DISCLAIMER: I own neither the show nor the plotline of this story. The plot belongs to Cordria and the show to Butch Hartman.

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Chapter 3

"Walker," Phantom growled, his green eyes flashing with anger.

"Who else?" the ghost—Walker—said with a grin. "Like the cage, punk? I made it just for you."

"What do you want?" Phantom demanded.

'Interesting,' Maddie thought, watching the heated exchange with interest. 'It's obvious they don't like each other. But why?'

"I want my money's worth," Walker said, going up close to the bars. "You still owe me."

"Don't tell me you're starting that again," Phantom said. "I don't owe you anything."

"Yeah," Sam said. "Danny's got enough on his plate without you adding to it."

"Cute," Walker sneered. "The ghost punk's girlfriend defending her boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Sam protested. She waited for Phantom's response but nothing came. She shot a glance in his direction and gave him a jab in the side with her elbow.

"Er, right!" Phantom said belatedly. He absentmindedly rubbed his side.

Maddie wasn't the only one that noticed his hesitation. Jack and Sam were both frowning. Sam with worry and Jack with puzzlement.

"You owe me one thousand years, punk," Walker said, steering the subject away from the boyfriend/girlfriend topic.

"For what?" Phantom glared at him. "I didn't do anything."

"'Didn't do anything'?" Walker shrieked with indignation. "You carted real-world contraband into the Ghost Zone, organized a rebellion, broke a dozen other rules, and organized a rebellion!"

"You said 'organized a rebellion' twice," Sam pointed out.

Maddie wondered how she could speak up to an obviously dangerous ghost.

"It's the major offense," Walker said. His eyes narrowed. "Point is, punk, you owe me. And I'm not going to let you out until I've taken everything I can get from you."

"What was I supposed to do?" Phantom asked, looking angry. "Rot in jail for breaking a rule I didn't even know existed?"

"Well yes." Walker seemed pleased that Phantom had gotten the point so easily.

"And what about them?" Phantom gestured to Maddie, Jack, and Sam. "They didn't do anything unless you count them being here and then you were the one responsible for bringing them here in the first place!"

"Collateral," Walker said simply. "Your girlfriend was the bait and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Now that I have you I'm not going to let go of such valuable prizes."

"You just sounded like Skulker," Phantom said.

"And that's gross," Sam added.

"Who's Skulker?" Jack whispered to Maddie.

"I don't know but we should keep listening," Maddie whispered back. "We might learn something."

"Something that will allow us to capture the ghost kid and dissect him?" Jack immediately brightened up at the prospect.

"Maybe." Maddie couldn't help but feel that dissecting Phantom would be…wrong. He seemed so alive. But he couldn't be, could he? 'He's a ghost, Madeline,' Maddie told herself. 'Get a grip and turn back into the professional ghost hunter you are.'

But she still couldn't shake the feeling that it was wrong. What was wrong with her?

"I've got nothing for you." Phantom's voice brought her out of her internal battle. "You should let us go."

"Can't do that, punk," Walker said, drawing back from the cage. "That'd be against the rules."

"Of course," Phantom said sarcastically.

Walker's eyes narrowed. "No smart talk, punk." He turned his back to the cage and moved to the door so he could leave. "I'll be back." With a loud clang, the group was once more left alone.

"You have history?" was the first thing that sprang to Maddie's lips.

"You could say that," Phantom responded, turning his back to the bars. "We need to figure our way out of here."

"Why should we trust you, ghost?" Jack blurted out.

Phantom closed his eyes as if in irritation. He opened them as he said, "Who else can you trust? So I'm a ghost." He shrugged. "It just means I know the layout. Would you rather I just stay quiet and let Walker do what he wants?" Jack cast his eyes down. Phantom noted this. "Thought not. Now let's put our differences aside and knock our heads together. Maybe we can come up with a strategy."

Jack reluctantly agreed. Before Maddie could move over to her husband to start planning, she could've sworn she heard Sam mutter to Phantom, "Smooth talking back there, Danny. Where'd you learn to do that?"

Phantom gave a wry smile. "I learned from the best." He inclined his head towards Sam.

Sam returned the smile and went over to Jack and kneeled down beside him to start trying to figure out how to get out.

Phantom watched her go with an unreadable expression in his eyes. He smiled ruefully and shook his head before joining the two.

All this didn't go unnoticed by Maddie. Not for the first time, she wondered what their relationship was as they tried to come up with a decent escape plan. It was, she thought, impossible for a ghost to fall in love with a human.

Thanks to CatalystOfTheSoul, Thoughts-of-Nothingness, Amazing Bluie, Invader Johnny, GeekGirl2, nicole, Thunderstorm101, FantomoDrako, MaxRideNut, and Miriam1 for reviewing!

nicole: I'm really glad you liked that last chapter. I hope this one also lives up to your expectations.