What Unusual halflives we lead
Chapter 14: Super Spies and Malignant Memories
Sam and Tucker had run swiftly through the streets of Amity Park which by now were not as quiet and dark as their midnight meanderings the other night had been. It was past midday and as it was sunny the whole town was out in force as they passed the shops and parks of the city.
They rode the bus as close to the mayor's mansion as it went on its route, and then Tucker lagged behind the Goth girl as she stalked the quiet road that lead to the house. Her combat boots making loud 'stomping' sounds each time, "Come on, Tucker!" she yelled without turning around. Her friend's lack of fitness serious annoyed her sometimes and now that they needed to gate-crash Vlad's to find Danny Tucker was once more only proving that he needed to work out more.
"But we've…walked like…a million miles…and…" Tucker exhaled and leaned his hands on his knees as he stopped for breath.
"Barely half a mile, we took the bus to keep you happy, and I keep telling you; you need to work out more, Tuck!" Sam replied but Tucker vigorously shook his head and carried on stumbling forwards. When the teens finally reached the mansion; one exhausted and one still overflowing with enthusiasm, they climbed the stairs to the door.
"OPEN UP, FRUIT LOOP!" Sam yelled as she banged on the large double doors with her fist.
The exhausted, sweating techno-geek used this time to once more attempt to catch his breath as he added a weak sounding; "Yeah…dude…like…open the…the doors, man…" and waved a tired fist in the air.
After a minute the shiny door on the right opened silently and from the shadows behind it there emerged a woman in a dress-uniform. "And who…are you?" she asked them with disdain and condescension dripping from her educated, upper-class sounding voice. Her hair was pinned back and she had harsh, no-nonsense features which twitched at the sound of the overly loud tone of the Goth girl on the doorstep.
"DANNY!" she shouted and the resting birds in the trees all took off creating a flock of commotion in the air.
"May I help you, children?" the maid asked, clearly irked from having her previous question ignored.
"Where's Danny Fenton?" Sam asked furiously, "We know Vlad took him, so just let him out, will you?" her voice had lowered but she was still fuming and was not the calming image of diplomacy she perhaps should have been.
"I'm afraid Mr Masters is not here, the mayor's staff are the only people in this house, not that that's any of your business, now I'll ask you to leave," the stern matron-like maid said and went to close the door.
But Sam's heavy combat boot jammed the door with no pain to her foot, "We're not goin' anywhere till we find Danny," she said in a voice that rivalled the older woman's.
"There is no 'Danny' here, now I won't ask you children again; leave," she ordered and just like that the door was slammed shut and Sam's boot with it.
"HEY! I'm not finished with you yet!" Sam shouted but there was no answer.
"Nice workers the dude keeps," Tucker scoffed, his breathing now back to normal.
"What d'we do now?" Sam moaned as she punched the door one last time in anger she spun on her heels and turned to face the green scenery around the mansion.
"Dunno…what about Mr and Mrs Fenton…or Jazz, where did they disappear to anyway?"
"How the hell should I know?" she shouted and felt like she wanted to pull her hair out and scream her lungs out.
"Maybe we should…I dunno ask if anyone saw anything…or…" he shrugged.
"And how would we do that…oh, oh…sorry excuse me sir, you didn't happen to hear anything strange over at the Fenton's did you? DUH! Tucker their ghost hunters, remember, weird stuff happens all the time and their usually the suspects not the victims!"
Tucker only sighed in frustration as the two teens began to make their way back down the empty drive way.
"We could try the hospital…they're like regulars down there," Sam suggested, "Someone's gotta know if somethin' happened, right?" Sam exclaimed; all previous anger forgotten.
"Oh, man…the hospital!" Tucker sighed, this just wasn't his day, "Really, Sam, do we have to?" he really didn't want to even say the word let alone go into the actual building.
"YES!" the girl shouted and began running down the drive way.
"Who was that?" Alothea asked as soon as Marion closed the door rather abruptly.
"Danny Fenton's friends," the older maid answered and rolled her eyes, "The master warned me that they might show up…but he didn't warn me they would be quite so loud…if I had a beating heart I might have had a heart attack," she replied disapprovingly, and walked away from the foyer.
"Hmm, maybe someone should keep an eye on them…they might mess up the masters plans," Alothea suggested quietly.
"Maybe, but I don't have the time to follow them, the whole of the west wing needs dusting and I…"
"Marion, there are more important things than dusting," Alothea scolded, but her fellow Spectral was having none of it.
"Not to me," the Spectral said, her voice high and disbelieving, "You can go and play spies if you want, I have work to do," and with that Alothea sighed and watched as the 'head' maid left her company, she then glanced over a the front doors as if they were the most interesting thing since sliced bread. She turned her head round and her human appearance began to peel away, with a ghostly smile she phased through them and vacated the mansion.
Sam's enthusiasm and determination showed no sign of fading as the two teens marched through the hospital doors with Tucker looking slightly worse for the wear. The hospital of Amity Park was well used to strange happenings and even stranger entrances since the town seemed to be a ghostly 'hot-spot.' The doctors and nurses had had no choice other than to grow used to strange visitors and accidents over the years despite the ridiculousness of the whole situation.
So when a gothy teenager stomped into the building with a boy quivering behind her, no one really took much notice, after all they had seen far stranger.
The Goth girl made her way over to the reception desk and loudly addressed the unfortunate secretary who happened to be at the desk. "Fenton's; they here or not?" Sam demanded.
"Calm down, Sam…maybe…they're n…not here anyway" Tucker stuttered and panted from behind her. The tired looking techno geek had chosen to slouch in one of the near-by chairs in the waiting area and was looking cautiously over at his friend.
"Fenton…" the petite woman with glowing green eyes at the desk repeated as she typed the name into the computer, "Are you…relatives…"
"Yeah," Sam answered confidently in a don't-argue-with-me tone before Tucker could correct her.
"Okay…that Mr and Mrs Fenton and their daughter Jasmine were admitted Friday night with serious lacerations; Mr Fenton was the worst off it seems…he had a broken wrist and a fractured leg. They're in private room 7," she smiled sweetly.
"Private room?" Tucker repeated, "Who's payin' for that?" his irrational fear of hospitals slipping away as his curiosity increased.
"Well," the secretary began, "It says Mr Masters ordered the room," she replied quietly.
"Right, come on, Tuck," Sam said and pulled her friend by the arm in the right direction.
"Err…thank you…" the techno geek cried as he was dragged away. The secretary suddenly shivered and blinked as her eyes changed from green to brown in confusion, but politely replied; "You're welcome." (*1)
"Why would Vlad pay the bill?" Sam questioned as they made their way down the sterile corridor, "Why would he even bring them here at all?"
"Didn't you notice, Sam; she didn't mention Danny," Tucker added as they looked around for the right room and his eyes shot fearfully from one wall to another.
"I know…" she answered in a whisper, and ignoring her friend's fears she opened the door to private room number 7.
The white sterile rooms had always creeped Tucker out, even Sam hated the sterility and the dullness…who didn't…but she understood that they were a necessity…unlike Tucker. Their eyes searched the room and eventually settled on the white sheets of the beds and their motionless inhabitants.
"What d'ya think happened to 'em?" Tuck muttered and lowered himself on one of the plastic chairs in the corner of the room.
"I dunno…but something worse might have happened to Danny…" Sam responded and together they quietly brainstormed ideas whilst sending worried glances at the sleeping Fenton's.
Vlad continued to pilot his expensive Spectre Speeder while Danny was slouching in his seat with his head resting on his chest; the boy had finally given in to exhaustion. He had watched the boy put up a valiant effort but he knew from fleeting observations alone, that this was one very exhausted ghost boy. And the fun hadn't even started yet; it didn't do much to inspire hope or confidence in the older hybrid. But he figured that Daniel was probably in need of the rest if he was tired enough to snooze in front of his 'enemy.'
Daniel had taken the idea of a 'truce' and run with it with more speed than Vlad thought he would, he had expected some resistance, but had met with none. But he wouldn't complain, Vlad had to admit that he had been shaken as much as the boy beside him had; he just hoped he hid it better.
It was impossible to tell the night from the day in the Ghost Zone but from a glance at his watch Vlad knew it was late afternoon; he couldn't help but smile slightly as he remembered that by now the boy was probably missing his little party. Even with such an unconventional lifestyle Daniel still found the time to worry about his 'street cred' and teenage parties, but Vlad supposed that that was just an inescapable part of adolescence in both humans and half-humans. He no longer had the time or the patience to deal with trivialities; he knew what he wanted and he did what he had to do to get it, he always had and he always would.
But now that something was potentially jeopardising all of his present and future plans he had even less time to deal with trivial matters. All that mattered now was survival; it was a deeply ingrained instinct in any human being…well most human beings, and one which had been tried and tested in Vladimir Masters all too often.
Most recently, it had just about managed to save his life…
Vlad had been lounging in his sitting room in the late afternoon; his white cat Maddie lay curled up in front of the roaring fire, and the inspiring music of Beethoven, a glass of red wine, and a lengthy novel on lost civilisations were his only companions. After a rather successful day he felt he deserved a night of relaxation. So, following an enjoyable meal cooked by his overly-zealous chefs he had retreated, for all intents and purposes, to his own little world.
For a while all had been peaceful; he had divided his day between flitting from office to office for his companies and 'plotting' his next way to test Daniel's powers. The boy would never believe him if Vlad told him but many of his plans were designed to improve the boy's powers and test his intelligence. Oh, at first they were intended for the billionaire to rid himself of a meddlesome pest, but occasionally he liked to manipulate his 'villain' persona to test the 'hero's' progress, if he didn't who else was going to help the boy improve? Daniel's little friends could only provide so much help; they were human, what did they know about ghost powers?
But the boy needed guidance, and he was the only one who could provide it; it was a revelation that had, admittedly, taken a while to appear to him. Now that it had, it would not go away and only increased his desire to have the ghost boy by his side as a pupil, or a son…
He had been turning the page half-way through his book with his long, elegant fingers when he felt his internal ghost sense suddenly set him on the alert. However, there was something different about this one; usually it was just the obligatory shiver down the spine and the sudden feeling of warmth in his chest. This time it was worse. This time he felt like his heart and lungs were inflamed and burning his chest from the inside, it was an excruciating feeling that seemed familiar somehow…
But he had no time to reminisce as he jumped out of his chair tossing his book and wine glass onto the floor with a 'thud' as the novel hit the ground and a devastating 'crash' as the glass shattered. He had felt the mansion shake, Vlad was sure of it…like from an earthquake.
A very BIG earthquake!
He quickly began surveying the dark room and he could hear the windows tremble in their frames and the walls began to quiver and quake. Vlad felt the sudden presences of his Spectral staff who now stared at him with their hollow eyes, with shock and apprehension showing through at him. "What in the name of evil?" he muttered and transformed quickly into his powerful ghostly counterpart.
"We seem to have a guest, sir," he vaguely heard Alothea's suddenly sarcastic tone say, but he merely scoffed.
"Switch on the ghost shield, and be quick about it," he ordered, and before they were able to comply he flew intangibly through the mansion's many floors and came to hover above the grand building; his keen red eyes scoured the dark, empty landscape.
His nearest neighbours lived only around 2 miles away, but his surrounding land was littered with trees and hedgerows that made it seem far more isolated than it actually was. It was an ideal place for the half ghost since he had many…unusual visitors that would cause havoc in a crowded neighbourhood. It was why he had always chosen to live in places that encouraged solitude…well, it was one of the reasons he preferred his isolation anyway.
His heightened senses were on full alert as he listened to the sound of his ghost shield humming to life around his home, to the quieter sounds of the nocturnal animals, the low whisper of the wind and the rustling of the trees. He felt the calming breeze caress his pale face, his dark hair and his billowing cloak as it passed him quietly by, and he could smell the grass far below him.
But nothing seemed out of place…not a single sight sound or smell was out of the ordinary. There was no sign of this 'visitor' that had been able to set the billionaire so on edge with so little effort.
But the wealthy half ghost knew better then to disregard his instincts; they had been honed and trained for the sole purpose of survival over the last 20 years, and they had never failed him. He refused to ignore the strange force that had shaken his house and set of his ghost sense in such an unusual fashion.
Feeling a cold breath down his neck without hesitation he spun in the air expecting…or hoping to find only the ever-irritating Box ghost or the simpleton Klemper.
He found nothing…only more darkness…something was here…he was sure of it.
Vlad could still feel his ghost sense screaming 'danger' at him, despite the fact this he was distinguish no visible threat he still felt something that told him to run. Of course he ignored it, it was unacceptable to run from anything…he had only ever done so once in his life, and he never intended on running again. Vladimir Masters was a man; he faced his problems head on…even when he didn't quite know what the problem was.
Anticipating an attack his gloved hands lit up with powerful electricity; his 'weapon-of-choice' so to speak, and a power that had been helping him since he mastered control of it 10 years ago. His whole body crackled with power as he flew gracefully over the mansion carefully avoiding the shimmering ghost shield, he glided over the elaborate brick chimneys and tiled rooftops and hovered once more over his mansion.
Like a king he surveyed his empire and narrowed his eyes at the gloomy clouds as a dark fog-like mist began swerving its way through the sky. It was like nothing Vlad had ever seen in his life; like a murky plague it worked its way round the clouds turning them spookily from muddy grey to death black as it seemed to consume them.
Vlad's famous instincts were not only screaming at him, so much as bellowing in choruses and waving huge signs at him with only one word; 'run!' It unnerved him that something so…simple, could inspire such fear in him…HIM…one of the most powerful of all the ghosts!
All of the mist now seemed to converge in a single space directly above him, and with the loud voice telling him to run, there was no doubt in his mind that whatever was happening was bad, bad, BAD news for him.
He raised both hands and quickly fired a glowing electrical bolt up into the gathering, lofty cloud. To his horror and dismay his attack only went harmlessly through it and it merely continued to form a large single cloud in the sky, completely unfazed by his powerful attack.
"What are you?" he muttered as he was left with little choice but to wait and see what the mist formed.
After what seemed like hours to the anxious hybrid there was now a huge shadow, at first he had thought it wore a cloak, but now he was able to see that its figure was obscure and vague. It was a strange combination, but at the same time he was able to clearly distinguish this new being from the sky and at the same time it seemed a part of the dark clouds.
He was able to see two unforgiving black eyes fix themselves on him and two bestial horns of twisted bone protruded from its ugly, and yet proud head. Around its shoulders lay tattered rags of purple fabric and the remnants of a battered skull-shaped clasp that dissipated into the darkness surrounding it. The overall conclusion was a hyperbolic image of repugnance and captivation at this peculiar display of power.
For a moment they simply stared at each other, neither willing to admit weakness first and look away, it could have gone on for hours had it not been for another earthly tremor. And unfortunately for Vlad it gave a sufficient distraction for this new creature to break away from their little 'staring match.' It fired an unconventional blast of what looked like black fire from its right hand.
Vlad didn't have time to be sure of the particulars as he flew quickly out of the line of fire, he shot up into the air and floated opposite his attacker. Unexpectedly the beasts dark energy didn't bounce off the glowing ghost shield as it should have…it went straight though it!
Now that he was thoroughly shocked Vlad watched as the black flames suddenly began to lick at the rooftop of his mansion as if his ghost shield hadn't been there at all. This meant a serious disadvantage to Vlad. Despite appearances the billionaire wasn't really a materialistic person…expect his Packers collection…there was nothing in the house he couldn't replace. And his Spectrals would be able to deal with the fire; they were not completely incompetent…despite appearances. His lab was impenetrable…but that was what he had thought of his ghost shield. Maybe this visitor wasn't actually a ghost…
Without a another thought Vlad retaliated and sent another electrically charged blast at his enemy, strangely enough this one did hit and it seemed to scream and growl at him as its dark body was shocked by purple electricity.
Not wanting to waste an opportunity Vlad had decided to take advantage of this sudden weakness and he invisibly flew closer to the beast. He created three clones to do the same and together they attacked simultaneously from all sides. It was now that he began to feel that perhaps his previous anxiety had been exaggerated as he and his clones continued to bombard the shadowy entity.
Once more the billionaire was taken by surprise…which was no easy task…as it suddenly flexed its clawed hands and let out a fearsome roar. It was powerful enough to shake the ground again and soon there was more black energy spilling from its hands. It trailed through the air and before any of the Vlad's could react all four were consumed by it, just as the clouds had been.
Vlad couldn't even think as his whole body was burnt by the flames, his clones vanished instantly on contact and he failed to prevent a loud, agonised scream from his passing his lips. He tried to attack back, to distract this monster from its attack so that he could escape…but he could think…this must have been how deer's feel when caught in unforgiving headlights!
This was completely unexpected…he had never seen or felt anything like this before…it magnified the pain from his first ghostly transformation all those years ago and many vile attacks since…this was true undiluted agony and helplessness.
Somewhere along the line he must have been forced to morph back into his human half as he felt himself crashing through the rafters and several layers of brick, plaster and wood. When his unbearable descent came to an abrupt end he could only turn his head to see the chaos created from a single attack.
His clothes were torn and spotted with stomach-churning blood and ectoplasm, his skin was burnt and blackened, he saw black flames around his once quiet and peaceful mansion consume the walls as it crept closer and closer. It was a warm flame and at the same time it sent shivers down his spine just looking at it; his battered senses were still telling him to fly, run, or crawl…anything to get away from this monster…this freak of nature with such ridiculous power.
His world had been brought down with a single blow…the king had been toppled and the game had been lost…this defeat had seemed effortless for his enemy…and that stung more than the bleeding wounds or 2nd , 3rd or even 4th degree burns ever could…and he knew this, he had experienced every one of them. Defeat was by far the worst!
The stubborn side of him tried to force his battered body to get up…to get up and fight…but his rational mind decreed that to be impossible…how could he fight something like this? Something that seemed to have been designed for the sole purpose of destroying him…an old enemy perhaps…several old enemies?
But it didn't matter…he was a dead man…he was sure of it, his body wouldn't move and he could only gasp and wince in pain as his muscles protested any involvement in doing so.
The small yet gaping hole in the roof that ran straight through the house was suddenly enlarged as the embodiment of his torment flew crashing in. Chunks of debris of every size fell from the ceiling as the damage increased, he closed his eyes and turned his head into the ground in an attempt to protect himself…or what was left of him.
If his end was to come he would not go down like a coward…he had dealt with enough of those to know that their pitiful end was easily forgotten…no matter how difficult he would try to cause some damage to this monstrosity.
He willed his transformation rings to life and slowly he tried to change back…but he failed…and he was left with even less energy than before. He could give up…
Suddenly he heard a loud, ear-straining bestial roar and Vlad strained his spiralling vision to see that the beast was no longer staring down at him. It had turned around to face seven glowing Spectrals one of whom it seemed had attacked, but he couldn't see which one…perhaps he had been wrong, his staff were as stupid as their appearances suggested…if he could be reduced to this with one attack, what made them think they could do anything to help. Which one of them had foolishly condemned the seven of them?
They should have just stayed hidden while it killed him…
…Then it hit him…they were trying to distract it…but what was the use if he couldn't even move? They were all dead…well he was dead and they were…more dead…
Despite the fact that he was most likely condemning himself; Vlad forced himself to his knees as silently as his body would permit and forced his hands to glow with weak, reluctant electricity. Once it was done he took aim and fired…and once more there was a feral scream that shook the house down to its foundations and made them tremble with fear.
It quickly took aim at the Spectrals and fired them through the walls with a powerful culmination of angry black fire. Then it turned back to Vlad…with the distractions out of the way it was free to kill its prey however it wanted.
Was this how Daniel felt when Vlad had him cornered in one of his 'plans'? This helplessness was unbearable and he had vowed a long time ago to never feel like this again…but everyone can be bested by something…no matter how strong you were there was always something more powerful. Strangely it was that thought that had helped to encourage him…he wanted to be the top of the food-chain…and for a while he thought he was…Until tonight…
Vlad raised a battered, bleeding hand to create a weak ecto-shield…which was effortlessly batted away with the beasts hand like a fly! It came again and it the clawed hand threw the billionaire into a flaming wall. With a grunt of pain Vlad forced open his eyes and forced another shield to life in front of him, he hoped it was stronger than the last one…
He was rewarded when the bestial hand was allowed to come no further, it had been stopped…for the moment. How long could Vlad keep this up… an hour… half an hour…he very much doubted it, his vision was already fading and he didn't even have the strength to retreat. Analysing the situation had never failed him before…Until tonight…
When he thought all was lost he faintly heard the crackling sound of an energy blast in the deathly silence…he heard an ear-shattering scream and a war-like 'smash.' He couldn't be sure what had happened…he could only be sure that the callous attack on his shield had ended; he no longer felt its strain on his lifeless arms.
With unwilling eyes Vlad was able to see a blurred image of a purple distortion…not black…an amethyst blur hovered over him…was this another threat? He was sure he felt his weakened ghost sense warn him…but he was too far gone to be sure.
It regarded him for a second and for a while Vlad willed his eyes to remain open…he needed to see what this new threat was…but then all presence of it simply vanished…and he wasn't sure whether there had been anything there at all…had it been his desperate imagination?
Whatever it was it had provided the billionaire with a second chance and he did not intend to waste it!
Pushing aside the protests of his deteriorating body he willed his mind to comply…and he was rewarded when he felt his body alight with electricity…his very heart was driving the force through his veins and into his limbs. He was not weak…this was what power felt like…real power and he would use it to save his life…he would not die here, not now!
He let lose all of this accumulating power and prayed that it hit its target, and when he heard a hoarse, feral screech tear its way through his ear drums he couldn't help but smile.
He never lost!
His senses took over as he could no longer rely on his blurred vision alone; the black beast was simmering in a corner…its body no longer aflame…it presence felt weaker…no longer the awe inspiring image it had once been. Vlad felt its anger and its pain…and he watched as it simply vanished. The black fires receded and the corner where it had landed was now devoid of dark monsters.
Its black death-like presence was removed from his mansion as if it had never been there at all…of course the damage said differently but now all felt…almost calm.
He froze on his knees…it had gone…he had won and he was alive…Vlad forced his eyes to remain open with herculean effort and once he was completely satisfied that the threat had, for some unfathomable reason, vacated the premises he allowed himself the luxury of painless oblivion…
It had taken him weeks to fully recover, he had used too much of his power in that fight, but once he had woken his servants had informed him that they had repaired the house and that, to explain his absence, he had gone on a 'business trip' to survey his many financial investments.
But that was the least of his worries; he'd demanded to know what had attacked him, he'd demanded to know why and how it had gained the upper hand so easily. But they'd had no answers to give him. Most of the house had been badly damaged as the flames had spread quickly…far more quickly than mortal fire…but the damage had been repaired. Also many of his cameras had been destroyed…they were unable to repair them.
The only image he was left with was what he could remember, and much of that had most likely been distorted by primal fear…not something he was able to control and he cursed the annoying beast that had spoilt his afternoon.
He had still not discovered what the purple blur had been, was it friend or foe?
His musing were cut short as Vlad heard the sleeping child stir, Danny yawned and stretched his arms and legs, he glanced around the Spectre Speeder when his eyes finally settled on Vlad.
Danny sighed and frowned, once more he had been hoping and praying that the whole thing had been a dream…but now he was just waking up and this was the nightmare…there was no escaping it. "Where are we?" he asked quietly as he debated whether or not to just give up and stare completely out of the window. At the moment he could see the Zone out of the corner of his eyes, but it wasn't the same as seeing something directly in your line of sight.
"No-where special," Vlad replied without taking his eyes of the 'road.'
"I could drive for a bit, y'know," he suggested quietly. Maybe Vlad needed a break too; he wasn't trying to be generous or anything, Danny just figured that since they had a truce it was only fair that they both got to rest.
"I don't think so, Daniel" Vlad replied with a smile.
"Hey! Why not? I can drive just fine y'know," Danny defended, he had driven his parents Assault Vehicle plenty of times…and he drove it better than his dad anyway. "And how many times; it's Danny! DA-NNY!" he sounded his name phonetically and crossed his arms, "Not like there's anything to crash into, anyway," he muttered bitterly.
"That's as may be, but I will be doing the driving," Vlad answered in a rather amused voice, he wondered what had prompted the offer from the stubborn teen.
"Fine," Danny replied tersely and turned his eyes out of the window. Once you got used to it it wasn't so bad…okay…it was still bad, but it wasn't sending Danny into a quivering mass in the corner and that was good enough for him. Maybe Vlad had been right; practice helped…Danny cringed at the memory of his little episode earlier…that had been embarrassing, and he did all he could to push it from his mind.
They lapsed into silence once more, both half-ghosts deep in thought; Vlad had been surprised that they had not been attacked again, or even followed, he would know if they had been. But he would have sent things after his prey to catch it…maybe he really didn't understand how the monstrous Calidae's mind worked. And unfortunately that was another disadvantage…he didn't even know what it wanted and without that he had no hope of understanding its motives. If he didn't learn anything from this 'trip,' then he really had no idea what else to do…
Meanwhile Danny was busy attempting to count the number of small floating rocks out of the window as a means of distracting himself from lapsing into fear. There were goose-bumps on his arms and the back of his neck despite the warm sweater but it could have been worse, he could deal with it. It wasn't like he was a stranger to fear.
As he continued to glance out of the window a strange sight caught his eye; it was a single black feather fluttering past as if caught in a non-existent breeze. Danny watched it as it quickly passed out of sight and was replaced with another and another until the whole side window was covered in them. "Err…Vlad…" he muttered hurriedly.
"Hmm…"
"What's that?" Danny asked quietly and pointed over to his right.
Vlad turned his head to look out of the window and saw a lethal looking cloud of black mist, there appeared to be thousands of black feathers and dark flames that made up a thick swarm. Within seconds this swarm had grown and spread and was now visible from every angle in all its horrifying glory.
Here was the attack he had been anticipating, and he mentally swore at whatever deity was listening…this was not his day…or his week…or his month really!
What the hell was he supposed to do now? Put up the shield and hope for the best? Would it even hold against all of that? They would have to fight…and now the fun begins!
(*1) Did I hint at this enough? The poor, unfortunate secretary has been overshadowed by…well you tell me…
Oh and I didn't know if they number the Private rooms or not so don't shout at me if they don't, I don't tend to spend a lot of time hanging round in hospitals.