A/N: Sorry for the bit of delay, dudes. I had little sleep over thing with a friend and had no time to update. And sorry I didn't get the chance to respond to your reviews. My week has been busy getting graduation project done. But thank you guys so much for the reviews! They were awesome! Please enjoy chapter 3.

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or CHERUB characters.

Chapter 3 Ghost Goo Revenge

"This is crazy!" I hissed at Seph, furious with myself at the moment for ever changing my mind on his ridiculous offer.

"Crazy? Crazy how?" Seph asked, shooting me a sneaky grin that I had soon found out to be his trademark symbol of character.

"We can't do this in broad day light, Seph," I explained in a whisper. "If we're seen, we're gonna get caught!"

We were skipping a young counselor meeting in the Mess Hall an hour before lunch to pull off our little prank on Vlad. I thought we were going to do this trick at night, where there was little chance of being seen and caught. But apparently my ever recurring bad luck thought otherwise and paired me up with an adrenaline freak who wanted to do this stunt at the least convenient time.

Seph had rushed into our cabin five minutes before we had to be at the Mess Hall. He had flung open the door with a loud crash, surprising me enough to make me give a small shout of alarm. A mischievous grin was on his face and an evil twinkle in his eyes as he paused to catch his breath.

"Now," was all he said before lunging into the bunk bed filled room to grab my wrist.

"Now?" was my only question before he had yanked me all the way through the camp till we got close to Vlad's private cabin.

Master's lodge was bigger than a regular cabin, combining his office and living space into one. It had a quaint, bucolic look to it and was made entirely from wooden logs criss-crossing each other on the corners in perfect order. It looked like a life sized model of those mini logs I used to play with as a kid.

Seph and I were hiding behind an empty cabin, the teen counselors living in it being good little kids and already at the Mess Hall for the meeting. As I looked out around the camp, a chilling feeling came over me. The place being so empty was creepy. It felt hollow, deserted…like the ghost town I had read it was. The only sound was the breeze brushing through the tree's leaves. There were no usual animal noises. No bird songs, no annoying squirrels barking at you, not even the occasional bug buzzing past your ear. Not a good sign.

"We won't get caught because everyone is at the Mess Hall," Seph told me. "And the best part about this plan is that Vlad Masters will be no where near his cabin while we do this." His plan made sense. At least he hadn't made it up from the top of his head.

"Okay," I said with a nod. After what Vlad did to me that morning, I was determined to get him back. The fear of getting caught wasn't going to get in my way. In the back of my mind I knew Jazz was going to reprimand me for skipping a meeting, but I didn't care. She didn't have to deal with the fruit loop like I had to.

"Let's go, mate!" Seph said with excitement in his voice. He jumped out from behind the cabin after looking around to make sure no one would see us. I was right behind him as we snuck across the gravel pathway toward the cabin's front porch. We bounded up the stairs and crouched down in front of the door.

"It's probably locked, you know," I stated. "Shouldn't we use a window or something?"

"Not a problem when you know how to pick locks," Seph said as he took out a credit card from his back pocket. I looked at him incredulously, giving my odd friend a snort of disbelief. "Watch and be amazed," Seph said confidently.

I have to say the kid surprised me when after only a few minutes he had the door swinging open. We jumped into the cabin, quickly closed the door after us, and smiled at each other. We were in!

"Where did you learn that trick?" I asked him with a chuckle.

Without skipping a beat, Seph answered, "I had a lame dad that either spent his time getting drunk on the couch or busting into warehouses at night and stealing stuff. At some point I was bound to pick up some of his talents before he was caught and arrested. My mum devoiced him after that and got a job in the States. She thought camp would get me to understand the American culture better. And that's how I got here. What's your story? For some reason I don't find you as the type who would volunteer to work at Happy Hills for a whole bloody month."

As he gave me a rather short summary of his recent life story, we traveled further into Vlad's domain. The freaky part was the fact that it looked so normal. The first room was a waiting lounge. It was complete with antler-made couches, a large stone fireplace, and thousands of glass eyed animals staring down at us from their perches on the walls. Sam would have had a fit.

"Well, you're right about me not wanting to come," I told Seph while looking around curiously. "My control freak sister saw that I looked depressed and decided I needed the smell of fresh air every morning to cure me. She convinced my parents, and after that I was bound to go."

"Nice," Seph said sarcastically. "That's why I'm an only child." He pointed to a door in the back while saying, "How 'bout you check out where that door goes. I'll take the dude's office." I nodded and we went our separate ways.

To my luck, the door I opened went into Vlad's private suite. I didn't take the time to observe the small kitchen or living room as I rushed to the bedroom with a mission in mind. Determination was set in my blue eyes, making me almost plow the door down to the room.

Fervently, I went through the place. I pulled out his things from his bed side table, scavenged through his dresser full of clothes, looked under the bed, and even lifted up his mattress. But I didn't find the main thing that had motivated me to pull this risk.

"You got to be kidding me," I growled in frustration. Quickly, I stormed out of the bedroom, my narrowed eyes darting around for the thing I wanted so badly. "Where would he hide it?" I almost screamed when not finding it anywhere in the living room.

I was ready to smash the TV sitting there to see if he had put it in there. I had to keep my emotions steady. Any trace of ghost power would give me a shock to remember from the belt tightly pressing into my bruised gut. The cool metal against my skin was like a bitter reminder of my grave situation with the man.

Spinning around on my heel, I spotted the kitchen…and my goal. The man had the audacity to leave it right there on the kitchen counter for the world to see, as if it was a simple thing like car keys. His prideful downfall was my delight and joy.

"Idiot," I whispered in triumph as I picked up the Specter Reflector's only key. With a simple turn, I was free of my deathly binds. I had all the liberty to go ghost. My bad day just got better suddenly.

"Find anything besides that ugly belt?" Seph asked from the doorway. I stifled a gasp of surprise as I looked up at him. He looked how I felt, as if he had gained some advantage over an enemy and was soon to win. His bright grin was different from his sly one. He held up his laptop with victory. Both our quests had been successful!

"Not yet," I answered. Working quickly, I closed the belt and locked it into place. I set the thing on the kitchen counter where I had found the key. Crossing over to the closet next to the refrigerator, I pocketed the key. I so wanted to see the look on Vlad's face when he saw the locked belt and realized I was free to be ghost boy.

I opened the closet, not knowing what to expect. Seph ran to join me as I stood there in shock. He peered into the darkness with confusion on his face. The whole cabinet was full of white plastic bags with the black and yellow hazardous sign on them. Seph was clueless, but I knew exactly what they were from years of dealing with the contents because of my parents. And I had a pretty good idea on how to use them.

"What do you think are in these bags?" Seph asked in marvel.

"Ghost goo," I said with a wicked grin. "The technical term is ectoplasm residue, but ghost goo doesn't make me give a long explanation to you."

"Wait, how do you know this?" Seph asked suspiciously.

"My parents are two the world's best ghost hunters," I explained quickly as I grabbed a squishy white bag. "I deal with this kind of stuff all the time. You know how hard it is to clean up my parent's lab each week when a layer of this green crap is on everything?"

Seph wasn't on my term of thinking anymore. He looked more thoughtful as he observed the bags more carefully now, noticing the hazardous sign with a frown. "Why would a camp counselor have the need for these?" he asked.

Why so many questions suddenly?

I was tired of answering so I just shrugged while saying, "I have no clue. Vlad used to research ghosts with my dad and mom in college. Maybe he is still looking into them in his free time." It wasn't really a lie, but Seph didn't need to know about Vlad Masters and his ghost side…or mine for that matter.

"No offense, but I don't believe in ghosts," Seph told me.

"Really?" I asked, grinning despite myself. It was funny how anyone not familiar with Amity Park was such a nonbeliever. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, I've never seen one for that matter," Seph said, "And I've never felt any 'supernatural' beings. It's just a hoax." I laughed boldly in his face as I heaved up my bag of ectoplasm goo. "What?" he asked, "Have you ever seen a ghost before?"

Boy did he need to get out more.

"Trust me, Seph, ghosts are real," I said. "Stick around me for the next month and you're bound to see something. Let's just say that my family has become something of a ghost magnet."

I don't know why I was telling him all this. I didn't need Seph hanging around me just so he could see a specter, especially when the time came for me to go ghost. Actually, I didn't need to give Seph more reason for him to hang out with me. I wasn't here to make new friends. I was here for superhero work. Why am I such an idiot sometimes?

Don't answer that question.

"Okay," Seph said with his grin returning. His thoughtful and serious moment was done as quickly as it started. "I'll take you up on that offer," Seph continued. "If I don't see a ghost at all this month, the last day of camp you have to jump off the pool's diving board…naked."

Of course it was a dumb bet. Any normal, sensible person would say no to it and leave it at that.

"Add in fifty bucks and it's a deal," I said in a rush, grinning despite the stupidity of the bargain.

"Done!"

And with the quick shake of hands, the deal between us was made. It was only at that moment where we were giving each other prideful and goofy grins that I felt a connection between us. Before, we were merely trying to deal with each other because we were polar opposites on the popularity line. Now it looked like we could actually be friends.

"Now," I said, shoving a sack of green goo into Seph's hands, "Who wants to douse this cabin in ectoplasm residue?"

Seph's eyes lit up with the fabulous idea of a prank. "Welcome to the dark side, my friend," he said evilly.

"Oh, you have taught me well," I said with a laugh. And with that exchange, we wasted no more time and went to work.

-Few Hours Later-

I strolled into the Mess Hall that night feeling pretty good with myself. I got my ghost abilities back, gained a good yet slightly evil friend, and got the ultimate payback on Vlad. The fruit loop had it coming to him. Also, I knew something fishy was going down in this camp because of Vlad's and mine "conversation" back in the bathroom this morning. A little bit of spying here and there, and I was sure to foil the dude's plan.

Things were looking up. Of course it is the law of physics that what goes up must come down. Trust me, gravity is painful.

"Where's our plates and silverware?" I asked Seph who was already sitting at our table. Usually the table was already set before a meal. But today there was nothing for us.

Seph, looking sour, held up a piece of paper as his only answer. Looking at it with curiosity and dread, I took it out of his hand. I unfolded the paper and read it a few times to let it sink in. A frown was forming on my face the whole time.

Crap.

-Five Minutes Later-

"This is unacceptable behavior," Vlad said venomously from behind his office desk. I couldn't believe that we had to miss supper to listen to the lunatic reprimand us. I was starving, and I had to sit there with my arch enemy telling me how much of a disappointment I was to his camp.

Seph and I sat on wooden chairs that had been placed in the office. The small room had a large window over looking a picturesque landscape of the forest. Vlad's desk took up most of the space. It was large, oak, and bulky. The standard equipment was placed on it: a computer screen, a pencil holder, and a mess of various important papers. On one side of the room was a wall of book shelves filled with old, hardback valuables that I'm sure would cost a lot on eBay.

"Whose idea was it to pour twenty bags of ectoplasm residue from my personal cabin all over my lounge?" Vlad asked with his eyes narrowed on both of us. It was like he was trying to bore a hole into our foreheads. I almost smiled to spur him on with his useless attempt to do so.

"We just thought it would be fun," Seph said smoothly, "It was both our faults. Sorry Mr. Masters. We thought you could take a joke."

"Those couches out there cost hundreds each," Vlad almost shouted. Oh, it was fun to see him so peeved like this. If I wasn't so hungry I would have enjoyed it more. "Destroying them and making me pay for it is not a joke, young man!"

Seph shrugged. Vlad looked like he was going to explode. Seph just stared back at Vlad's deadly gaze with a calm and collected manner about him. Jeez, this guy was good!

Vlad then adverted his stare to me and asked coolly, "Daniel, what do you have to say about this?"

"It seemed like a good idea at first," I said, all innocent like. It took everything in me and Seph not to burst out laughing at Vlad's look of pure anger and astonishment.

The look lasted only a moment, though. Soon the man was back to his old, impassive self again. He folded his arms across his chest with a sigh. "You two are to be punished for your foolish actions," he said sternly. "You are to mop the floor of the Mess Hall every night after dinner for the rest of the week. If I catch you two doing anything else that is stupid, harsher punishments will ensue. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Seph said with a nod.

"Yes, sir," I said after some hesitation. I hated to call the guy sir, but I had to.

"Good," Vlad said. "Mr. Worthington, you may leave. Daniel and I need to talk privately."

Seph shot me a worried and confused glance before getting to his feet. I wondered what he was thinking. "Good luck, mate," he said while closing the door to the office behind him. I was then alone with Vlad. Not good.

I dared to lift my eyes up to meet his. For a second he just stared at me, quiet intensity in his hard gaze that was pinned on my weary eyes. He was like a snake ready to strike…and I was the hopeless mouse.

But the strike never came. The man got up out of his big leather chair and strolled to the other side of his desk so that he was only a foot or two away from where I sat. I watched him the whole time, ready to bolt if I needed to.

"No need to 'go ghost' as you say," Vlad finally said. He indicated a small camera in the corner of the room with a nod of his head. "With it rolling, we must both behave, don't we?"

"What do you want, Vlad?" I asked, getting right to the point. I hated playing cat and mouse…because the mouse never wins. And I'm always the mouse.

"What did that prank accomplish?" Vlad asked. "Why did you feel the need to break into my home and pour goo all over my costly belongings?" He bent down so that we were nose to nose while continuing. "Please, pray tell me how you thought you would get away with it with just a few simple chores?"

"The camera is rolling," I told him in a growl. "If you dare to touch me I'll report you."

Vlad placed his hands on the back of my chair on both sides of my head, making sure I had no where to go if I did think of fleeing. As brave as I wanted to be, I was still scared somewhat of this man. Heart slamming hard against my chest, I scooted deeper into my seat to try and put more room between me and him. But Vlad only moved in closer with full intent to intimidate me.

"I don't have to use you as my punching bag to get a message across to you, boy," Vlad said smugly. "You might be able to fly around and play superhero all you want in this pathetic camp, but I'll warn you now. If you so dare to pull a stunt like that again like you did this afternoon, I won't be so forgiving. You don't want to mess with me this time, Daniel. Do anything else that idiotic and you might have to go home in a body bag."

"You're bluffing," I said. If he wanted me dead, he would have done it already.

"You want to take that chance?" Vlad asked. He smiled when seeing my uncertain look. "I didn't think so. Now get this straight, you get in my way, I'll make sure you'll regret it, and it might not be with your life. Anyone can get lost in the woods. Maybe your new Joseph friend was taking a hike and couldn't find his way home. Or maybe your sister. Or the little Gothic girl, Sam, which I heard is showing up tomorrow. They're all dispensable."

"You stay away from them!" I seethed into his face. It was one thing threatening me, but I drew the line when my friends and family were in danger. He had taken things too far with this.

"You stay in your place and I won't have to," Vlad spat back. "Got it?"

"You can't expect me to do nothing," I said. "You know I can't sit around waiting for doom. I know you're up to something, and I'm going to find out what it is."

"Got it?"

"You're crazy!"

"Do you understand?" Vlad shouted roughly into my face, making me wince.

"I got it," I whispered in response.

A/N: Vladdy is upset it seems. Maybe it's because Danny always seemed to foil his plans for world domination and such. I don't know how the man has any pride. His arch enemy is a 14-year-old boy. Oh well. I'll see you guys next week with another update. It gets kinda spooky the next chapter. I can't wait for next week!