Sorry for the wait. End of senior year stuff kept me busy for a while. But I'm back and hopefully my inspiration will follow. Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy!

I do not own DP

Chapter 10:

Complications

The tiny police scanner he had attached to his phone continued to hum with the smooth dispatcher's voice as Tucker ran in the direction the cruisers had gone. He would have to thank Katherine again for grabbing it for him when he first entered office. It had certainly proved its worth over the last few months, especially now.

"Old Hickory and Davin? Where's that," Sam asked as the device called out the street names. The young mayor was surprised she even had the breath left to talk. They must have run at least three miles already without stopping. There was no way she wasn't feeling the effects of the sprint. He sure was.

"I...I don't know. Old Hickory is sev...seven bl...blocks away. I've never heard of Davin." The goth let out a huff of frustration and picked up her speed. Tucker felt his lungs scream in agony. There was no way he was going to make it. Steeling his resolve against the pain and exhaustion, the boy followed his friend, despite every nerve in his body telling him to stop. Head bent in determination, the teen didn't see his friend stop until he slammed right into her.

They tumbled to the ground in a painful pile, both teens groaning. "Sam! Tell me next time before yo..." His admonishment trailed off as he noticed the reason why the girl had stopped. "Oh my god." What he thought had been the sunrise was actually the old part of Amity. Even from a few blocks away, the light it was giving off was dazzlingly. It would have been beautiful, the light blues, yellows, and reds of the sky with the orange glow, except that the glow was only there because half of the abandoned buildings in the district were currently engulfed in probably the largest blaze the town had experienced in decades.

The sight gave the teens more strength and energy to keep going and the remaining blocks felt like nothing. Soon, the noise of police and firefighters screaming to one another and the sirens of the cars and trucks filled the once-quiet morning air. A crowd of people was beginning to flock around the police line, and the murmurs sounded like an angry beehive. Pushing their way through the throng, Tucker and Sam leaned against the barrier that had been set up.

The tech-geek called out to the first officer he recognized. "Lieutenant Berg!" The woman turned and offered a strained smile to the mayor.

"Mayor Foley? What are you doing out here?" Her black eyes roamed over the teen and then over Sam behind him. "Is something wrong?" Tucker had to force himself not to laugh. How ironic. Truthfully, had anything been going right since Danny returned home? Instead, he just shook his head and tried to calm his furious heartbeat so he could at least pretend to be in control.

"No. We just happened to be in the neighborhood." He prayed she didn't question their gasping breaths and sweaty faces. After a moment of staring with a look that reminded him far too much of his mother, the lieutenant nodded.

"I suggest you get home then, sir. There's nothing you can do in this situation. Unless you've been training in firefighting along with ghost hunting." The remark was delivered playfully, but he could sense the tone of command in her voice. It was true that Sam and he could do nothing more than watch and their presence would only add an unnecessary burden on the police, but to be told to leave because something was dangerous stung his pride. He'd been saving the town from ghosts for longer than most knew after all. By the look on Sam's face, she shared his feelings.

"Can you at least..." The scanner and the officer's radio crackled to life and cut off the teen's question.

"Come in! We need reinforcements. Repeat, we need reinforcements. Team three has spotted a hostile ghost at the corner of Jenning and Grost. It's heading towards Davin. Repeat, the ghost is heading your way Team one." Berg ripped the radio from its pocket and called into it.

"Roger that, Team three. If you can, head back to base. Do you have any description of the ghost?" A rumbling sound made the group miss whatever the reporting officer had to say. The crowd mumbled nervously and subconsciously huddled closer together. Without warning, the second-story wall of the building across the street exploded outward and showered the street with stone, wood, and dust. Citizens screamed in surprise and fear and the assembled police force ducked to avoid any flying debris. A wave of burning heat washed over the area and without having to be told, Tucker knew that the ghost that flew out of the ruined building was the cause of the blaze.

Lieutenant Berg gapped at the flaming ghost, stunned at how quickly the specter had moved. Using her distraction to their advantage, the two teens vaulted over the barrier and sprinted across the damaged road. Tucker hoped Sam still had one of her own weapons as he pulled out his now-signature lipstick tube. The tiny cylinder buzzed with energy as he popped off the top and aimed. Beside him, whatever gun Sam had been hiding whirred to life.

Twin blasts of energy hit the fiery figure on each shoulder. It shrieked in pain and rage and whipped around to glare at its attackers. Some of the flames flickering around its body died down enough to reveal burnt flesh and bone before growing back to full strength. The ball of blue fire the ghost threw was so hot, the tech-geek could feel it from several yards out. It slammed into the ground, cracked the asphalt and sent splaying tails of fire after the teens even as they scrambled out of the way. Ducking behind a parked car, Tucker gripped the lipstick tube tighter and twisted it to its highest setting. He was sick of all this. Was it too much to ask for a few hours of peace and quiet? Too many people had been hurt in just the last few hours alone.

The rebound after the gun discharged made his arm numb but it hit the ghost with enough force to slam the specter backwards and diminish the raging blaze around it. Sam quickly followed his blast with one of her own, making their opponent double over in pain. It recovered faster than it should have though, an annoying trait the ghosts had been picking up recently, and the boy was forced to drop flat on the ground to avoided being barbecued. Another wave of heat washed over him and he glanced up just in time to see his shield catch on fire. Tucker flung himself out of the way as the gasoline caught and the steel fire exploded in bright blue flames and black smoke.

"Tucker!" He answered the anxious call with a groan, wondering how he had managed to bruise every bone in his body. Frantic hands grabbed his shoulders and dragged him across the rough pavement where he was propped up against hard stone. "Tucker?" His vision blurred back to life and Sam swam before him, violet eyes sparkling in the light.

"I'm good. Just took a hit to the head." He touched the most painful spot on his forehead and wasn't surprised to see his fingers come away red. "Ow." Years of helping Danny fight ghosts and then patching themselves up had taught him that head wounds were often superficial but that didn't stop the wave of nausea that washed over him at the sight of his own blood. Sam must have noticed and sidled out of range.

The ghost didn't care about his injury however. Flames licked the ground behind him and the specter rounded the car. Close up, the creature was even more frightening. The soul had obviously died in a fire. Blond hair was sizzling where it hadn't been completely burned off, skin was sagging around bones like fat falling off a roasting pig, clothes were torched and torn, and the crazed eyes that had become so common in the last few days stared down at them.

"Fire!" Gunshots sounded and ectoplasm-encased bullets al la the Fentons peppered the ghost. It shuddered and cried out in pain, flames flickering involuntarily as the pain made the creature lose control. Officers charged forward, their re-engineered weapons cutting into the creature. Sam pulled her friend closer as the specter convulsed in pain. Tucker felt her fumble to open his backpack and pull out the thermos lodged there. Bright, blue light blinded him as the goth uncapped the prison and a final wail marked the ghost's capture.

Tucker stared at the space the ghost had been second before, his eyes adjusting to the sudden lack of bright light. Sam appeared to be doing the same as she blinked rapidly. Lieutenant Berg rushed over to them and worried questions and commands were issued. Tucker assured her that they were fine and they didn't need help. That didn't stop the paramedics from poking and prodding them, asking if this or that hurt and if they felt nauseous or dizzy. Finally, Sam snapped at them to leave her alone and worry about people who actually wanted their help. She grabbed her friend's wrist and nearly dragged him away from the ambulance as a nurse finished bandaging the gash on his forehead.

"Did you notice?" The goth didn't stop walking as she glanced back at him.

"That it was insane? Yeah. Kinda hard to miss."

"No!" She stopped and turned to him, arms akimbo. "It was focusing on the old district. We did a full sweep of that area once the secret got out though. There weren't any spectral signatures. The ghost had to have formed somewhere else. But why didn't it destroy where it had been born? Why move to another area and than begin to destroy other things?" Sam looked toward the specified area, her eyes glittering and her mind running a mile a minute. "Think about it. Jazz goes there and gets hospitalized. We go to check things out and we get attacked by the Box Ghost."

"Not much of an attack." A violet glare cut him off and he motioned for her to continue.

"Now, a ghost that wasn't there before suddenly shows up and starts destroying things. Someone's trying to hide something in there."

"The Guys in White!" At Sam's inquisitive look, he elaborated. "Carson showed me where most of his men were going to working. Most of his teams are positioned in or around here. I didn't think anything of it because, like you said, we cleaned the place. Damn! How could I not have picked up on that?" Frustration over the last few days and his ignorance overwhelmed him and he punched the nearest wall, not caring that his fist now throbbed along with a developing headache. "I promised I would watch them!"

"Calm down, Tucker. You can kick yourself later. Right now we need to figure this out. C'mon," she rushed off back toward the old district, careful not to go near the police line. Tucker tried not to moan.

"Great, more running. At this rate, I'll be ready for the Olympics."

Being at the hospital during the night was completely different than being in the building during the day. There were no friendly nurses walking around or family coming to visit. The lights in the hallways were dimmed to and the supposedly calming green walls looked like dead skin. Jazz shivered as she jogged down the hallway. After her encounter with the violent visitor, the last thing she wanted to do was walk down the creepy hallway alone, but she needed to talk to Danny and warn him. The Guys in White behind everything.

She didn't know how she knew, but the memory was there. Like something from a dream, flashes of scenes and emotions swam before her mind's eye. Images of a cold, darkly lit lab mingled with distorted voices and tortured screams. The phantom feeling of needles pricking skin and painful headaches made her shiver uncontrollably. Wherever they were from, she wanted them to go away. But first, Danny had to know what the Guys in White were doing.

She rounded the corner and skidded to a halt. Five heavily protected and armed men circled the door to Dr. Kelly's office. The front of their bullet-proof uniforms declared them as SWAT operatives. The one closest to her looked up and glared at her. "You're going to have to leave, miss. No one is allowed in this area."

It took a moment for her sleep and adrenaline muddled brain to understand what was going on. "What do you mean? What's happened? What's wrong with Danny?" Fear slithered into the pit of her stomach and she felt sick.

"That's none of your concern. Please leave the area before we have to have you removed."

"It is my concern. This is my brother we're talking about. I have the right to know what's going on!" The group shared a look as she mentioned her relationship to Danny. Jazz felt a tingle of pride. Mom and Dad must have given them hell to warrant such a look.

"Your relationship is inconsequential. The vigilante known as Danny Phantom is now under arrest for his crimes at the City Hall." Both sides turned to see a trio of Guys in White stride down the corridor, their suits almost glowing in the dim light. Jazz felt her stomach catch in her throat as another reel of memories played out in her mind. She had never been afraid of the agents before, they had always been more cause for headache than fear, but all she wanted to do was turn tail and run the other way now.

The leader of the trio, Agent M is she remembered correctly from her few dealings with him, nearly strutted down the hallway. He hadn't been trying to capture Danny as long as Agents K and O had, but he still held a grudge against her brother for being able to outsmart the organization for so long that had proved to be closer to obsessive hatred than a healthy annoyance. If this was the guy in charge of Danny's arrest than the teen fighter was doomed. Thankfully, the SWAT men didn't seem too pleased with M either. One of them knocked on the doctor's door and whispered to someone inside. Another SWAT man exited the office and glared at her and the trio.

"I'm sorry but Danny Phantom is to stay here until my team is instructed otherwise. No one but the doctor is allowed to see him. You and your team will have to leave now." The suited agents didn't seem daunted by the armed man's unsaid threat though as they continued to march toward the door. "Sir! You do not have permission to be here."

Agent M smiled suddenly, and Jazz was reminded of a cat cornering its prey. "I think you'll find we can, Captain.

I have a warrant here that allows me to have the criminal brought back to our facilities. Apparently, you and your team are insufficient for this job and the honor has been given to the GiW. Now, if you'll excuse us." The SWAT leader took the offered letter and scanned it. With a mighty sigh, he motioned for his men to move aside and grudgingly stepped away from the door.

"Thank you, Captain. You'll find that we are better suited for this job. After all, the boy is a psychotic individual with several dangerous powers at his disposal. It's better to leave him to professionals. We'll make sure he gets the proper care for his kind. No hard feelings?" The SWAT captain didn't answer but continued to glare at M. "Very well. You are all dismissed now. We are perfectly capable of keeping the child contained. You'll find..." The agent's speech was cut short as glass shattered in the next room. The assembled group froze and stared at the closed door. As if released from a spell, everyone rushed toward the door. It flew open and slammed against the wall with a loud bang, both teams surging into the room.

Jazz managed to squeeze between the doorframe and a SWAT member to see the damage. Her breath hitched in her throat. The room looked as normal as it usually did. There were no huge holes in the wall, no smoke or fires, no ghostly light giving an eerie sheen to everything, no signs of a struggle. The only problem was the shattered window at the end of the room and the empty examination table. "No!" She wasn't sure if the shout was her's or someone else's, but it brought people running. A crowd quickly formed around the area and the Guys in White looked overwhelmed by the shock and noise.

Agent M turned to the SWAT captain, fury plain in his eyes. "Don't just stand there! Do something! You let him escape!"

"No, you let him escape. This," he waved the warrant for M to see, "transfers Danny Phantom's guard to you and your team. He was no longer my responsibility. He disappeared on your watch. And since your team is so capable and suited for the job, it should be no problem finding him. After al,l he was hardly able to move when I saw him. Good night." The team left without another word, the crowd mumbling excitedly as they passed them. M stared at them for a second before slamming his fist on the counter.

"Dammit! Report what happened! Tell them that Danny Phantom escaped. Send all available agents to search for him." The man continued to spit orders at his subordinates who were busy talking into their earpieces as he stomped around the room, fire in his eyes.

Someone gasped behind her and Jazz spun to find her mother in the doorway, hands over her mouth. "What happened? Where's Danny?" Dr. Kelly was right behind her, looking over her shoulder. Jack was yelling at the gathered people to move, which most did once they say the giant man's anger. "Jazz?" Everything finally sunk in with her and the teen ran over to her mother wrapping her in a tight hug. Her weariness started to catch up with her and tears formed in the corners of her eyes. She knew she was just overwhelmed from her mysterious visit, her strange memories, and finding out her brother was hurt and missing. She just needed to calm down and think rationally, but her body refused to listen to reason and the tears were soon accompanied by sobs.

"Get her inside. We need to figure out what's going on. Jazz, why are you out of bed? What happened?" The doctor ushered Maddie and Jazz inside and called to Jack as he ordered the Guys in White out. The redhead felt hands on her head and back trying to soothe her and find out what was wrong. The sobs finally subsided enough for her to choke out all that had happened since she woke up. Her parents and Dr. Kelly listened with apt attention. When she was finished, she wiped the tears from her eyes and settled back into the chair they had put her in. For once, Jazz was done trying to be in charge. It was time to let the adults decide what to do.