(A/N: I'm noticing that this fic hasn't been getting many reviews, lately. I guess it's my fault for taking so much time between posting chapters and cluttering it with all the subplots. But I suppose that it was inevitable because, after all, the sequel is never quite as good as the first movie (though it often does better at the box office initially). Please Read & Review.)
Valerie had been almost hysterical with grief for the first few hours after she'd heard the terrible news. Her grandparents had taken her in, and a doctor gave her a mild sedative so she could sleep. The FBI was watching their house in case any more of Damien's enemies tried to go after them. But even with all this protection, Mel still felt that something was going to happen.
My God, he thought, wiping his face with a tissue, I can't believe this happened! Mr. Gray is dead, his little girl is an orphan, AND Lydia got away!! Not exactly a good day for the Guys in White.
Suddenly, his cellphone rang. Checking it, he saw the text message he had hoped would never come. It said only one thing: It's time. Bring her to me.
Swallowing hard, Mel exited his car and went up the house. Knocking, it was answered by an older couple, Valerie's grandparents. "Can we help you?" asked the man.
Mel replied, "I'm Agent Mel Powers, FBI. I worked under Damien Gray."
"What do you want, Agent Powers?" asked her grandmother.
"I need to speak with Valerie," he said, "It's a matter of utmost importance."
Valerie came in at just that moment, rubbing her eyes. "Mel?" she said.
"Valerie," he said, "I need you to come with me."
A few minutes later, they were driving down the road toward the outskirts of the city in Mel's BMW 750iL Sedan. Valerie noticed that the car was going well over the speed limit, and it wasn't comforting to see the hard look on Mel's face.
"Does the Bureau know who killed my father?" she finally asked, unable to stand the silence.
Mel took a long, sad breath and said, "Not per se, but the fact that they worked so hard to spring Lydia means that the evidence points to Frederick Isaac Showenhower. You know that name?"
"Yes," replied Valerie, "The owner of Circus Gothica. They call him 'Freakshow.' Dad told me that you guys have been after him for years."
"Unfortunately," said Mel, "they were smart enough to knock out all our cameras before attacking, and since all the agents that got a good look at the attackers are dead, we have no way to prove it." He grimaced, his face screaming an eloquent hate that Val had never seen before.
"But you have to do something," said Val, "You can't just let my father's murder go unpunished."
"There's nothing I can do," said Mel, "and nothing that the Bureau can do, but there is something that you can do." He parked the car and lead Valerie into an open field. Taking out his Ericsson JB988 mobile phone, Mel pointed it directly at the ground and entered a sequence of numbers. Part of the grass moved away to reveal a metal staircase.
"What is this place?" asked Val, now filled with apprehension. She followed Mel down the stairs.
"Your father was a very smart man with powerful enemies," said Mel, "When I left the NSA to join the Bureau, he immediately took me under his wing. Now, I don't mean to brag, but I'm a computer genius. I studied the secret works of Nikolai Technus, and one of his techniques caught my eye particularly: the ability to program a person's brain algorithms into a supercomputer, granting them a degree of immortality."
"What does this have to do with my dad?" asked Valerie.
"Your father was much more important than you know," replied Mel, "He wasn't just a section chief. As head of the Paranormal Research and Control Division, he was answerable only to POTUS. As such, he knew that he couldn't afford to die in the line of duty." They finally reached the end of the staircase and Mel opened a door. They entered a high-tech room with a huge computer.
"Hey boss," said Mel, "I got her." The computer's screen lit up to reveal the face of Damien Gray.
"Dad?!" said Valerie, not daring to believe it.
"You're not dreaming, honey," said Damien with a fatherly smile, "It's me. Before I explain anything else, tell me: what do you seek?"
Valerie thought for a minute and said, "To do what you did. To help those who are preyed upon by those stronger than they."
Damien grinned and replied, "That's just the answer I was hoping for. And that's why I made you this." A computerized walker came up to her and gave her a box. Valerie opened it and saw what was inside: A more advanced version of Fentons' patented combat armor! While it would provide less protection than the standard armor, its dual function as extremely sophisticated survival gear would make it invaluable.
"Well, Val?" said Mel, "You ready to engage in some illegal ghost-hunting?" Val gave a smile that seemed to say, Suit me up. Let's get to work.
Grabbing the mike stand, Danny swung it at Ember, who parried with her guitar. The crowd, thinking that it was just part of the show, cheered and whooped for Ember.
"Hear that, Dipstick?" snarled Ember as she fired a wave of ectoplasmic noise through her guitar at him, "The more they chant my name, the more powerful I become!"
"They wouldn't be cheering for you," said Danny, "if they knew that you were a ghost working to bring about the end of mankind." He and Ember fired energy blasts at each other at the same time. The feedback created an electromagnetic pulse that shorted out every electronic device in the stadium.
"No," said Ember, strumming her guitar alarmingly, "NO!" Her guitar was now completely inoperable. Her eyes glowed a fierce red with fiery rage, and her long ponytail grew even longer as the fans shouted her name.
Shit, thought Danny, How am I supposed to stop her? Suddenly, it hit him.
"Hey Ember," he called tauntingly, "You know what a cool thing about ectoplasmic energy is? It's extremely versatile due to not being entirely bound by E equaling MC squared. Basically, an expert in using it can release it in different forms."
Ember hovered toward him, burning the stage as she advanced. "And how exactly is this going to help you, Baby-Pop?"
"Because of all its forms," said Danny, "one of my favorites is pure heat." Faster than Ember could react, Danny cupped his hands together and unleashed a searing blast. The sheer temperature cause Ember's paint to harden and shatter, revealing her true form to everyone in the stadium.
"This is the REAL Ember McLain," said Danny, grabbing the microphone, "A ghost. She's been hypnotizing you with her music, turning you into an army of mindless drones!"
The crowd entered a state of silence, and Ember's ponytail began to flicker and die.
"Tell me who you love!" Ember shouted, "Come on, say it!" The crowd remained silent.
"Say my name!" she yelled, sounding more desperate, "SAY MY NAME!!"
She fell to the floor of the stage in a heap, her ponytail no longer burning. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up. "I hate being called 'Baby-Pop,'" said Danny. He pressed a button on the Fenton Thermos and sucked her in.
For a while, everything was silent. Then, just as Danny was about to fly off, the fans in the stadium all went wild, chanting Ghost-Boy, Ghost-Boy, Ghost-Boy!!
Danny picked up the microphone and said, "The name is Danny Phantom." And with an explosive flourish, he shot into the sky and back toward Fenton Works.
(A/N: Valerie's grandparents are played by Edward James Olmos and Belita Moreno. And if it's not too much trouble, I'd appreciate a few favs. Please Review.)
TO BE CONTINUED.