"So you trust me now?" Danny asked skeptically.
Dan snorted.
"Trust is a very strong word. I'm willing to collaborate. Besides, if you betray me, I can always just kill you."
Danny stiffened, but didn't say anything. Dan moved towards his machine and sighed.
"I suppose we should start those modifications? My minions will aid you. I must grow another clone of Ezra."
He strode off quietly. Danny stared after him and turned his attention to the machine. Already, ghosts were gathering, watching him intently. One narrowed its eyes, as if saying don't try anything... we're watching you. Tucker had told him everything he needed to do, but it was so easy to forget. Danny began tinkering inside the machine, flipping switches and connecting wires. Glancing back at the ghosts, he bit his lip thoughtfully. He just had to sabotage this thing... his fingers went for one of the wires. he was about to pull it when he felt a presence behind him.
"That's not the right wire," Dan said smugly.
Danny's heart raced, but he forced it to stay under control. Nothing good would come if he panicked now.
"Really? Silly me..."
"Nice try, Danny. Let's get something straight. I know this machine like the back of my hand. Any changes you make will be instantly recognized. Unless you're ready to admit that you're a spy."
Maddie and Jack were sitting on Valerie's couch, staring at the wall worriedly. They leaned against each other and sighed.
"Jack... I hope he's all right."
"Come on, Maddie. He's the ghost-boy. If we could count how many times he slipped through our fingers-"
"But can he escape Dan?"
Jack didn't answer. Honestly, he didn't know the limit of his son's powers. The thought made him shiver. Maddie fiddled with her jumpsuit's zipper.
"I wonder if Jazz knew... I wonder how she'd doing in college."
Jack gave a small nod. Kissing his wife's forehead, he smiled down at her.
"Just think- after all this is sorted out, we'll have the power to ground the ghost-boy!"
"And take away his computer-"
"And don't forget locking him up in a ghost proof container."
"We are such good parents."
"I don't know, I kind of feel sorry for him," a voice piped up.
The couple turned to see Dani leaning against a wall. Her hair was still a shaggy mess, but it was shorter. Dani confirmed it by holding up a pair of scissors.
"Long hair always bothered me."
"So how do you know our Danny?" Maddie asked.
"I'm his clone," she said matter-of-factly, "but we like to call each other cousins."
"Cousins?"
"Duh! Vlad was the one who made me."
Their eyes widened. Dani's brow furrowed until her eyes dawned with realization.
"That... was probably something for Danny to tell you."
"That's ridiculous! Why would Vlad make a clone?!"
Dani shrugged uncomfortably.
"I really shouldn't-"
"Tell us!" Maddie growled.
Dani winced. She glanced back at the others. Sam and Tucker shrank back. Valerie just looked bored. One more look at Maddie and Dani felt herself wither. Maddie looked ready to bite her head off. Not that she'd blame her.
"It's a long story. Really Danny should be the one telling you all this. Basically, Vlad was experimenting with clones. I was the most stable and independent. He called me his daughter... but he was just using me to get to Danny. That's really all I should tell you."
They didn't look happy with that explanation. Standing up, Maddie grabbed Jack's wrist. Her face was stuck in a scowl. Yup, she wanted to rip the world apart right now.
"That creep! Come on, Jack. There has to be someway to get in touch with our college buddy."
Ignoring her husband's protests, she dragged him out of the living room. Valerie watched with an amused chuckle. Sam shot her an icy look and crossed her arms.
"What's so funny?"
"Them. I would pay to see their faces when they learn the truth."
Sam opened her mouth to retaliate. Valerie stared at her for what felt like an eternity before Sam closed her mouth and gave a small smile.
"I'll bet you twenty bucks their eyes fall out."
"Can you stop betting on people's terror?" Tucker grumbled. Valerie smirked.
"Whats wrong, Tucker? Sad you never actually got me?"
This time, Sam did retaliate.
"Hey, mess with my friend, you mess with me. Leave him alone."
"Nah. She's right. I am a loser," Tucker muttered.
He stood up from the table. Sam watched after him, wrestling with herself. Valerie looked down guiltily.
"I'll go talk to him," Valerie said.
Tucker barely looked up when she approached.
"Great, what do you want?"
"Well I was gonna apologize. Must be hard just waiting like this."
"If Danny needs us to sit and wait, then I don't mind it."
"Stop lying. You hate being powerless. At least... I do."
"You're not powerless! You're Red Huntress, fearsome hunter of ghosts! You own the playing field of ghost fighting! You're never powerless."
"I was when my dad and I had to move here. I was when he lost his job... I was when it came to getting Phantom. You and I are a lot more alike than you'd want to admit."
Tucker paused. That was true...
"Danny wasn't lying when he told you that ghost dog wasn't his."
"Whatever. It still destroyed my life. Phantom just seemed like the perfect target."
"Do you still like Danny?"
Valerie turned her head. Clearing her throat, she rolled her shoulders nonchalantly.
"Even if I did, he's perfect for the Goth."
Tucker didn't know how to respond to that. He was about to open his mouth, when a scream ripped through the air. They flew to the other room to see Jack and Maddie faced off against a ghost. The couple was stuck, staring into the creature's eyes.
"What's wrong with them?" Sam whispered.
The ghost growled, revealing needle-point teeth. Dani gasped and pushed her way through.
"I... I know what that is! It's from the old future... the one Danny eradicated. Nobody make any sudden movements. Dan's machine is already having an effect. The realities are leaking together."
Wow, it feels like so long since I've updated. So yeah, I was always a DannyxSam shipper, but I don't know, I always thought the show would build more of a relationship around Tucker and Valerie. Probably not going to do a lot with them though. And now a little song to describe the long wait between the last chapter and this one:
Oh Writers Block, why must you be so horriiiiiiblllle.
Oh Writers Block, even now these lyrics are terriblllllle.
I hate you, go away, get out of my life, bother someone eeeeeelse.
Actually, just go die in a hole, no one wants you
You make me stare at the ceiling and waaalls.
Can't get through my day.
I think I'm going insaaaAAAAAANE.
WRIIIIIIIITERRRRRRS BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCK.
