Clockwork changed from child to adult. "You are not going crazy, Danny, nor has your future self escaped. Allow me to show you." Clockwork gestured to the screens he had just been watching. Sam, Tucker, Jazz, and Danny followed intently. "It seems your friends and sister have been right all along, Danny." He pointed to a particular screen that showed none other than Vlad Masters on it.
"Vlad's really behind all of this?" Danny breathed.
Clockwork changed from adult to elder. "I am afraid to say that telling any more will disrupt the timeline," Danny's shoulders deflated. "But," Clockwork continued. "If you go to Vlad, he will tell you what you need to know."
Danny smiled. "Thank you," He said. "I appreciate it." He turned to walk back to the Specter Speeder. "Let's go guys. We have a certain Cheese Head to visit." The three hesitated for a moment before following. Clockwork smiled as they left.
"He hasn't returned and you're not crazy." Tucker said as they drove. "What does that leave?"
Danny didn't care about the answer to that question at the moment; he was on cloud nine. Dan hadn't escaped. He wasn't back. Danny felt like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. He felt like whatever was going on, he could tackle it head on. Danny's fear of Dan all but melted away as if it had never existed.
They arrived in front of Vlad's ghost portal which was not so subtly hidden behind a giant football. "That's Vlad for you." Jazz said unimpressed. Danny transformed into Danny Phantom and flew out of the Spector Speeder to push the football out of the way. They flew into the portal. They arrived inside Vlad's secret lab where Vlad sat, patiently, in a chair facing the portal.
Vlad smirked. "Skulker contacted me and told me you were coming." He stood up. "It's about time."
"Skulker?" Danny questioned through the prominent scowl he had on his face. "I haven't seen him in days, and the Ghost Zone is empty."
"On the contrary, my dear boy, the Ghost Zone is as full as it always was. I simply paid off all the ghosts to keep out of your way. I wouldn't want them interfering with my plan."
"What plan?" Danny demanded, predictably charging up an ecto-blast.
Vlad put his hands up in mock surrender. "Oh, there's no need to get violent now, is there? I've been waiting for you to arrive. I'll tell you my plan, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to defeat me." Reluctantly, Danny dispersed the ecto-blast. "Good, now why don't you four take a seat?"
"We'll stand if it's all the same to you." Danny snapped, crossing his arms.
"Fine with me." Vlad said. "I suppose I should start off with a question, one which I already know the answer to. Danny, have you seen something that has terrified you to the bone as of late?"
Danny glared. "Why should I tell you?"
"Oh, you do like to make things difficult." Vlad pointed out. "Because, while you and your family were here for a "fun" weekend, I put a serum in all the food you ate to make you see your greatest fears."
"If you put a serum in the food to make me see my greatest fears, then why hasn't Jazz seen anything, or my parents?"
"Because, you naïve boy, it only works on ghosts, even half ghosts like you." Vlad explained.
Danny's anger rose. "If it works on half ghosts, then why aren't you affected?"
Vlad smiled, this seemed to be the question he had been waiting for. "Because I have the antidote. The antidote that I'll give to you once you join me."
Danny's eyes glowed in rage at such a request. "How about instead I just defeat you and find the antidote myself!?"
Vlad held up a finger, "Ah, I knew you'd make a threat like that. So that's why I've hidden the antidote far away from here where you won't be able to find it. And if you try to fight me, I'll never tell you where it is and you'll eventually wither away in insanity from the fear that grips you. Your choice." Danny wanted nothing more than to unleash his ghostly wail onto Vlad and obliterate him. "But," Vlad continued, "If that isn't persuasion enough," Vlad shot an ecto-beam from his hand that hit Sam, Tucker, and Jazz. They fell to the floor, lifeless.
If Danny had a heartbeat in his ghost form, it surely would have stopped. "No." Danny breathed. "No." He turned to Vlad. "What did you do? What did you do!?" He yelled. "You'll pay for this!" Danny sucked in his breath, intent on the ghostly wail he wanted to do. But…
Danny felt his shoulders shake. "Danny!" Danny snapped out of it, letting go of the attack. Sam was in front of him. She looked desperate. "Danny? Are you back?"
"Sam," Danny whispered. He hugged her tight. Danny wasn't even looking at Vlad's smug expression across from him.
"Well," Vlad said, shattering the moment. "I can only imagine what you just saw. So, now do I have you convinced?"
Danny let go of Sam and stood firm, staring at Vlad. "No. I'll find my own way, I will never join you." Danny turned around. "Come on, guys. Let's go." The four of them gathered into the Specter Speeder and left without another word.
"You'll come back." Vlad said in confidence. "I know you will."