Review replies - anything else is a spoiler. I think.

OddAuthor: Yeah, I liked writing that bit too.

Strawberry Jelly: Me too - Timmy's dad is one of my favourite characters. I find him funny.

unknown20troper: I'm trying to keep it subtle, glad you liked it.

TweenisodeOrange: You'll find out soon enough!


Chapter Twelve: Aftermath

Timmy Turner and Dani Phantom.
Day Two – 18:30 US West Coast Time.
Dimmsdale, California.

The M.E.R.F. Humvees pulled up next to the remains of the Turner house and suited agents poured out.

"Freeze!" yelled one, bringing out his sidearm.

The Turners shot up their hands.

"Everyone, run!" yelled Timmy, but it was far too late. Further M.E.R.F. agents – as well as elements of the police - were arriving as he spoke.

"Surrender and you will not be harmed!" yelled another agent.

Two M.E.R.F. agents marched towards the still weakened Dani. Barrelling into her and ignoring a yelp of pain, they forced her to the ground, cuffing her.

"What the heck?" demanded Timmy, "She just saved our lives…"

"Nevertheless, she is an accomplice of our target."

Timmy turned. Standing next to the lead Humvee was a short, stout bald man with a thin moustache.

"I'm the Director," the man introduced, walking towards them, "I'm here to take you in."

"Why?" snapped Timmy.

"Are you familiar with the Key of Light?" asked the Director.

Timmy blinked.

"You're the only one who can activate it, and we're gonna bring you to it," finished the Director.

"Why?" demanded Timmy, "So you can use it for some creepy government project to eradicate some aliens you don't like?"

"You mistake us for the Guys in White," sighed the Director, "We're trying to save this country."

"Just this one?" asked Timmy.

"From Anti-Cosmo," nodded the Director, "We need you to use it to fight him off…after he runs through some of our enemies of course…"

"You're gonna let him destroy half the world…for politics?" demanded Timmy, exasperated.

"Why not?" shrugged the Director, "We're the government – politics is what we do."

"You're sick," growled Dani, trying to get to her feet.

"I prefer to say unscrupulous," replied the Director, "Come with us, Turner. We have everyone else you could possibly turn to. You'd save millions…"

"Don't do it, Timmy!" yelled Mr. Turner, "Without half the world, we'd lose half the sport!"

"Oh please," sighed the Director, "You're son is about to be dragged off by men in black and you're worried about sport. You are truly the worst parents I have ever seen."

He chuckled.

"I mean, come on!" he laughed, "You leave him with a babysitter who has made a sport of tormenting the guy for the purpose of entertaining yourselves, you endanger him regularly when Ms. Delisle is not available, and every second day you forget his name. What right do you have to raise this boy as your son…when you don't raise him at all?"

His face turned serious.

"You don't even know this boy, really," he growled, "But I do."

He turned to Timmy and whispered in his ear.

"Every year…every stinking year since I turned eighteen…I've envied people like you."

He leaned back, and a small grin returned to his face.

"Well, there are the formalities," he nodded, "Come on, Turner."

Timmy stood for a second, thinking, before making his reply.

"I'm gonna save the world…"

The Director's grin widened, but Timmy continued.

"…the whole world, without and your key."

"Even if you have to do it alone?"

"Even if I have to do it alone."

Timmy turned and began to run down the street.

"Sir, what do we do?" asked an agent.

"Sedate the Turners and younger Phantom," replied the Director, "Don't tell Fenton we have them, he'll turn on us. As per Turner, well…legend says we need his hand to activate it, nothing else. Call on the M60."

His eyes narrowed.

"Shoot to kill."


Timmy rounded the corner towards the trailer park, not daring to look back, when he heard an ominous rumbling. He looked behind, and saw a large, black tank following him.

"A tank?"

The tank fired its gun, narrowly missing. Timmy tried to pick up the pace as a long freight passed over the crossing ahead, heading east. If he could get on it…

The tank fired again, narrowly missing once more.

Now or never.

The train was slow moving, but if Timmy missed…well, it didn't bear thinking. He reached the line and jumped, reaching for an iron bar next to the door of a box car.

He grabbed it. Barely.

The tank fired once more, missing the last truck and collecting a tree instead. Timmy balanced himself on the side of the train, before carefully opening the car door and climbing in.

He sighed in relief, before shutting the door.

"Turner…why is it that whenever something big happens to me it always involves you."

Timmy turned on his heel in shock.

Remy Buxaplenty was leaning on the wall of the car, a half grin on his face.