Chapter 135: 134. Road to Chicago
It took us a few more hours to drive all the way through the state of Arizona, and here we were in Colorado, where we stopped in a small parking lot to have a decent lunch.
- By the way, I remember. Lex, in a couple of days, Philadelphia is hosting the junior baseball national championship finals. Looks like the team from your school will be participating, right? - said Grandpa, distracting me from eating his next culinary masterpiece. It turns out that even if I'm in the form of a Methanosian, his food does not become tastier. Sadness.
- Yes, last week they beat the team from New Jersey and reached the final. - Nodding my head, I said.
- Do you want to visit the championship? After all, they are students from your former school. It would be nice to cheer for them. - Max asked.
- No, it doesn't make sense. First, because the guys on the team hate me. And second, because the final was cancelled. - I said calmly.
- What? Canceled? Why? - Grandfather asked with surprise, adding a new batch of beetles to my plate. Eh….
- I told about it during the exposure of the Forever Knights. The team that the guys had to compete with in the finals consisted entirely of robots. The Knights started all this to try to replace the President, who was supposed to arrive at the championship finals, with an android double in order to gain more power in the country. - I said secretly handing over part of his portion to Nebula, who was under the table and ate these bugs with pleasure.
- Oh yes, exactly. You also said that the President was very angry about this. He also released a statement declaring the Forever Knights a terrorist organization and an enemy of the country, which is why the army and the FBI are so furiously catching all the members of the order throughout the country. - said Grandfather, throwing a menacing look at me when he noticed what I was doing under the table.
- Why do the members of the baseball team hate you? - Ashley asked, joining the conversation.
- Because I refused to join their team. - which I answered, having stopped feeding Nebula so as not to anger my grandfather even more.
- Only? - Ashley asked, not particularly impressed by the reason, as she also stopped doing the same thing under the table as I did.
- Lex is very good at sports and while studying at school he was constantly involved in different sports, was in several clubs and participated in several championships. But he stubbornly refused to play baseball, and probably turned down invitations to join the club hundreds of times.
One day, the team suffered a crushing defeat. The baseball players were sure that if Lex had been on the team, they wouldn't have lost. So, since then, they hate him fiercely. - Gwen went into more detail as she secretly burned part of Grandpa's meal, violating the prohibition against using the power of the Pyrokinesis Tattoo. And I understand her very well...
- Truth? - Ashley asked with interest.
- Yes. They even started mocking me and playing pranks on me. - I said, and then added: - Actually, they soon stopped it when, for some mysterious reason, several players broke their arms. In accidents….
- Accidents, yeah, that's how it was… - said Ashley with a smirk, who also met with similar people at school, because of her status as an outcast, and who answered her abusers in the same way. Still, most of these people are ordinary cowards and if you fight back, they will immediately run away....
- Eh, children .... - Max said shaking his head, taking the dishes and putting them in the sink.
- Why didn't you want to join the baseball club?- Ashley inquired.
- I just don't understand this sport. I didn't want to waste my time on things I don't care about. I love soccer more. - I answered, stroking my tigress.
- Oh, that's how it is. - said Ashley, nodding, who started the whole conversation so as not to eat Max's dish, although this plan was not successful.
- What are your plans for today? - Gwen asked, immediately pulling out her books on magic.
- Today we have to spend the whole day on the road, and tomorrow by lunchtime, I hope we will get to Chicago. - Grandpa said as he sat in the driver's seat.
- And what is planned after this rock festival? - asked Ashley, who decided to start improving her matter manipulation skills while using the cover.
- Well, since we're not going to Philadelphia, then we're on our way to St. Louis, Missouri. - said Grandfather, showing a nostalgic smile, because this city is very important to him and Verdona.
'Oh yeah, Xylen should be here soon.' - I thought to myself, remembering the courier who delivered the Omnitrix to me.
- By the way, about plans. Grandpa, Tetrax should be arriving on Earth pretty soon. - I said as I opened my laptop.
- Something happened? - Grandfather asked, immediately alert.
- Not. But I promised to help him with his planet, so I'll have to fly away with him for a couple of days. - I said.
- Okay, Tetrax is a good man and he deserves a chance to redeem himself from the past. Besides, it's a big deal, so you can go. - Max thought for a moment.
- Hooray, we're going to space! - Ashley screamed excitedly.
- I didn't say you could go with Tetrax too. Only Lex can. - Max said sternly, looking menacingly at the girls.
- But… - Ashley tried to argue, but no one allowed her.
- No 'buts'. Space is too dangerous a place. You are not ready yet. - in an intolerant voice, said Grandpa, when we left the parking lot and went further along the route.
- Is Lex ready? - Ashley asked angrily.
- I don't think so, but I trust him enough to let him go. Lex is strong enough to stand up for himself, plus, Tetrax will look after him. And do not forget that he will fly not to have fun, but to resurrect an entire race of aliens. For this, can take risks. - Grandpa replied.
- Oh, okay… - Ashley said, making a displeased face, who was nevertheless convinced by Grandpa's arguments.
- Don't worry, Ashley, we still have our whole lives ahead of us. We will have time to explore the entire universe. And not only this one. - I promised with a smile, stroking the girl on the head.
- Okay. - Ashley said happily accepting my strokes, showing a beautiful smile.
- But if you leave Earth, what will happen to Victor? - asked Gwen, who also wanted to go with me, but she also accepted Grandpa's arguments.
- Well, I'm not leaving tomorrow, Tetrax will arrive only next month. I think by then we'll have dealt with Victor and his plan. Even if not I think Tetrax will not mind waiting a couple of days. - I said calmly.
- Understandably. - Gwen said with a nod of her head.
- By the way, about Victor and his plan. We should call Wes and the Saturdays and tell them about our meeting with the Mummy. - Grandpa remembered.
- Don't worry, I already called Kai and Zak and told him everything. I even talked to Vaalet. It turned out that he knew Kuthulu, that was the name of that Tep Khufan. He is indeed a loyal subordinate of Zs'Skayr and the son of Kuphulu, another loyal servant who is second in line to Victor and the leader of the Dagon cult. - I said.
- Dagon? And here is the bad news… - Grandpa said seriously.
- Who is this Dagon? - Ashley asked with interest.
- A very powerful demon from another dimension that tried to take over our universe many centuries ago. Although this is only a legend, but if there is a cult in the Anur System, dedicated to him, it seems to me that all this is not just. - Max said.
- Grandpa, you forgot what world we live in. Of course, this legend is true. - I said with a smile.
- Seriously? And what happened to this demon? - asked Gwen with interest, who actually loves stories like this.
- He was eventually defeated with a powerful weapon, but he was never defeated. Whoever inspired him sealed the demon and founded an order to ensure that the seal was never opened. Guess from three attempts exactly where the demon was sealed. - I said with a grin.
- On the Earth. - Gwen thought instantly.
- And that order... Is it the Forever Knights? - Grandfather asked, obviously not knowing the ins and outs of these 'terrorists'.
- Yes, I learned about it from the archives of the knights when I captured part of the order. And the weapon that the founder of the order used was called Ascalon and he was donated by a little gray man, like a frog coming from the stars. - I quoted a little from Sir George's notes, which Kay found yesterday when she checked the castle, where they are now located and sent them to me this morning.
- Galvan. - Grandpa understood instantly.
- I will say more, it was Azmuth, the creator of the Omnitrix. Ascalon was his first greatest invention, which he entrusted to mankind in order to get rid of Dagon, who threatened the entire universe. - I said.
- Wow, what a coincidence. How small the world is, it turns out ... - Grandfather said in amazement.
- Wait, what about the seal? - Gwen asked.
- Well, since the world hasn't been taken over by an interdimensional demon yet, it still hasn't been opened. True, and the place where it is located is unknown. Probably under one of the Forever Knights' Castles, but they did build a lot of them. - I said.
- You can't leave this demon just like that. It will be necessary to deal with him, so that no idiots will let him out. - Ashley said belligerently.
- That's true, of course, but I don't think we can do anything right now. At a minimum, we need to get Ascalon, and only then we will think about what to do. In the meantime, I'll find the seal and make sure it's safe so that, as you said, no idiots let Dagon out. - I said with a shrug.
- That's good, it's better not to leave it to chance. - Gwen agreed with me, and then understanding something quickly said: - Wait, but if Dagon is sealed on Earth, and there is a cult leader of this demon in Zs'Skayr's entourage, does this mean that this is why Zs'Skayr targeted our planet and so wants to capture it?
- Hmm, you know, I never thought about it that way. - I muttered and after a little thought, I said: - No, it's still unlikely. I understand Zs'Skayr personality well and don't think he does what he does for Dagon. Rather, he does it for his own ambitions. I think he planned to take over the Earth precisely for the sake of obtaining the Omnitrix and continuing his expansion to other solar systems. But the fact that there really is a high-ranking cultist of Dagon in his entourage is also hardly a coincidence.
- Do you think this Kuphulu serves Zs'Skayr because he wants to use his plans for himself and ultimately free Dagon? - Max asked, understanding my train of thought.
- I don't know, but this is the most logical option. Although, Tep Khufan, whom we recently met, was indeed personally devoted to Zs'Skayr and did not even know about any Dagon. So, this is just speculation. But one thing is clear... - I said, raising my index finger.
- We need to prevent Zs'Skayr's plan from succeeding and Dagon's seal from being opened. The fate of not only our planet, but the entire universe depends on this. - Ashley finished pompously.
- Right. Still, it is unlikely that other than us, someone else can do it. Moreover, we are kind of like heroes and this is our job. - I said with a smile.
- By the way, about the heroes. Looks like a job has arrived for your part. - Max said loudly, pointing to the highway where the police chase took place, apparently for a stolen cash-in-transit car.
- It's my turn to have some fun. - I said, stopping Gwen and Ashley, who were about to go after the hijackers.
I didn't listen to any objections, I put on a suit and jumped out of the hatch onto the roof of the bus. Deciding not to use any of Swamp Fire's abilities, but only the capabilities of the cloth, I fired the black cords forward and, clinging to the overpass, I jumped down and flew forward like Spider-Man.
A few similar pirouettes later, I caught up with the cash-in-transit car and jumped right onto its roof. Having created four more harnesses, I wrapped them around the wheels, which immediately blocked and now, the car flew forward by inertia.
Quickly tying the car with a few more ribbons, I stopped it and hung it over another overpass. For all of the above, it took me only a couple of seconds and now the robbers are stopped.
- Oh, what people. It's hard being a wanted criminal, isn't it? What, have you already stooped to robbery to get at least some money? - Seeing that the four rank and file Forever Knights were the ones who stole the car, I asked.
- YOU!!! - the one behind the wheel exclaimed aggressively, but I quickly knocked him out with a punch, as well as three of his friends.
Having removed all the harnesses, I carefully released the cash-in-transit vehicle to the ground, where the police were already waiting, and quickly flew back to the bus so that no one could see where I had gone.
After I returned, the girls had already begun to go about their business, and grandfather was focused on the road. I left them alone, and taking my laptop, I continued to work on my virtual world and Bleach (as I called Gilbert's cure) as we continued on to Illinois.
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