Black Phantom

Chapter Nine

The Time Everything Ends

"Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now."

~Denis Waitley~

Bat Cave 0300 Hours

Danny paced his room as he tried to figure out what to do. His mother was captured by some nut job, and he knew that Batman didn't want him to help. It was personal to him. He needed to help. He couldn't lose her too, but he didn't want to go against what the man who saved him told him to do.

Bruce explained a little about the reason why he didn't want Danny to work on this because he was afraid that Danny would end up doing something reckless. Danny understood. He was reckless whether or not it was personal. It was a reason why he wished Bruce would train him. He wanted to be able to fight without causing too much damage like in Amity. It was a reason most adults hated him.

His fights were constantly destroying personal property. Some of it he couldn't control, but he hoped that Bruce could help prevent a lot of what he had relied on when fighting. He hated using so much of his powers. It was wasteful when he knew there was a better way. He had tried to train himself, but it ended in disaster multiple times.

Danny looked around his room at the books and things he had been using when he was trying to figure out how to make the synthesized ectoplasm. Some of the things were missing since Fox needed it in order to make it. He didn't mind, but he had no idea what to do now. He couldn't think of anything to distract him.

He couldn't sleep, not without nightmares about losing his mother. That's when Bruce walked into his room. Danny just continued pacing not realizing his was there until Bruce grabbed his shoulder causing Danny to tense and look up at the man.

"You need your rest, Danny," he whispered. "I may have figured out where Riddler's keeping your mom, but I fear it may be a trap." Danny looked down wondering if Bruce was tempting him into something or was trying to help him calm himself down.

"What's your plan?" Danny questioned hoping that Bruce would let him help. He couldn't just sit on the sidelines. He needed to help.

"You and Robin are going to be helping the police with something else," Bruce informed watching the hybrid's reaction closely. Danny seemed to want to say something, but couldn't. He knew why Bruce was sending him with Robin. To keep him busy so he couldn't get himself into trouble.

"You don't want me to help," Danny whispered, and Bruce gently put his hand on the hybrid's shoulder.

"He targeted you. I'm sending Robin with you as back up while you distract Riddler while helping the police with something. Riddler will think that you are trying to find more information on where she is while I try to see if she is there," Bruce stated. It wasn't a complete lie, but he needed Danny to believe it so he would think that he was helping in some way. Danny looked at him and Bruce could tell that Danny didn't completely believe him.

"What is it that I'm supposed to do?" he asked and Bruce smiled at him.

"The police are transporting Mr. Freeze to Arkham and they wanted an escort. I usually stay behind in the dark while Robin follows," Bruce smiled. "Me not being seen is normal, and they'll think I'm following just in the shadows."

"When you'll really be looking for my mom," Danny whispered. He wanted to go with him. To find her.

"Danny, I promise, we'll get her back," Bruce smiled hoping to be able to keep his promise. Danny nodded.

"When is this all going to happen?" Danny asked looking at the ground. He wanted to just leave and get her. No one would ever know that he had left to get her and no one would probably notice she was gone until it's too late. He was tempted, but he also didn't want to go against Bruce's wishes.

Loyalty was part of who he was, and his own obsession. He couldn't betray Bruce like that; he was the only thing holding him together at the moment.

Maddie struggled against her bonds hoping to be able to break something or wiggle out, but she couldn't get anything to work. Riddler just smiled and wondered up to her.

"I have plans for you, Ms. Fenton," he whispered making her blood run cold. "It took quite a bit of research, but it was fairly easy to figure out. You see, I was trying to figure out what to plan for Batman next when I seen that kid vanish. Neither of them knew I was there of course, oh no. I'm very good at hiding and observing."

"Go to hell," Maddie growled trying to do what she could. Danny didn't need this; he didn't need the added stress. He was already so weak and fragile.

"Thank you," Riddler grinned standing straight. "He doesn't really keep his secret very well, and honestly, Danny Fenton, Danny Phantom. Much too easy, but I guess the people of Amity Park are much too stupid to see that. Of course, what does that say about the world's so called greatest ghost hunters?"

Tears leaked out of her eyes as she stopped struggling. Riddler was right; what kind of parents were they if they couldn't figure out that their own son was half ghost. She glared up at him waiting for his next words.

"You guys are probably the worst, and I don't like to give credit to anyone but myself, however, your son is probably worthy of the title. I'm not one to really get into that kind of thing; otherwise I would be, but your son. His powers allow him to truly be the best, and I do love power," Riddler whispered with a wicked grin. Maddie's eyes widen.

"No, he doesn't need to be put through that again," she screamed and started rocking the chair back and forth until it fell over with a loud crash. Riddler sighed and shook his head. Maddie looked up at him and growled until he motioned to the bullet hole in the floor.

"I'm sure he'll explain how he managed to get his powers. He can just walk through walls and grab whatever he wants without having anyone see him or anything. It would make my life that much easier," Riddler informed as he walked away from the crying woman. "Especially if he's desperate enough to want to save you. After all, you're all he has left."

Bruce sighed as he tried to use heat sensing satellites on the building he believed Danny's mother was being held. Nothing was showing up, and he believed it to be another dead end. Whatever the Riddler was planning, Bruce wasn't going to let him get away with it. Danny had already lost so much.

He of all people knew how hard it is to lose someone close, but Danny didn't need to lose his mom as well. He went through a couple more times trying to see if this was right. Riddler always made a way to save the person. He just needed to figure out how. They were moving Freeze tonight, and he needed to be ready. He needed to be sure that Riddler had Danny's mother there, otherwise all this would be for nothing and they would have nothing. They would be back in the beginning and back to Danny being stressed out.

He never should have let the teen see his mother. He shouldn't have let his own emotions get in the way. It was too dangerous to let Danny out, not because of his own pain, but because of his own safety in to make sure his mother was safe as well.

Danny walked into the room and looked at the computer. Bruce turned slightly to see Danny staring at the screen. He seemed highly depressed and saddened. The light that had been in his eyes for the past week was slowly dying out. He didn't need this stress.

"Danny," Bruce whispered, gently resting his hand on the teen's shoulder. Danny looked up and Bruce sighed softly. "We'll get her back. You'll be okay." Danny shook his head.

"Not this feeling of impending doom," Danny whispered. "It's never been wrong before, and I have a feeling that something's going to go wrong. Very wrong." Bruce pulled the teen into a hug.

"Whatever may happen, I'll be here for you," he promised. "You don't have to worry about being alone anymore. I won't leave you to deal with this alone, that I promise." Danny nodded as tears were held back. Even though he felt like everything was crumbing around him, Bruce's words helped him more than he would admit. Being alone, it was the most terrifying thing in the world to him at the moment.

"Thank you," Danny whispered slowly returning the hug. Knowing that he could at least count on Bruce being there no matter what may happen helped him. He wasn't going to be left out on the streets and without any options.

Masters Mansion 2400 Hours

"Sir, it appears that Maddie has disappeared from all traces," the ghost whispered watching his master with wary eyes.

"Well, I have everything I need," Masters grinned. "I would have had to dispose of her anyway. As much as I had longed for the original, I know she would never accept me for what I've done. She's very smart and would know that I played a part in taking her son down." And he was right. He made sure that Phantom had been weakened enough to be easily captured by the most incompetent ghost hunters in the world. They had even made Jack seem like he was truly the best.

"Is there anything else you need then?" the ghost asked cautiously surprised at how well Masters had taken the information. But the thing with Vlad was that, he could act like the happiest person in the world and then turn around and destroy you out of anger. Something all ghosts tried to prevent form happening. They all walked on eggshells around the man.

"No, and by morning, everything will be set for my new bride," Vlad grinned as he walked down the steps to his lab where a clone of his love was floating in a tube. Her eyes opened slowly as Vlad started running the final tests. Everything needed to be perfect.

Danny walked out of his room as Alfred came up to him with the ectoplasm. The teen sighed before slowly rolling up his sleeve. Alfred smiled gently before inserting the needle and emptying the ectoplasm into the hybrid's system.

"Robin is waiting for you with a surprise," Alfred informed as he whipped the spot clean with a wipe.

"Okay," Danny whispered as he felt power rush though his body before it died down a bit. He allowed the rings to appear and change into Phantom and then back to his human form. Alfred smiled.

"I do hope that you'll be careful," Alfred smiled, gently resting his hand on the teen's shoulder. He could feel the coldness of the teen's body, and he couldn't help but voice his concerns "You're awfully cold."

"My powers," Danny smiled as he created a small ice crystal. "They're based on cold, so it affects my body's temperature."

"That would be why you always seem so cold. I was worried that you were getting sick," Alfred smiled as Danny gently pulled his shirt back over his arm.

"I haven't really gotten sick since I got my powers," Danny explained as they headed back into the cave.

"You have been having troubles getting your powers to work correctly," Alfred reminded. "You could have gotten something while they were down."

"This is true, but now that they are working, my temperature can lower depending on how I feel," Danny explained as they entered the room where Robin was waiting.

"So Phantom has some new toys," Robin grinned as Fox rolled out a bin.

"I had some fun with your work," he grinned making Danny walk up to the bin and look in. There was armor that looked almost like his suit only stronger and a little bulker. "It's what I made Robin's and Batman's suit out of. Only I added a little bit of the synthesized ectoplasm. Your work was really neat and some of the things you theorized I would love to test sometime, but I hope that you would help."

"Are you offering me a job?" Danny asked as he pulled out the chest armor that had his symbol on the chest. Fox grinned.

"I might be," he smiled as Danny changed into Phantom. "But I made some improves. You have your own powers, and I would have to test a few things before I could completely say that all this will work. I tried to figure out how it would respond to your powers."

"I'm sure I could get it to work," Phantom grinned as he put everything on top of his suit. The armor glowed slightly before fitting itself to the hybrid's body.

"Hey, it doesn't make you look like you'll break in a gentle breeze anymore," Robin smiled as Phantom sent a glare at him.

"I'm stronger than I look," he warned making Robin grin wider.

"Oh, I know that for sure," he motioned. Fox pulled out a belt.

"Now this has similar features to that of Robin's and Batman's. It holds a homing beacon that it directly linked here to the Batcave and theirs. As well as giving me and Alfred a warning as well just in case you get into trouble. There's also some batarangs for you if you need them," Fox explained setting the belt down and showing Phantom where everything was. His symbol was on the front and was slightly blinking.

"Why is it blinking now?" Phantom asked gently touching it. It suddenly stopped blinking and glowed. Phantom pulled his hand away and it started blinking again.

"It reacts to your ecto signature," Fox explained. "You're the only one who can make it work and use it besides Batman and Robin. It was tricky, but I got to work after a couple tries."

"Cool," Phantom whispered as he clicked it into place. It glowed again and stayed that way. Phantom pulled up his hood and let the cloak wrap around him. "I look like the grim reaper."

"For Halloween, you should just stand out in the middle of the street like that and then vanish," Robin grinned. "I'll video tape it." Phantom laughed slightly as Robin grinned. Fox smiled glad that they were able to at least get the hybrid out of his shell around them.

"I believe there's something else," Fox smiled as a motorcycle drove up next to him. It was black and white with small green designs that looked similar to that of fire, but not quite enough. It looked like an older version of a Harley motorcycle, and Phantom seemed surprised.

"I'm not old enough to drive," he reminded them making Robin grin.

"Neither am I," he informed. "Besides, you deserve something; you've been though more than most drivers anyway. I'm sure you're not going to do anything stupid."

"Not yet anyway," Phantom grinned as he gently touched the bike. "I can also fly."

"Yeah, but come one, Bruce gives you a bike and even had it custom made for you," Robin stated. "There's more to it than meets the eye." Fox grinned.

"It can drive itself and will receive the signal from your belt if you're in trouble," Fox explained. "There is front and back missiles if you are being chased or are doing the chasing. This is what Bruce wants you riding while escorting the police. Robin will be next to you. Your helmet has a com-link in it so you can talk to Robin and possibly Bruce if he allows it." Phantom nodded gently kneeling down next to the motorcycle and looking at it trying to figure out where the missiles were hidden. He found them hidden within the front, but he couldn't figure out the back.

Fox grinned as Phantom inspected the cycle. He was able to turn it into a self fueling vehicle. It ran on ectoplasm from Phantom being near it. He had also put in some of the ectoplasm into where the gas tank would be so the motorcycle could use it to get to Phantom went needed. The cycle only would need to be tested farther and doing this small job would be the main and final test for it.

"You realize that my mom would kill you guys if she knew," Phantom smiled as he got on it. It roared to life making Phantom cover his ears. "Could you have gotten it any louder? I can hear really well."

"Don't worry, it won't do that again," Fox explained. "The computer reacts to how you feel when you're riding. The computer will help you get though traffic and plan out a course. Let's say your injured and you want to come back here, but don't trust yourself to drive it. It'll go back here on its own without needing you to steer it. However, it'll also make sure that you are balanced and won't fall off. If it figures that you can't, it'll send a signal back here or to Bruce and someone will head your way."

"Awesome," Phantom grinned. Robin looked at the design.

"Come on, why can't I detail my motorcycle like that," Robin complained crossing his arms and glaring at Fox.

"That's up to Bruce. I designed this myself without his help; I just told him what I was doing," Fox informed making Robin sigh.

"Fine," Robin grumbled as he got on his own. "Come on, I think we're running late." Phantom nodded as Robin took off. Phantom took off as well a little unsure. It felt weird driving rather than just flying, but the motorcycle seemed to ride out pretty well. It almost fit with exactly what he wanted.

They stopped right outside the police station where they were just then loading Freeze into the back of a freezer van. Cops were everywhere, and Phantom was feeling uncomfortable. Robin got off of his motorcycle, but Phantom stayed. He really didn't want to do anything to hurt anyone or end up freaking himself out. Robin nodded to him and went to talk to Gordon who gave the hybrid a small smile before going into a few more details with Robin.

Batman growled out as he looked though the next warehouse. Riddler had to have Danny's mother somewhere there. It was the only one place that stayed consistent. Everything seemed to lead him back, and when he entered the last one, the only things he seen was a bullet hole in the floor.

Riddler had left already.

Batman growled out. He was not going to lose Danny's mother too. He didn't deserve that. He was a good kid. Batman searched the place when a projector finally came on.

"Ah, Batman. I figured you would be looking for me and the Phantom's mother. So I set up this trap," Riddler informed as he walked out from the camera to show Maddie gagged and bound to a chair. She was glaring daggers at the man, and Batman's respect for her went up. She was probably one of the bravest people to ever be captured by the crazy man.

"What do you want?" Batman demanded, taking a step forward and hoping to figure out where Riddle might be hiding now. He studied the background while also listening to what he was saying.

"That teen in exchange for his mother," Riddler grinned making Maddie shake her head. Batman knew what she was telling him.

Please, don't let him come. Batman glared at Riddler knowing the position the villain was putting him in.

Break his promise to save Danny's mom to keep him safe or break his promise to protect the hybrid.

"What if I don't agree to that?" Batman growled out trying to find some way of protecting both of them at the same time.

"Then I put a bullet in her head," Riddler grinned gently resting the gun against her head. "I'll give you twelve hours to decide." The connection cut out leaving Batman to wonder. He had probably about two hours before he had to tell Danny what Riddler's deal had been and then six hours after that to find his mother.

The only thing he could for was in the first two hours he could figure out where Riddler was hiding.

Phantom and Robin stopped by the van hauling Mr. Freeze. Robin took off his helmet as Phantom did the same. Gordon walked up to them looking at hybrid with a smile.

"I think we have it from here," he informed as Phantom took a single step back from him. Robin gently put his hand on the hybrid's shoulder.

"We'll just hang out here for a few moments and then probably go figure a few more things out," Robin grinned pulling Phantom closer. Phantom stumbled slightly before catching himself. He really didn't like this. "Otherwise I think we're done here then."

"Alright, just be careful," Gordon nodded as Phantom and Robin both got back to their motorcycles. He watched as the hybrid carefully kept himself hidden under his cloak, but he could still see the armor that he knew Batman used. The teen was probably now part of Batman's team, and Gordon knew that it was the best place for a teen who had unimaginable powers. Although the teen seemed pretty humble of himself, Gordon knew that at least he was safe and sound.

"So, human contact," Phantom whispered making Robin laugh.

"You need to work on that," Robin pointed out watching as the police shoved Freeze into the door. "But I think you did pretty well. Especially with everything that had been going on." Phantom gave a light laugh before sitting on the motorcycle. Robin shook his head, and a few moments later they were going though Gotham. Robin showing Phantom some of the land marks in case he got lost or was trying to go somewhere.

Maddie blinked as she opened her eyes to see the pool below her. Panic took over her heart as she looked around. She was still tied to a chair, but now there was metal cutting into her wrists. She looked up to see the Riddler standing by the side of the pool with a gun pointed at her.

"Everything is set in motion, if Phantom doesn't turn himself over, I'll put a bullet in your head," he grinned wickedly. Maddie sighed and hung her head. She could only hope that Batman would protect her son and not let him turn himself over. She knew he would. He was always protecting them at the cost of his own freedom.

She couldn't let him do it for her, but she wasn't going to play damsel in distress either.

The Riddler laughed as she glared at him.

Danny: This is unedited because she has a friend who wants to read it, but will be going on vacation...

Me: and I haven't heard from my betaed...I did read though it...XD

Danny: Don't forget to check out her devainart account for a few new pictures...

Me: One may end up being a possible story sometime in the future, and my friend asked me to post some of her artwork on there as well...so go check it out, there's a link in my profile. SO CHECK IT OUT IT'S FREAKING EPIC

Danny: Also don't forget to review, and tell her if you want her to kill Maddie or not...she's not sure yet...