Chapter 24: The Triangular Encounter
At the edge of a fractured space-time rift—where magic met science—an intense swirl of violet energy glowed inside an ancient, abandoned cave.
Gwen stood over a shimmering rune circle, adding the final magical inscriptions, while Kevin held his weapon ready, scanning the glowing stone walls around them.
Gwen whispered,
"The field is stable... the dimensional bridge will stay open for only sixty seconds."
Kevin nodded,
"Then let's jump—and hope it's not a trap."
Together, they leapt into the rift.
---
Inside the Watchtower, alarms blared across the control room.
Batman was the first to arrive at the teleportation chamber. Before him, the air pulsed violently—then split.
From the rift, two armed figures emerged.
Batman instantly raised his energy shield and commanded,
"On the ground! Identify yourselves—now!"
Gwen raised her hands quickly,
"My name is Gwen Tennyson—from another dimension. We're here looking for our cousin... Ben."
Batman scanned them with a compact device in his glove, his eyes narrowing.
"Your tech is... unfamiliar. The Omnitrix doesn't function this way."
Gwen stepped forward cautiously.
"Believe me—we wouldn't have crossed two dimensions and risked being torn apart if we weren't desperate to save him."
Superman appeared behind Batman, analyzing the pair with calm precision.
"They're telling the truth," he said. "Their bio-signatures match the Omnitrix readings we've been monitoring."
Batman hesitated. Then, finally, lowered his defense slightly.
"We move carefully. One wrong move, and you're both gone."
---
In the med bay, Ben sat on a sleek metallic bed surrounded by devices monitoring the crystal structures forming within his body.
The Omnitrix blinked faintly in a dull gray—almost lifeless.
As the door slid open, and Gwen stepped in, time itself seemed to pause.
Ben slowly looked up. Their eyes met.
"Gwen..." he murmured.
He stood unsteadily, as if his limbs weighed too much.
"Is it really you?"
She ran to him and wrapped him in a tight hug, tears building in her eyes.
"I knew we'd find you," she said. "No matter how long it took."
Kevin stepped in behind her, his voice hesitant.
"Sorry it took so long, man."
Ben looked at them both... and smiled faintly.
"You were my last hope... and you actually came."
In the corner of the room, Supergirl watched the reunion silently, her eyes filled with quiet emotion—and concern.
---
Later, in the Watchtower briefing chamber, Batman displayed footage taken from the cave beneath Gotham.
"We discovered strange markings," he said, "and energy readings matching the Omnitrix. But more disturbing—this."
On the holographic display, a symbol was etched into ancient stone: Azmuth's insignia.
Gwen gasped.
"That's impossible... Azmuth never intervenes in alternate dimensions without permission."
Kevin muttered,
"Whatever this is... it's bigger than any of us."
Batman stared at them, long and hard.
"Looks like your presence here just became... necessary."
---