Hello!

Shockingly, there are only two or three chapters left to go! I know, it seems like a really short end to a really long setup, but everything is coming to a head, so there you go.

My love and appreciation to all reviewers. Special hello to newcomers Tornada Silverwind and Kantix Gabriel. Thank you both very much. For reviewing chapter 13, thanks to Epona Harper, Demon Inside, Queen S, Meagainsttheworld, fan-girls2.0, Horselver4evr123, Idiots Unite, Id Pendemus, and the thankfully flattered Esme. (Yay, I didn't get yelled at)

To explain, we both used the word Phantomwear for the same clothing, and had the same annoying person displayed wearing it. Apparently it was a huge cosmic coincidence, but is nonetheless really cool. Because I was so pleasantly shocked at this, I changed Lancer's recent book name to "The Spirit Within," a real book that I do not own the rights to. Anyone interested should check out Esme's Spirit Series, it's very very good.

This chapter's a little on the short side, but it got cut where it makes the most sense. I'll see you all on Monday.

Cheers!

HiddenAuthor

Chapter 14 – Crimes

"What the heck is going on? Why would Skulker try to help me?" Danny asked frustratedly, sitting in the passenger's seat of Jazz's car. The large mechanical ghost had terrorized the school for nearly half an hour before Jack and Maddie showed up, guns blazing. Despite the best efforts of the ghost hunting couple, Skulker escaped unharmed, and was still at large.

In the back seat, Tucker shrugged. "I don't know man, but if he is trying to help, he's not doing a very good job. Half of Amity Park thinks you're behind the attack." Sam nodded from the seat beside him.

"Tucker's right, Danny. Skulker may have been shouting that he was helping you, but he didn't do you any favors." In the front seat, Jazz slapped her forehead.

"Danny?" Her brother turned to face her. "Maybe he wants people to think it's you. But he couldn't be behind this. Skulker hates you, but he's not exactly a high-watt bulb. He wouldn't be smart enough to come up with a plan like this." Jazz shot Danny a pointed look. Danny leaned back and groaned in response.

"Vlad. But that still doesn't explain what he's up to. Why make people think I'm behind a lot of crimes? There's already a bounty on my head, and with my powers shut down, no one will catch me anyway. It doesn't make any sense." The young, powerless ghost looked back and forth between his friends and allies, but only received blank stares in reply. A moment later, Jazz pulled up at Sam's house. Both passengers stepped out, Tucker electing to walk home from there. Taking off again, she turned towards her confused brother with a worried smile.

"Don't worry, Danny. Like you said, the ghost hunters can't find you right now. Even though this doesn't make sense, Vlad must have a reason, and I'm sure we'll figure it out and stop him." Danny nodded silently. The two continued this way until Jazz pulled up outside Fenton Works. The two barely got out of the car when they were grabbed by their parents and dragged into the Fenton RV.

"Sorry, kids! This is a ghost emergency! Inviso-Bill and his evil ghostly minions are attacking the city!" Jack revved the engine and tore off down the street as Maddie turned around to look at her two shocked children.

"Danny. If you help out today, you're excused from our chores deal. Jazz, I know you're not grounded right now, but we really need your help. Inviso-Bill has gone mad, he's destroying everything!" At this, both of the younger Fentons' expressions shifted from shocked to indignant. Danny shot his mom a look.

"Mom, who says Phantom is behind this at all?" Maddie pursed her lips.

"Well, that large robot ghost said he was with Inviso-Bill, and he attacked the school. By the time we got there, he had already escaped. He's downtown right now, attacking buildings and people." Danny frowned.

"So you think Phantom is behind this because some ghost said so." Maddie frowned back.

"I don't see why he would lie." Now Danny positively scowled.

"So you'll take some other ghost's word for it that Phantom is evil, but you won't take Phantom's own word that he's good!" Maddie held up her hand, looking surprised and angry.

"Danny, I know how you and Jazz feel about Inviso-Bill, but-"

"PHANTOM! His NAME is PHANTOM, not INVISO-BILL!" Mrs. Fenton froze in shock at Danny's outburst. So did Danny. Jazz reached a hand over and grabbed his arm, glaring at her mother.

"Mom, that's right. You do know how Danny and I feel about Phantom. I think he's good. Danny thinks he's good. Phantom says he's good. And he saved the whole town from being sucked into the Ghost Zone. He saved our family from being blown up, when he flew dad home in time to fight off the Wisconsin Ghost. How can you just assume he's evil because some other ghost says so? That's totally unfair!" Maddie paused, and looked down, confused and worried.

"I don't know, Jazz. I just don't know. It's so much easier to think he's evil. Your father and I have never, in all our years of study, found a single ghost that was both active and good. It doesn't make any sense. And Jazz, regardless of his nature, Inviso-, err, Phantom is powerful and dangerous. Until we know for sure, we can't afford to trust him. We'd be putting you two and the entire town in danger." Jack nodded from the driver's seat.

"Your mother's right, kids. Ghosts are evil. That's why we hunt them. Now let's go kick some ghost butt!" Flooring it once again, Jack sped to the smoking ruin that was Amity Park mall, his confused and depressed family in tow. Pulling up, they found Skulker already engaged in combat with a flying red warrior. Both fighters seemed to be using every complex weapon in their arsenals. After a brief stare, Jack pulled himself together and passed out ecto-guns.

"Alright kids. Today your mother and I are making an exception. This ghost is way too dangerous not to use these. Let's move!" All four Fentons rushed out of the RV and trained their weapons on the metallic ghost. Seeing the new threat, Skulker launched a small volley of rockets and turned back to the red huntress.

"Here's a message from the ghost child! Stop hunting ghosts!" Danny scowled.

"Oh he is so going down." Pulling up the scope, Danny took aim and fired a powerful ecto-blast directly at Skulker's thrusters. The ghost managed to dodge, but his maneuver exposed him to a vital hit from Valerie. The red huntress shot Danny an appreciative look.

"Thanks, kid! You've got great aim!" Grinning slightly at the irony, Danny called back.

"You're not a bad shot yourself!" Jazz smacked herself on the face, and went back to tracking the enemy ghost through her own scope. Valerie called back after a daring feint.

"Sorry, cutie, but I'm taken!" She did seem a little sorry, but very happy. Danny broke into a big smile.

"Good for you, Red!" Witty banter complete, Danny returned to the attack. Jack fired off a devastating round, taking out a chunk of Skulker's ecto-skeleton. Maddie took four precise shots that scored direct hits to both eyes and both thrusters. Jazz and Danny shot left and right, taking out oncoming missiles on the fly. While the Fentons attacked below, Valerie launched into an aerial attack, further damaging the battle suit with her ecto-discs and disabling several of Skulker's weapons. Finally, before someone else had a chance, Danny quickly whipped out a Fenton Thermos and sucked him up. Jack turned and beamed at his family. Valerie was already flying away.

"Way to go! Now if only Inviso-Bill was here!" Angry all over again, Danny was about to start shouting, but suddenly a fleet of large blimps flew down over the city, each covered with a large TV screen. Everywhere in the city, televisions blinked out, and every single unit on the ground and in the sky flickered to a closed set where a blue ghost in a white suit sat calmly on a comfortable looking chair.

"Hello, citizens of Amity Park. Please do not be alarmed, I am a friend. I know you probably find this hard to believe; that a ghost could be a friend, but I truly am here to help you." After a dramatic pause, he continued. The Fentons watched in shock. "While normally a denizen of the Ghost Zone, the recent crimes and atrocities of the ghost you call Inviso-Bill, "the ghost spoke the last slowly and with a great deal of amusement, "has obligated me to take action. I am here to save your fair city, and destroy the ghost child once and for all. To that end, I issue a formal challenge to him: Fight me, hand to hand, at the empty warehouse district by the docks, tomorrow at five o'clock. For the safety of all of Amity Park, I have set up a barrier around the area that will repel both humans and ghosts. I will take it down to let you in, but I refuse to let your wickedness cause harm to innocent spectators. That is all." Hardly a second later, the blimps flew off and the city's televisions returned to normal. Eyes wide with shock, Danny fell backwards to the ground, staring blankly into space. Jack frowned.

"That was the Wisconsin Ghost, I know it. He tried to destroy our family. Isn't he evil?" Maddie nodded her head thoughtfully.

"Yes, dear. I just don't understand. If he's evil, why fight Phantom? This makes no sense at all."

"Got that right." Danny said dully from the ground. Quickly returning to business, Maddie stood up and started back towards the RV.

"Alright, we'll worry about that later. Danny, Jazz, you have school and the dance tomorrow. Jack and I will deal with the ghosts. Let's go." The Fentons all trudged back into the RV and drove home, feeling shocked and confused.

Immediately upon entering the house, the family came face to face with a smiling Vlad Masters.

"Oh dear, I'm so glad you're alright. I was out all day on business, and when I came back, you'd already taken off to fight that horrible ghost. Did you catch Inviso-Bill?" Danny glared at his foe as Maddie slowly answered.

"No. But that isn't the strange part. Another ghost is back in town, promising to protect us." Vlad grinned.

"Why, what good news! Perhaps this new ghost – whoever it is – can save the town from the ghost boy." Jack frowned.

"I don't think so, V-man. It was the Wisconsin Ghost. That one's bad news, I know it!" Vlad's smile faltered for a moment then came back, looking slightly plastered on.

"Well, I'm sure you must have some history to say that, Jack, but if he's here to save the city, perhaps we should let bygones be bygones?" Still frowning, Jack nodded slowly.

"I guess. But I still don't trust him. Or the ghost kid." Without another word, Jack marched off to the lab to work on some new projects and think. Maddie quietly joined him. Once out of sight and earshot, Danny sent Vlad a death glare.

"What are you doing, Vlad?" Vlad smirked.

"You know, the 'scary eyes' leave something to be desired without the green, my boy. I meant what I said. I'm here to defeat you and make sure you never trouble this town again." Danny's eyes narrowed.

"What does that have to do with taking Amity Park from me?" Vlad grinned.

"When I have a haunt, I do as I please inside it. By the time I'm through, the whole city will see me as the victorious hero and you as the defeated villain. And poor Maddie. After the disappearance of her only son, followed by the tragic untimely death of her husband, she will need someone to comfort and care for her. Of course as an old friend, I'll simply have to move my estate to Amity Park, to be with her in her time of need." Danny stared for a second, but quickly shook off his shock.

"I'll never let you win, Vlad." His foe didn't miss a beat.

"You're welcome to try and stop me tomorrow at five. Of course, without your powers, I don't think you'll stand much of a chance. Do you?" Vlad, smile turned vindictive. "I really had trouble setting the time. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important." Danny's face fell, realization dawning.

"My date…" Vlad smirked.

"Oh so you did have another engagement. Well, if you decide that it's more important, feel free to stay away. I can always capture you elsewhere and claim I beat 'Inviso-Bill' at the docks." With that, Vlad walked out of the house, whistling to himself.

"Danny?" Jazz's small voice penetrated the stillness of the hallway. "What are you going to do?" Danny shook his head.

"I don't know, Jazz." He said, determination and anger firing in his eyes. "But with or without my powers, I'm going to the docks tomorrow. Vlad won't get away with this!" Without another word, Danny marched upstairs to get some sleep. Shaking her head, Jazz followed her brave, doomed little brother.

It was going to be a long night.