The next chapter is here! I'm still trying to figure out how to end this story. Kind of hard to when I'm working on a paper for school...

Chapter 14

Gathering Allies

Plasmius was eager to try the serum on Detective Taylor. Vlad's previous test subject was a sixty-two year old woman named Ramona Smith. Vlad randomly chose the woman, who was wearing a Gypsy costume, as his test subject because he heard that she was an exorcist. Turns out she was just a fraud. Unfortunately, for Vlad, he found out the hard way when the serum killed the woman.

Vlad had to give Danny some thanks for finding his next test subject. If the boy hadn't interfered with the murder investigation, Vlad would never have thought of Mac as his next test subject to begin with. Then again, he never got the chance to test the serum on the former Marine thanks to Phantom and his two new allies, Detectives Angell and Burn. The memory made Plasmius seethe with anger.

He appeared in his lab only for his positive mood to crash and burn. The lab was a wreck! Beakers were shattered. Bunsen burners were on fire. Chairs were overturned. Chemicals were spilled everywhere. Papers were scattered on the floor. To Plasmius's horror, the serum was also destroyed. His first thoughts went to Phantom but it's not the boy's style to turn the lab into a disaster zone just spite him. He usually just destroys whatever Vlad is threatening him with and the battle is over. None of Phantom's allies could have done it either since they don't know where his secret lab is (unless Jazz somehow told them). There was only one other who could have done this…

"CASEY!"

Sam and Tucker raced towards Fenton Works the second the dismissal bell rang. If what Danny's text said was true, then Mac and Messer were in serious trouble. They used every shortcut they knew.

While running through an alleyway a Ghost Portal literally was ripped open against the wall. Wulf and Aiden jumped out and landed on top of the techno-geek and the Goth.

"OW!"

"Tucker? Sam? What are you guys doing here?" asked Aiden.

"Tucker got a text from Danny saying Mac and Messer might be lost in the Ghost Zone," Sam explained as she and Tucker got back on their feet.

"We think he is," Aiden said grimly. She pulled out Mac's badge and held it in front of the two teenagers.

"Whose badge is this?" asked Tucker.

Aiden paused. "It's Mac's badge. Angell recognized the badge number."

Sam gasped. She became worried on how Danny would take the news. She knew that he and Mac bonded during Team Phantom's visit to New York. If Sam knew Danny, she knew that finding Mac and Messer would become his top priority.

Sam turned to Tucker. "Text Danny and tell him to come here now! Wulf will have to be our key to the Ghost Zone."

As Tucker began texting, Aiden wasn't following. "Uhhhh…why should Phantom meet us here and not to his place?"

"Hello! Ghost hunting parents! If you and Wulf enter Danny's house you're both toast," said Sam matter-of-factly.

"Sent it!" Tucker called.

Five minutes later Phantom finally showed up.

"Took you long enough," Sam complained.

"Sorry," said Phantom. "I had to convince Lindsay to stay home. She kept insisting that she come with me. Hawkes is staying with her to give her peace of mind. Jazz is also staying behind to cover me."

"Ah."

Phantom then turned to Aiden and Wulf. "Are you sure Mac and Messer are in trouble?"

"Si," answered Wulf who then spoke more Esperanto.

"He said that Angell recognized the badge number and he recognized Mac's scent on it," Tucker translated.

"Do you think Wulf can find them?" asked Aiden.

"Sure he can," replied Sam. "He was able to find Tucker and the rest of our class during summer camp. Finding Mac should be a piece of cake."

Aiden held Mac's badge out for Wulf to smell. He immediately picked up the scent. Wulf then ripped another portal open and the five friends entered the Ghost Zone.

Messer surveyed his surroundings, looking for anything that might be useful for him to escape. He had to break out of his cell, find and free Mac, and get the hell out of here! The question was: How?

Messer looked at his shackled ankle then at the dungeon door. He looked through his pockets for anything useful: only a gum wrapper, a dime and his wallet. 'I just HAD to leave the car keys back at the house!' A bobby pin also fell out of his pocket. 'Oh yeah! Lindsay dropped this after she used the shower this morning.' A light bulb came on his head. Looking around to make sure Casey wasn't coming (which is tricky since Casey can now fly), Messer then started picking the lock on the shackle around his ankle. 'Bless you, Louie! Thank you for those lock picking lessons!'

Click!

The shackle released Messer's ankle. That was the easy part; now the hard part: unlocking his cell door without drawing attention.

Messer spit blood out of his mouth and flexed his ankle to make sure nothing was damaged. It was bleeding, but it didn't hurt that badly. Hawkes can patch it up. He tiptoed toward the cell door. Checking to make sure no one was coming, Messer started picking the door lock.

The door clicked and swung open. Messer quietly stepped out and looked in both directions of the hallway. Which way should he go? He took out the dime and held it in his hand. 'Heads I go right, tails I go left.' He flipped the coin…heads. Messer then started walking in said direction.

While Aiden and Wulf were easily getting Team Phantom together, Angell and Poindexter were having difficulty getting recruits…and with each other.

"Please? Just one date," Poindexter pleaded. "You don't even have to kiss me!"

Angell was getting a headache just listening to him. Can ghosts still get headaches?

"How many times do I have to tell you, Sidney?" Angell asked exasperatedly. "I followed the laws of my world when I was alive and I'll keep following them in this one. I'm not going out with you!"

"Okay. How about –"

"Don't make me issue a restraining order on you!"

That shut him up. The two finally reached Ember's home…well door. The flaming blue musical note on the door was a dead giveaway. Angell knocked on the door and waited. A teenage girl answered. She had blue hair tied in a ponytail. It looked like it was made of fire. The girl had face paint on her electric green eyes. She held a magenta electric guitar. She also looked pissed off.

"Oh great. The nerd teams up with a cop. Just what I need," she complained.

"Relax, Ms. McLain," Angell said casually. "I'm just here to ask you a few questions."

Ember folded her arms leaned against the doorframe. "I'm not talking to cop."

Angell wasn't going to back down that easily. "How about we make a deal?"

Ember arched an eyebrow. "I'm listening…"

"You have a band here in the Ghost Zone, right?"

"Yes."

"Where's your next gig?"

"At Pandora's," Ember answered. "She's throwing a birthday party for the Cyclops next week. Why?"

"I heard you need a bass player," stated Angell.

"Yeah, my old bass player quit on me. If I don't get a substitute bass player by Sunday I'm going to have to cancel," Ember grumbled.

"How about this? I know someone who can play the bass guitar very well. If you answer my questions, I'll ask him to perform with you next week."

"It depends. How old is he?"

Angell sighed. Everyone knew Ember hated anyone older than thirty. "He's in his 40s. Whenever he isn't working, he's seen playing bass with a band at a bar in New York."

Ember thought about it for a few minutes. She finally sighed with a defeated look on her face. "Fine but just this once! I'm only saying yes to your offer because I need the money after this gig. I don't care if he's as good as the Rolling Stones! After Pandora's party, I want nothing to do with him and my band, got it?"

Angell smiled. "I read you loud and clear."

"Alright," said Ember, "ask away."

Angell turned to Poindexter. "How fast can you write?"

"Fastest writer in Casper High," he replied proudly. She handed him a pad of paper and a pen.

"Write down her answers, okay?" Poindexter nodded. Angell turned to Ember. "Does the name Shane Casey ring a bell?"

"If you're talking about that nut job who trashed my place, then yes," answered Ember. "With that look in his eyes, he would fit right in with Leatherface's family."

"Why did he trash your home?" asked Angell.

"He thought I was hot and asked me out," Ember explained, "but I told him I was dating someone else so I turned him down. Plus, he gave me the creeps. He didn't take the rejection well. Started blasting everything in sight. My home now looks like the ruins of a fire…that I didn't cause!"

"Why was he in your home in the first place?" Angell asked while Poindexter wrote down the entire conversation.

"He asked for directions. Wanted to know which way that dipstick Phantom's Ghost Portal was. I didn't know. The Ghost Zone's constantly shifting. What's here today might end up somewhere else next week."

"Do you know where Casey is now?"

"Don't know. He said something about catching Phantom and some other loser for some fruit loop a few days ago. He's also bent on killing some family who made him a ghost," Ember explained. "I hate adults but I wouldn't go that far to get rid of them."

Angell decided to get right to the point. "Can you help me capture Shane Casey and return him to the Observants?"

Ember furrowed her eyebrows. "He's wanted by the Observants? He must be deadly."

"He killed a human a few days ago with his powers. If we don't stop him, it's going to be hell on earth and in the Ghost Zone," Angell said grimly.

"I help you catch Casey and you'll lend me your bass playing friend for one gig?"

"That is correct. One gig only. You attack any of my allies during this chase, however, the deal's off," Angell answered firmly.

Ember grinned. She held out her hand. "Deal."

The two ghostly women shook on it. Poindexter looked at both of them. "Can either of you please come to Homecoming with me?"

"NO!"

I thought I would add a little humor to this chapter!

For those who don't know: Mac CAN play guitar! Stella and Lindsay have seen him play while he was off duty. Louie is Danny Messer's brother...long story.

And yes I'm aware that Danny has a habit of destroying Vlad's lab a lot! Look what happened when Dani came into the picture!

Keep those reviews coming!