Author's Note:
EDIT: For some reason this didn't update properly so I'm resubmitting it, sorry!
***Also, Zelith was wondering how to pronounce Faust's name (I didn't even think of explaining that before xD sorry about that lol). Faust is pronounced "F-Ah-st", think of the word faucet, like from a sink haha.
Faust is a German name, it's actually well known from it's use in a famous story about a man who sold his soul to the devil to obtain infinite worldly pleasures and unlimited knowledge (a story from the 16th century). It's known as the "Faustian Bargain", which is a term used to describe the willingness to sacrifice anything to satisfy desire. So yeah, fun fact~
~END EDIT~
Yo! Chapter 7, without a two month hiatus is here! The reviews and feedback I got for Ch. 6 was so awesome, thank you guys so much! I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far and I can't even explain how great it is that some of you are into Faust's whole evil dynamic xD Like I said before, there's nothing worse than having to suffer through reading about an author's boring OC haha. If any of you have suggestions for improving your reading experience when it comes to Faust's parts let me know and I'll try my best to incorporate them into the story. I didn't originally intend for him to have such a big role but it was unavoidable all things considered. I have numerous other villains aside from Faust planned~
By the way, I just wanted to thank those of you who took a look at my DeviantArt page! I've had a couple of you readers drop by and it means the world to me, so thanks!
Chapter 8 will be on it's way, perhaps at the end of this week or early next week. It depends how much free time I get haha. Anyways, enjoy!
Chapter 7: Incorrect Key
* * * * * ACCESS DENIED: INCORRECT KEY
* * * * * * * * ACCESS DENIED: INCORRECT KEY
* * * * * * ACCESS DENIED: INCORRECT KEY
The light taps of his keyboard filled the otherwise silent room, growing louder and louder the more frustrated he got with each failed password attempt. His brow was furrowed in thought, quickly inserting every possible key he could think of, only to be greeted by the same error code each time. Everything ranging from dates associated to the G.I.W, to professional terminology used in the ghost research field had been entered, but to no avail.
"'Ohhh~, it'll be easy getting hard evidence, you just have to steal security footage', what the blazes was I thinking?!" Vlad grumbled to himself, head propped up in one hand as the other rapidly stabbed at the keyboard. Little had he known the disc's data would be password protected. Who would have even considered that? Not Vlad, apparently.
Three days had passed since his risky infiltration of the Ward Headquarters and Vlad had yet to hear a word from Faust. Initially he had been racked with anxiety following his actions, almost immediately regretting having made such a rash decision and further kicking himself upon the discovery that his escapade may have been in vain. Vlad was almost certain that it was only a matter of time until Faust managed to tie him into the entire ordeal, and when that happened, he knew his problems would extend far beyond the court. However, despite Vlad's assumption, Faust had remained dreadfully quiet. Far too quiet for a man in charge of a ghost hunting facility that had been robbed by none other than a ghost.
* * * * ACCESS DENIED: INCORRECT KEY
Vlad frowned, staring at the familiar message with immense irritation. Running his fingers through his loose silver hair, Vlad slumped back in his seat and glared at his computer screen. He had made a huge mistake taking such a thoughtless, irresponsible risk. Originally he had intended to copy the disc data to his own device and return the G.I.W's copy back to it's filed spot in the archive, however his plans had been cut short by the sudden, unexpected alarm announcing his location to what felt like the entire United States of America. Now he knew he had run himself into a corner... Not only was his invisibility fading as he tried to force himself through the shields, but the object of his visit had surely been discovered by now. There was no way Faust hadn't figured it out.
"...No. No not yet, there's time." Vlad muttered quietly, eyes never leaving the error code he had received hundreds of times prior. So long as Faust didn't accuse him of anything, there was still a way. He could still stay ahead...
* * * * * * * ERROR: NUMEROUS INCORRECT KEYS: DATA DELETION UPON FURTHER UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS ATTEMPTS
"Burning bread and butter!" Vlad roared, his fist slamming the solid wood surface of his desk as he stared in disbelief at the new message. "For all that is holy!" He growled, body rigid with a mixture of rage and desperation. When the phone on his desk began ringing, he didn't even hesitate before violently snatching it from it's base and snapping at his caller.
"YES, YES, WHAT IS IT?!" Vlad snarled, the voice on the other side pausing momentarily before responding.
"Is this a bad time, Mr. Masters?"
He felt the colour drain from his face, his fiery demeanour extinguishing immediately upon hearing the smug voice on the other end.
"...Dr. Faust. This is unprecedented. However, welcomed, I suppose..." Vlad managed to grit out, his voice considerably more tame as he resumed his practised, professional tone. How the hell did Faust manage to contact him directly? He had people for this!
"Very well then. As we're both busy men, I'll skip the pleasantries and get right to the point."
Vlad remained stiff in his seat, praying to whichever god that would listen that Faust wasn't calling to question him about the missing security footage.
"I would like to arrange a face to face meeting with you once more, Mr. Masters. I am unsettled by our previous two discussions and I firmly believe that we could come to terms without the involvement of third parties. I have been considering the events of this past week and have realized something of great importance... I would like to share my findings with you in person."
Vlad hesitated. That was not at all what he was expecting. As the words further registered in his mind, a small smirk began to form on his lips.
"Dr. Faust, I do recall your rather loud proclamation that you and I quote, 'do not play nice''. Are you going back on that statement? This offer seems rather friendly~" Vlad teased, not missing the opportunity to poke at the easily agitated CEO.
"...I stand by that statement." After a brief, calming pause, Faust continued. "Getting back to the topic at hand, I would like to speak to you in person at the head office, my office, in precisely one week from today. As a gesture of my peaceful intentions, I will even provide you with a brief tour of the facility."
Vlad was quiet for a moment, taken aback by how genuine Faust seemed to sound in his offer. He took a moment to analyze the situation, suspicion bubbling up inside him as his innate distrust towards the conniving bastard overruled the sincerity he had heard in Faust's voice. Something didn't seem right at all. However, despite Vlad's solid experience in dealing with shady characters he couldn't seem to recall the exact words that were throwing him off. His silence apparently spoke loud enough to Faust, as the voice on the other end carried on.
"I understand that you feel distrust towards me, Masters, and I assure you I feel no better towards you. But my facility is a secure meeting location and you can be certain that your safety is guaranteed. I hunt ghosts, not humans after all."
Vlad's eyes narrowed as Faust chuckled at his last statement, as if his joke would make the halfa feel any more comfortable about meeting in the horror house for ghosts. Every inch of his being screamed not to take the offer, reminding himself that he had already made one risky mistake and another could spell a plethora of untold consequences. Despite his instincts clawing deep inside him, Vlad had other matters on his mind. He glanced up at his computer screen, the error message still flashing boldly while offering him only one more chance to salvage his efforts. If he could just get his hands on the password, his efforts would not have been in vain and he could finally end this battle and return to his comfortable life before the raid.
"Very well, Faust. I will arrive by helicopter in one week and will spend no more than one hour in your company to discuss the lawsuit and listen to whatever it is you have to offer. I expect you to respect my terms and I maintain the right to leave should I feel uncomfortable." Faust remained quiet for a moment, processing Vlad's terms carefully before answering.
"Of course, Mr. Masters. Good day to you."
Vlad remained gripping the phone long after the line went dead, absently listening to the dial tone as he was left once again contemplating his decisions. When had he become so rash? He hadn't questioned his actions this much since the day he allowed his oaf of a roommate to pour soda into complex machinery, and look where that got him. He slowly set the phone back in it's base, his previous outburst of rage replaced by an uncomfortable calmness. Vlad's typical vigilance failed him, too lost in thought to even react to the ghostly chill that ran up his spine as Skulker casually fazed through the wall of his study, floating idly before his desk. Skulker remained there a moment before clearing his throat awkwardly, Vlad glancing up at the armoured figure with an empty expression.
"What's eating you, Plasmius? Uncertainty doesn't suit you." Vlad relaxed a bit in his seat, gesturing to the chair before him for Skulker, who flopped unceremoniously down. Placing his elbows on his desk, he figured a second opinion might help him clear his thoughts.
"Dr. Faust just contacted me directly, looking for a personal meeting at the G.I.W headquarters." Skulker raised an eyebrow, clearly interested in the turn of events.
"Don't tell me you accepted that offer, it's obviously a trap of some sort!" He roared in disbelief, Vlad casting him a harsh look.
"What other choice do I have? I'm out of password attempts for that blasted disc and I'm about to lose my opportunity to end this battle once and for all! If I don't get a hold of the key during this conference I'm back to compiling evidence that will only result in temporary changes to the system, not the destruction of it." Vlad sighed tiredly, resigning from his small rant defending his actions. Skulker watched him closely, leaning back in his chair and allowing a few moments of silence to pass.
"I understand your thinking, Plasmius. But you have to remember to stay the hunter, not the hunted. If this is a trap of some sort, cut your losses and defend yourself with everything you got. And I mean everything."
"Are you suggesting that I resort to using my ghost powers in a high security government ghost hunting facility?" Vlad questioned, an underlying layer of amusement in his voice.
"Yeah, well, there's a good possibility that the bastard already suspects you." Vlad shot him a look, one that was a mixture of curiosity and surprise. It's true that he had been coming to that conclusion as well, considering his total blunder three days prior and the smug remarks Faust would make once in a while. However, there was a bigger part of him that didn't want to believe that. Vlad had spent well over 20 years hiding his 'true self' from the world. Skillfully concealing half of his existence while going on to achieve great things in not only the human world, but the Ghost Zone as well. Faust hadn't even considered ghost shields or devices that were designed to combat hybrids such as himself. As far as he was concerned, Faust may not even know that he was a possibility.
"What makes you say that?"
"It's actually the entire reason I came to see you, I have a report about the surveillance you hired me to do. According to my sources, it seems that your old college buffoon has been in contact with the G.I.W recently, maybe in years prior as well. Were you aware of this?" Vlad frowned, his mood souring at the mention of the Fentons. They gave him grief in college, and here they were again. Giving him more grief.
"...I was not aware that Jack has had contact with a larger organization. I didn't realize his research was expanding that much. Which source gave you that information, and do you have any ideas as to why the G.I.W would be interested in that idiot?"
"Ah, well, it was Technus that intercepted the call. Something about needing their help with building some sort of machine, the reason isn't clear. Technus didn't really explain much to me, just told me to pass it on to you. Are the Fentons a liability? I can eliminate them if you please~" Skulker said with an eager smile.
"No no, if I wanted Jack dead I'd do it myself. Aside from that, what evidence do you have of Faust knowing the truth? I'm much more concerned about that than I am the Fentons." The thought of killing Jack had surfaced in his mind on more than one occasion, however the urge had never struck him to the point of actually following through with it. After all, the man had done little to bother him since his college days, if you didn't count the numerous phone calls trying to set up dinner plans with his oh so perfect family. Vlad had long ago decided that the fool wasn't worth his time.
"I've been watching their headquarters from the mountains, as you instructed, and I've seen them importing rare materials to their facility. More companies have been getting involved there recently, more than before, and they seem to all be working on something together. There has been talk in the Ghost Zone that the killer organization is building some sort of advanced weapon, but if you ask me, I think it's much more than that. I can't say for certain whether or not this Faust guy is really on to you, but it's too much of a coincidence that he wants you to come to the facility at this particular time. This offer has to have something to do with whatever the hell they've been hiding in there."
"I see. Your concerns are valid, Skulker, I appreciate the detailed report." Skulker nodded, the loyal employee had been trusted by Vlad for many years and was one of the few ghost allies who Vlad could talk to casually. His reports were almost always accurate.
"I trust your findings, however I have no choice but to visit the facility. I will be vigilant in my stay and will slip away if things become shadier than expected of the government. If worst comes to worst and somehow Faust has figured everything out, I will resort to my powers. Is it possible I station you and few others around the mountains? If I need backup, I will contact you directly. Though I doubt Faust will try to kill me considering my status here in the human world, I do suspect he's up to something." Vlad explained, he himself not even entirely sure of what the CEO was thinking. Nothing seemed right anymore, he was losing his upper hand...
"Very well, Plasmius. I will do my best. Don't go getting your half-dead self killed entirely." Skulker stood, fading slightly before phasing through the floor of the study. Vlad watched the spot where he vanished before returning his attention to the computer screen, the message still flashing brightly. He had one more chance to unlock this information, and as it would seem the means to obtaining the key to said information lay beyond yet another risk.
For the first time in his business career as both a human and a ghost, Vlad felt entirely insecure.
Bright light from the centre of the ceiling blinded him as his eyes lingered for too long, forcing the boy to avert his gaze and rapidly blink the discomfort away. Danny sighed tiredly, squinting as he remained laying upside down against the White Room wall and idly tapping his fingers on the floor to his sides. He wasn't exactly sure how much time had passed since he last heard from any agents or researchers, but he knew one thing for certain: it must have been days. With no way to tell time, and worst yet, no way to pass the time, Danny felt confident that he had sat in that barren room for an eternity. He still wasn't sure what he hated more; the lack of stimulation or the horror any visitors would bring.
Despite his boredom, Danny found himself grateful that he had been given a period of rest, something that didn't typically come to the likes of him. The time had allowed his system to rid itself of the red catalyst and heal, no longer feeling the burning sensation in his chest and finally past the point of dry heaving every few minutes. His anxiety of punishment had slowly dwindled over the period he was left alone, as Faust hadn't ever come to his cell following his blatant inability to follow a direct command in the days prior. Perhaps the man forgot? Danny could never tell.
Danny allowed himself to roll from his upside down view, his legs flopping to the floor as he turned to lay on his side to stare at yet another interesting white wall. The ache in his stomach seemed to lessen in this position, though it never faded entirely. Typically he'd be given some sort of nutritional supplement every couple of days, something to provide just enough nutrients for his 'host body' to survive on, but not enough to stimulate muscle growth or much needed fat. He relied on that supplement to quell what he believed was hunger, but the agents seemed more neglectful than usual, as many days had passed since his previous dose. Danny wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to look like, or even what he presently looked like, but he was certainly aware that his body was uncomfortably frail against the pristine tiled floor of his cell.
When the silence in the room was broken by the tapping of shoes down the hall for the first time in days, Danny found himself shooting upright with new found energy. His heart raced as they neared his cell, the boy pushing himself to sit up against the furthest corner from the door, eyes glued to the metal door handle.
'Please let it just be the supplement..' Danny chanted internally, holding his breath without realization as he heard the beeping of the White Room's control panel. The door creaked open, a white-clad agent entering the room and scanning it over, eyes landing on the petite boy in the corner. He spoke gruffly, unfazed by the wild, fearful eyes that were locked on him.
"Your presence is required by Dr. Faust."
Author's End Note:
CLIFF HANGERRRRR~
I'm just going to apologize ahead of time for what's gonna happen next.
