Though that might not be the real case. You were said to have moved away, and we have not heard from you since.”
“Is that what they told you?” asked Elena. Why ask a question that I already answered. “That my dad quit? Considering that you have more power than all the Plumbers combined, you sure don’t know much.”
“Then tell me what happened?” asked Renita. “What is going on? Why are you here with these chips?”
“I’m here to find you,” said Elena. “The Plumbers don’t exactly advertise. I need your help, Renita. It’s my father. He’s been abducted.”
“Call the cops,” said Kevin.
“They can’t help,” said Elena. “His disappearance is connected with these alien chips.”
“We will help you find him, Elena,” said Renita. “You are a Plumbers’ kid and a friend.”
“Am I, Renita?” asked Elena. “Really? Because life’s been pretty hard for the last three years, and I don’t recall you ever looking us up.”
“You obviously do not know,” said Renita. “I was kidnapped by a Synthroid and have not been on Earth for the last three years. I have only been back for over six months. Any power I have is unknown to me.”
A sound she did not think was good started. A crackling sound. She looked to see that the chips inside of the container were glowing orange and moving.
“What is that?” asked Gwen. “Elena?”
“I don’t know,” said Elena.
“It’s a double-cross,” said Kevin.
“A trap, Ren,” said Gwen.
Renita did not think that was true.
“No!” said Elena. “I swear it. I just wanted your help.”
“Don’t wanna impose on your little dysfunctions, so…” said Fitz before he turned and ran.
The chips had moved faster and faster until a bright light was starting to shine. The chips broke their container, flying all around everyone.
“What are these things?” asked the yellow jacket biker.
That was when she heard an older male voice.
“Bring them back to us,” it said.
Renita tried to get her Omnitrix to work but it did not respond to her. She hated when her Omnitrix stopped responding to her. It was always at the worst time.
“Kevin, I think you were right about these not being ordinary computer chips,” said Renita.
“Stay down,” said the orange jacket man.
These chips swarmed around everyone. Renita ran over to a spot that had a beam hanging in the air. She jumped up onto some junk to take a hold of the beam and swing it around. The swarm of chips ran right into it. The swarm of chips moved away from everyone and gathered at one end. It moved into a single moving group that narrowed like a drill. It started to move towards the group of people.
“Gwen,” called out Renita.
Gwen did a backflip and landed on her feet in a crouch. She threw a mana blast at them. The mana blast scattered them.
“Ren,” said Gwen. “I don’t mean to backseat drive, but it might be a good time for the Omnitrix.”
Gwen was blasting the swarms that got close to her. Renita had known what she was going to say and had been looking at her Omnitrix. It was still orange and making a weird noise. The interface that was normally staring up at her was gone. She could see no life-forms on it.
“Not,” said Renita. “I believe it is having a meltdown or something.”
“Don’t sweat it dude,” said Kevin. He took off his jacket and grabbed the rusted yellow beam and started absorbing the metal from it. “If you can’t handle it. I know someone who can.”
Kevin knew as well as Gwen that Renita avoided using her mana because Dr. Cull was still out there. She also did not want to use them around humans that did not know about her powers. That included Elena. Kevin kicked out from the beam and smacked his feet into a swarm of the chips.
“What’s going on?” asked the orange jacket biker.
“They’re all, like, freaks or something,” said the yellow jacket biker.
“Let’s get outta here, man,” said the orange jacket biker.
The two got onto their bikes after strapping on their helmets. They drove away. Renita grabbed one of the chips that were dead on the ground as he ran to Kevin’s car. The two bikers drove as fast as they could avoiding the swarm of chips. The chips were taking out the beams, throwing them around as they chased the bikers.
The bikers crashed through the window on one side of the factory. Renita had been looking at the chip in her hand. There was something different about it. It had mana inside of it. It was pulsing as if the mana was being fed to it. She brought it up to show Gwen how the chip pulsed orange.
“They are not just chips,” said Renita. “It is some kind of life-form nanotechnology.”
“The attack is too organized,” said Gwen. “There must be intelligence behind it.”
Everyone looked around to see if they could find the one controlling the chips. Elena was moving around to dodge the chips that were swarming around her. Renita looked up to see a man standing up on top of a metal beam. He was bending his knees backwards as he pulled his arms to him.
“I do not know if he is intelligent, but I think we found the puppeteer,” said Renita.
The swarm of chips moved into a tornado like vortex. The chips moved up to cover the puppeteer.
“That’s not good,” said Kevin.
“Ready or not,” said Renita.
Renita twisted the Omnitrix as it flashed orange and green. During the brief green moments, she could see the different life-forms that she had access to. It was time for her to change forms because Elena was still here. She ran towards the swarm as she finally was able to push it down.
The change started to take her over, but it was not the one she had wanted. She had wanted to change into the Arachnichimp but instead she changed the Necrofriggian. She jumped into the air and unfurled her wings. This form will work too. She felt happy taking this form because it reminded her of her children.
Gwen shot a mana blast at the swarm of chips, but they parted in the middle to allow the blast to harmlessly pass through.
“Hold on, Gwen,” said Renita.
She went to blow ice on to the chips but was hit in the back. She shook herself and dodged a few more swipes aimed at her. She iced up the nano chip swarm. The ice covered all of it before exploding into chunks. Renita dodged the flying ice before flapping over to the three of them.
“Are you all right?” asked Renita.
“Yeah, thanks,” said Elena.
“Who is that guy, Elena?” asked Kevin.
“I don’t know,” said Elena.
“Let us find out,” said Renita.
The old guy threw a ball of nano chips at her. Renita rolled out of the way. She tried to ice the old dude, but he jumped away while throwing a ball of nano chips at Gwen.
“No,” said Renita.
She tried to follow that she could get in front of it. Gwen moved to jump. Kevin ran to cover her.
“Gwen,” called Kevin.
He moved to cover her as the nano chips exploding once they hit the ground. Renita landed, changing back into her human form.
“Gwen, are you okay?” asked Renita.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” said Gwen.
“Who is that guy?” asked Kevin.
“I think you mean, who was he?” asked Renita. “Elena?”
Renita looked around to see if she could find her. She was not around. Her bike was gone too. She must have left while Renita was distracted. That did not show good faith. Elena must have recognized the old guy that attacked them. Did he really attack them? It seemed like he was trying to gather up the stolen nano chips.
“If you’re looking for your girlfriend, I think your personal charm was too much for her,” said Kevin.
“She is not my girlfriend,” said Renita. “I am into Blonko, and he is a man.”
“Kevin was right,” said Gwen. “She set us up.”
“Did she?” asked Renita. “I am not so sure.”
The group got into Kevin’s car. It was time to take this mystery apart. Renita asked Kevin to drive them to the underground Plumber base that Grandpa Max had set up while the Plumbers were no longer active on Earth. She knew it was Grandpa Max’s personal base and not connected to or associated to the Plumber’s base that became active after she was kidnapped.
Kevin blared music as he drove. He pulled up to the Bellwood Motors. It was only recently that Grandpa Max told them about the base underneath it. Renita did not blame Grandpa Max for keeping secrets close to his chest, but she was tired of him hiding secrets that she needed to know.
“This whole thing is wrong from top to bottom,” said Renita after she got out of the car. She was looking at her Omnitrix that was still glitching.
“Yeah,” said Kevin walking around the front of his car. “Starting with that crazy biker babe girlfriend of yours.”
“Elena is not my girlfriend, Kevin,” said Renita. She started walking away. “We were, like, 12. Please stop with that joke. It is done in poor taste.”
“Her story doesn’t add up, Ren,” said Gwen. “Why sell alien tech on the black market just to find the Plumbers when her father used to be one?”
“She said that something happened to her dad back when they lived here,” said Renita turning to stare at Gwen and Kevin. She knew she was giving Elena the benefit of the doubt, but everyone deserved a chance. “And we were not told the truth about it. If that is the case, Grandpa Max has some serious explaining to do.”
Renita walked inside of the shop. This place actually was a shop even if there was a base underneath it. Ed, the mechanic that worked the shop knew about it. He was familiar with Renita, Gwen and Kevin going into the back of the shop to access the base. Ed used to be a Plumber himself that worked under Grandpa Max back in the day as a mechanic for the Plumbers.
“I’m sorry, that old girl’s gonna need new pistons,” said Ed. “There’s no getting around it.”
He was wearing a red button up shirt with his name on a name tag attached to it. He never wore it closed; she could see the white tank top underneath it. Ed was bald with a short beard and mustache. Ed was good at his job. The shop made money which helped fuel the base.
“Hey, Ed,” said Renita.
“Hey guys,” said Ed.
“Gotta grab something out of the back,” said Renita.
“Hey, Ren, you going to the game tomorrow?” asked Molly.
“Um, I hope so, Molly,” said Renita. “I just got hit with some serious homework.”
“You know Renji, all work and no play,” said Kevin.
Kevin had been inside of the fridge that was there for those that worked in the shop to place food inside of. Kevin, Gwen and Renita used it too. Kevin almost always grabbed something out of it. Renita ignored the mana that told her Elena was outside watching them.
“Seriously, look, that’s the best I can do for you,” said Ed. “I don’t make the price; I just fix the cars.”
Renita grabbed the wrench that had the key to open the door that would lead them to the base. She unlocked it just as Kevin approached them. Gwen had the nano chip in her hand examining it. She placed the key back into the can sitting on top of a bookcase.
“I don’t recognize it, and I really don’t like it,” said Gwen.
“Neither do I,” said Renita. “The sooner we get that under the scanner, the sooner we can hunt down that creep and his army of flying chips.”
Renita opened the door. The metal door in front of her opened up, one moving up and the other moving down to reveal another wooden door that moved up.
“You mean the chips your gal pal illegally had in her possession?” asked Kevin.
“All right, Kev,” said Gwen. “I think he gets it.”
The group got onto the elevator. Kevin had a cold pizza in his hand and opened the can of soda with his nail to drink from it.
“I do not get what you see in him,” said Renita looking at Gwen.
The doors closed on their own. The elevator went down. The group got off the elevator and walked through the almost dark room. This place was built using a lot of hi-tech. Renita wondered why Grandpa Max wanted to make the base the way he did, but she could do nothing about it but use it.
“System’s up,” said Renita.
Lights came on. It was huge green screens and several computers.
“Good afternoon, Renita,” said a computer voice. “Now activating all partitions.”
Renita sat down at a computer she was about to activate herself to do some research. She was coming along with the technology she had missed while she had been gone.
“Ren, did you ask Grandpa Max if we could use the Comm Center?” asked Gwen.
“You wanna start solving this thing or do you wanna go looking for a permission slip?” asked Renita.
Renita started typing on the keyboard, bringing up programs that will allow them to scan and check what the nano chip was supposed to be. He used his new knowledge to help analyze the nano chip. Kevin and Gwen were on either side of her running different programs.
“Engaging comprehensive interior and exterior scan,” said the computer. “Biological and inorganic matter detected. Molecular density in inert.”
“Austenitic, ferritic and martensite phase microstructure,” said Gwen. “Both organic and inorganic materials.”
“Gwen, you are a credit to the science club,” said Renita.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Kevin. “I mean, it’s tech, but it’s also a carbon-silken based life form.”
“So, they are alive,” said Renita. “I am liking these less and less.”
“Well, they were alive, kind of,” said Kevin. “Now they’re in alien chip heaven.”
“Let me see if I can trace where they came from,” said Gwen. “They’re completely inert. I can’t pick up any energy signature. What now?”
Renita could not sense any mana from the nano chips. It would be hard to trace something like that. It did not even exude machine mana. Renita knew what they needed to do. They needed to speak to Elena. She had the answers they were seeking even if she did not know it.
“Well, maybe I can jump start an energy pulse, but it will take forever, and it’ll be a total pain in the ass,” said Kevin. “All right, I’ll get right on it.”
“Or, we could find Elena, and ask her where they came from,” said Renita.
“What makes you think that she would tell you the truth?” asked Gwen. “She could have set us up.”
“She is one of us,” said Renita.
“She was one of us,” said Gwen. “You have no idea who she is now. You can’t trust her.”
“Evidently, I cannot trust anyone,” said Renita. “I cannot even trust Grandpa Max.”
“Trust me to do what?” asked Grandpa Max. He was eating cereal.
Renita had sensed that he was in the building, but she had not thought he was that close. It did not matter to her. Grandpa Max had a lot to answer to. There were a lot of unsolved questions, and she was going to get all the answers. It was a matter of whether or not Grandpa Max would give them.
“Hey, Grandpa,” said Gwen. She walked around the spot she was at. Renita turned to look at him. Kevin spun around. “We can’t trust you to make soup without putting baked hummus, or lizard gizzards in it.”
“Hmm,” said Grandpa Max. “That sounds like a pretty good combo. What are you guys doing down here in the hole on off hours?”
“Uh, we had a little situation,” said Kevin.
“Commencing scan,” said the computer voice.
“Hey, what’s that?” asked Grandpa Max. He put his bowl down. “Looks familiar. I’ve seen that somewhere before.”
“You have?” asked Gwen. “Where?”
“Grandpa Max, there is something you need to explain,” said Renita.
“Unidentified intrusion at entryway three,” said the computer voice.
Renita could feel Elena’s mana getting closer. Why was she here? How did she get in? Would Grandpa Max explain everything once she was before them. Renita got up from her seat. She wanted to get to Elena before the others did to see if they could talk for a minute alone.
“Sounds like we’ve got an uninvited guest,” said Grandpa Max. “Kev, punch up a tracker on the complex.”
Renita was already walking away from them.
“No need,” said Gwen. “I’ve got ‘em.”
That was not good. Gwen was getting better at tracking, which was good in itself but at this moment it was inconvenient. Renita was heading for the spot she knew Elena to be at. Gwen, Kevin and Grandpa Max were behind her.
“They’re in Max’s office,” said Gwen.
“They better not touch my model train set,” said Grandpa Max. He pulled out a gun and put in the clip, loading it and cocking back the hammer. “I just painted the caboose.”
They ran into the room. Renita walked to the spot where Elena had most likely ducked behind when she heard them coming. It was too late to pull her aside to speak in private. Gwen found her quicker than Renita thought she would. Gwen, Kevin and Grandpa Max had looked around until Gwen located her.
“Over here, guys,” said Gwen.
“Whoever you are, you picked the wrong place to break into,” said Kevin as he approached the table. He started to absorb the metal. “You’re gonna be one fried, roasted and baked…” Elena stood up… “babe?”
“It is okay, Grandpa Max,” said Renita. She pushed the gun down. She was tempted to take it away. “You probably do not recognize her, she is …”
“It’s not okay,” said Grandpa Max. He pulled his gun back up. “It’s a Validus. How’d you get in here?”
Elena held up the wrench with the key.
“It’s time to get Big Ed some glasses,” said Kevin.
“Been a long time, Mr. Tennyson,” said Elena.
“You shouldn’t have come here, Elena,” said Grandpa Max.
“Grandpa Max, Elena was the one who set up the sale of those weird chips,” said Gwen.
“Of course,” said Grandpa Max. “I knew I’d seen those before. It’s time for you to go.”
“Mr. Tennyson, I had to do that,” said Elena. “I need help, and it was they only way I could think of to get it.”
“You know the rules,” said Grandpa Max.
“It’s my father,” said Elena. “He’s been kidnapped by whoever, or whatever made those chips. I knew that only the Plumbers could help.”
“Get her outta here,” said Grandpa Max looking to Kevin.
“You are not serious,” said Renita. “She needs help.”
“That’s an order,” said Grandpa Max.
“You heard the man,” said Kevin.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but he means it,” said Gwen. She grabbed Elena’s arm to lead her away with Kevin. “Come on, Elena.”
“Then I’ll tell you what’s going on, Gwen,” said Elena. She remover her arm from Gwen’s grip. “Your sweet old grandpa turned his back on us three years ago… Threw us out on the street when we needed his help, lied to you to cover his tracks. Now, my father is in serious trouble and Max still won’t help us.”
“Is that true?” asked Renita. “Can we not just talk to her?”
“No, Ren,” said Grandpa Max. “Anything she said would be a lie. Kevin.”
Grandpa Max moved his head towards Elena.
“Thanks for the help,” said Elena. “You guys are real heroes. And, Ren, thanks for being a real friend.”
Kevin moved to grab her arm, but Elena jerked herself away from him and turned to walk out on her own.
“What is wrong with you?” asked Renita.
“There’s nothing wrong with me, but there’s a lot wrong with her. She’s Victor Validus’ daughter.”
“Okay, I’m sufficiently stumped,” said Gwen. “What’s going on here?”
Grandpa Max moved to his computer to bring up the information of the person he was talking about. The screen read Plumber Service Record along with the name and big white letter blocked out in red saying Disavowed. It had a picture of him and his Plumber ID.
“Dr. Victor Emilio Validus,” said the computer voice. “Plumber I.D. 81-950.”
“Victor Validus was the best Plumber I ever trained,” said Grandpa Max. “We stopped more than our share of invasions. I trusted Vic with my life. I wanted to trust the running of this place to him. Until he betrayed me.”
“What?” asked Renita.
“He was caught stealing alien technology from our vaults,” said Grandpa Max. “Tech that he swore he’d protect the earth from. He was given a dishonorable discharge. A traitor.”
“Traitor’s daughter’s left the building,” said Kevin as he walked back into the room.
“What did he steal?” asked Gwen.
“Same stuff Elena was dealing,” said Grandpa Max. “You still think she’s the girl you know?”
“She told us the truth about one thing, you lied to us,” said Renita.
“I did that for your own good,” said Grandpa Max. “You were too young to understand.”
“I still do not understand,” said Renita. “You cannot judge her by what her father did.”
“Ren, stay away from her,” said Grandpa Max. “The Validus family is blacklisted. There can be no interaction between them and the Plumbers.”
“You would abandon someone in trouble when it is the Plumbers job to save those in need,” said Renita. “That may be the way you see it. The way I see it, a friend is in trouble. And she is the best link we have to those chips and the freak who is controlling them. A whole lot more people could end up in trouble besides Elena and her father.”
“That’s why we are going to analyze those chips and take care of this crisis by the book,” said Grandpa Max. “I am not gonna boot up this whole operation on the word of that one girl.”
Renita nodded her head. She was not going to get anywhere with her Grandpa Max like this. She needed to go off on her own. Renita could not and would not allow someone in need to be ignored.
“Ren,” said Grandpa Max. Renita stopped and turned to look at her Grandpa Max. “That is my decision.”
“It is the wrong decision,” said Renita.
“I order you to stay away from her,” said Grandpa Max.
“Sorry, Grandpa Max, I am not following that order,” said Renita.
“Ren,” said Gwen coming around to stand in front of Renita. “You can’t break Plumber ranks.”
“It is a good thing we are not Plumbers,” said Renita. “We are only deputized Plumbers, not actual Plumbers. I am the leader of this team, and if Grandpa Max was to relieve me of that position, I will do this alone. Someone is in need, and it is my job to help.”
“Grandpa Max don’t let her do this,” said Gwen.
“It’s not up to me,” said Grandpa Max. “She’s made her choice.”
“Kev?” asked Renita.
“Somebody’s gotta stay here and look after the old man,” said Kevin.
“Kevin,” said Gwen. “Stop him.”
“Do not worry,” said Renita. “I can handle myself.”
Renita walked to the elevator to leave the underground base. She left the elevator and went behind the shop to teleport home into her garage where her bike was stored. She put on her leather jacket that looked just like her normal jacket, slipped on her helmet and opened the garage. She rolled her bike out of the garage before closing it.
She sat on her bike, kicked up the stand and turned the engine on. She drove away from her house. Renita could tell where Elena was and the direction she was heading. It was time to meet her halfway. Elena needed to tell her something. Renita was able to meet her at a four way. Both of them stopping next to each other.
Elena’s bike pointed one way with Renita’s pointing another way. They both turned off their bikes and took off their helmets. Renita could tell Elena had not expect her to find her.
“What do you want?” asked Elena.
“The same as you,” said Renita. “I want to help you find him.”
“What about your Gramps?” asked Elena.
“Not too thrilled about it,” said Renita. “He cannot stop me.”
“And you’re helping me anyway?” asked Elena.
“I am,” said Renita.
“Nice bike,” said Elena.
“Thank you,” said Renita. “My parents and Grandpa Max got it for me. Helping you is my choice, and I do not care that he’s angry at me.”
“I’m sorry,” said Elena. “That’s my fault.”
“No,” said Renita. “It is his fault. Let us find your dad. First stop, wherever you got your hands on those chips.”
“We need to head to the city I currently live in,” said Elena.
She gave Renita the address. The two drove the hour away. It was weird that she had lived an hour away from her the whole time. Renita wondered what her life had been like for the last three years. Elena might have had a hard time, but so did Renita. Once in the city, Elena led the way to where her dad spent the most of his time.
When they arrived in the neighborhood, it was nighttime. The building in which they parked in front of was sitting on a hill. It had stairs and was at least two stories tall. The two of them turned off their bikes and removed their helmets. Renita made sure her bike was stable before getting off of it.
“My dad started acting really weird a couple months ago,” said Elena. “I followed him one night to this place.”
“Hanging out around here certainly classifies as weird,” said Renita.
The two of started up and into the building. It looked abandoned. Renita stopped and looked up to the windows. There were several mana signatures inside of the building. Did Elena lead her into a trap? There was the weird nano chip mana inside as well. Elena stopped and turned to look at Renita.
“Ren, are you coming?” asked Elena.
“Is there anyone inside of there?” asked Renita.
“No,” said Elena. “My dad owns the whole building. I have never run into another soul the last couple of times I came here.”
It did not feel like she was lying to her. She followed Elena inside but could not stop herself from hearing that old man’s voice again.
“That’s a good girl,” said the old man voice. “Bring him here to us. He can’t help you now.”
The old man must be the one in charge. If this was not a trap, Renita would show that old guy that she could help Elena. Renita removed the chair keeping the front door closed off to the side so they could actually enter the building. It was a mess, rundown with a single light in the hallway.
“What was he doing, racing cockroaches?” asked Renita.
“He has a laboratory set up,” said Elena. “Whatever he was working on, he didn’t want me involved. Then he stopped coming home at all. Come on.”