A/N: Here it is again: "IDNOAC" . And now here is bonus Chapter 10, as promised. Hope you enjoy!
His Own Worst Enemy—Chapter 10—Desperate Reactions
Sam wildly claws at the fallen debris around what was once the doorway and then quickly shoots it with her wrist ray gun. Jazz and Tucker attempt to help her, but they are repelled by the flying rubble.
"Danny!" She screams as she once again recklessly tears at the fragments.
"Sam!" Tucker yells, dodging a rather large piece of what used to be the doorway, "Let us help!"
But she doesn't listen to him and continues to dig. Then she finally begins to slow as her sobs overpower her, and falling to her knees, she cries, "This is all my fault! And I'm taking too long! He's in there with that, that thing!"
Tucker and Jazz immediately jump in when her slowing efforts are enough to allow them not to be bombarded by the rubble.
"Let's combine all of our energy rays and see if we can blast through!" Jazz hurriedly suggests.
Sam wipes her eyes and the three stand abreast and aim their guns at one point. The force is strong enough to create a hole big enough for them to get through. They rush in, guns ready, only to find the room empty, except for the canisters. But they are so upset, they ignore those items for now.
Looking quickly around, Sam gasps, "Oh, no!"
"We don't know what happened, Sam," Jazz says, trying to calm Sam—and herself.
"He might have gotten away!" Tucker tries to suggest. But his voice rings with his fear.
Her voice mirroring her distraught face, Sam insists, "No! I know he didn't get away, because he would have met right up with us!"
"But, they could be anywhere!" Tucker says, so upset that he doesn't really knowing what to say. "Do you think they went back through the time portal?"
"We don't know," Jazz insists. "But let's think this through logically. What would that evil Danny want with our Danny?"
"Hurt, control or destroy him!" Tucker answers, again, not fully understanding what he just said.
Sam begins to cry.
"Stop that, Sam!" Jazz demands. Her sudden fierceness is enough to snap Sam out of it. "We need everyone to think this through if we're to find Danny!"
"You're right, Jazz! Thanks," Sam replies, quickly wiping her eyes, now determined to steel herself. Swallowing hard, she continues, "What I remember—and it still makes me shudder at the thought—about that evil jerk is that he liked to toy with us and with Danny. It wasn't enough for him to hurt us. He enjoyed the terror he caused."
Looking at the others and trying to lift their—and her own-spirits a little, Jazz concludes, "So, we have to hope that he won't destroy Danny outright. We may still have some time on our hands."
"Time!" Sam's yell startles the other two teens. "Tucker, can you replay that clip with Skultech in it?"
Though bewildered by her request, Tucker whips out his PDA as he says, "OK".
He quickly activates the video. All three of them watch the clip intensely—Jazz and Tucker totally uncertain why Sam wants it replayed-and Sam acting on her hunch.-
Suddenly, Sam yells, again startling Jazz and Tucker. "Freeze that frame!"
Tucker, again obliging her, whines, "What are we looking for?"
"Look…there…in the background…on the table!" She points out. "I thought it looked familiar."
Tucker then thinks he recognizes the same thing. "That looks like…Can it be? Just give me a minute." Punching on his PDA again, Tucker highlights and zooms into the area on the clip. They all look more closely and then Tucker turns to the others and says, "I think that stuff is ectoradium!"
"Are you sure?" Jazz queries, looking at him and then back at the picture.
"Well, not without a real sample, but that glow of the stuff in the clip and the glow of the mist are similar to the glow emitted by ectoradium. After all, I did have to analyze some of its make-up to make sure the calibration for the ghost energy relay system was right. So, I would guess that it is ectoradium."
"That's good enough for me!" Sam declares.
Crossing her arms and glancing at Sam, Jazz muses, "But how did he get that stuff and what would the evil Danny want with it? He couldn't touch it."
"I don't know how he got some of it. But you're right, Jazz. No ghost can touch it, but couldn't it be used against them? Maybe like a biochemical weapon or something?" Tucker offers, trying to come up with any explanation.
Sam chimes in, "Maybe. But, anyway, that evil jerk took Clockwork's staff, remember? He's outside of time and probably can't be harmed by ectoradium!"
"But I didn't see him with the staff!" Tucker points out.
They all look at each other, uncertain what that means.
"Well, maybe he insulated himself or something," Sam offers.
Tucker adds, "Maybe. But anyhow, he obviously has gotten hold of some ectoradium. And I think he has all ready used some of it."
"How do you know? Do you think that's what this is all about?" Jazz asks.
Tucker shrugs and guesses, "Well, it would explain the strange behavior of all of those future ghosts and why they looked and acted so ill." His eyes suddenly brighten with his thought. "Maybe it's like our radiation poisoning; only it's ecto-radiation poisoning!"
The trio look at each other, And then Jazz announces, "That is about the best lead we have so far. Then we need to do some more research on ectoradium."
"And we need to find Danny!" Sam reminds her.
"We haven't forgotten about that," Jazz gently replies. "It's that we don't know where to begin to look and we might as well work on the only clue we have. Besides, if I know the evil Danny like I know my brother, he'll be back sooner than we think. Just look over there. At those canisters. I don't think that he's finished with his purpose here. And I'm certain our Danny would try to get back to us as soon as he can, if he could."
"Well, I hate to say you're right," Tucker says, "But can we drop the similarities between the two of them? I creeps me out!"
"Me, too!" Sam echoes.
"Like it or not," Jazz says seriously, "They are similar. But if we know our Danny well, we will be able to outwit the evil one—not because of any dark side of our Danny, but his good side—the one that's always determined and never gives up…and in the end does the right thing. That is how we will defeat the Dark Phantom. Now, let's go find out as much as we can about ectoradium!"
Tucker eyes suddenly widen with apprehension. "But what if the jerky Phantom ever comes back here? How would we know? I might be able to rig up some type of surveillance system. But someone needs to monitor it." He pauses and looks at them, and then an idea hits him. "Do you think that Clockwork would be able to check on it for us?"
Sam is quick to mention, "The monitoring system is a great idea, Tucker. But we don't know if Clockwork is well enough to help."
"I am. And I will do my part since you all are willing to risk everything to save your friend."
The three teens gasp and turn when they hear Clockwork's voice. When they first see him, he is hovering at the entrance made by their blasts. But then, he collapses to the floor. They hurry to his side.
Her voice reflecting the great concern she has for him, Sam places her hand gently on the old ghost's arm and asks, "Are you sure you can do this, Clockwork?"
"I have to. I have a feeling that both of our worlds depend on that!"
"What do you mean?" Jazz frets, helping the old ghost up.
"I'm saying that this sinister Phantom is a very powerful force to be reckoned with! My experience with him proves that he will not stop at nothing less than getting total power and causing total destruction. And it's my fault that this has all happened! It was because of my own pity for him that I didn't destroy him when I had him in my power. But since I could not make myself harm him, it is an even graver fault of mine that I didn't make sure he could not escape! As long as I exist in this world, then, I cannot allow anything worse to happen. Tucker, set up your surveillance device, and tell me how to contact you. We will beat him at his own game!"
"But what about our Danny?" Sam moans.
He turns to the girl and gently touching her arm, replies, "I have faith in him. He's stronger than he or anyone else thinks. And he has the very best of friends—and family—here to help all they can. I think both our worlds have true hope."
The three teens smile weakly at his compliment.
Clockwork continues, "Now, let's all get to work! And Sam? Read the book I gave you."
"But…?"
"Read," He insists and she doesn't question him again.
A/N: Well that's all for now! See you soon! truephan