Chapter Thirty-Five: Wicked

Vlad knew something. Jack knew he did. He knew something, maybe more than the rest of the town knew. And yet, if he knew the truth, why was he still out of jail? Why was he still alive? Phantom had escaped and gone missing, and when asked if he'd seen him Vlad had replied he hadn't seen him since he was last in Amity Park. Where had Phantom gone? The Ghost Zone?

Better not try searching for him, Jack decided. That would be suicide; Phantom had far too many allies and near-allies in that place. Far too many times, he'd seen them work with him against a mutual enemy and he would most certainly classify as a 'mutual enemy'.

While he hated to lose such a valuable specimen, it wasn't worth risking his life entering his territory. He'd sealed off the Ghost Portal after Danny's death, afraid of Phantom coming after him. He hadn't slept well at all, and when people asked he just said it was because of his only son's death. How could he tell them that he was afraid of seeing those glowing green eyes coming at him, fists glowing with an ecto-blast too fast for Jack to dodge, lips parting with a devastating Ghostly Wail? How could he tell them that he had nightmares of the ghost boy, when he was supposed to be strong enough to defeat him?

Therefore going INTO his territory, no matter how many ghosts he shared it with, was suicide. He'd heard Danny pleading for him not to kill him, but Phantom's icy gaze clawed at his mind.

"Jack?" Vlad asked, looking up from a box of Danny's stuff he was helping to pack away. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm alright." Jack said, then shook his head. "No, I'm not alright. My son is dead…My son is dead and his killers are still out there!"

"I'll see what I can do about that." Vlad promised. "I have a lot of power in high places; surely I can arrange the arrest of the ones who harmed your son."

"Right, that would be great." Jack nodded, but still looked nervous.

"Do you think they'll come after the rest of your family?" Vlad asked.

"Yes, but especially me." Jack replied. Those poisonous green eyes…so intense, he felt ice in his blood when they stared at him with such hatred. He was sure to kill him for what he had done, and he knew that Phantom could do it too, so why hadn't he? Why had he just VANISHED? "Vladdy, you sure you haven't seen Phantom around at all? I mean, not in Wisconsin or anything?"

"No, I haven't." Vlad said impatiently. "He'll show up when he shows up, can you really expect him to stick around when the whole city hates him? You say Danny was calling for him, maybe Danny was the only reason he protected this place."

"I hadn't thought of that." Jack said grimly. "You do have a point, though. They must've been close."

"Maybe he went back to the Ghost Zone finally." Vlad shrugged. "I'm sure he has a home there. The other ghosts seem to."

Jack looked towards the sealed portal, deciding that it was a brilliant idea to seal it off completely. Maybe he should dismantle it…no, Maddie would ask why or say to leave it up.

"C'mon, Dan, chug it down!" Tucker urged, handing over a tall chocolate-malt milkshake.

"There is ice-cream in it, I don't feel like 'chugging down' a brain-freeze." Dan replied, raising an eyebrow.

"C'mon, I dare you!" Tucker insisted.

"If you think I will listen to something as silly as a 'dare', then you're sorely mistaken." Dan started to eat it, then paused with a smirk. "However, if you're so insistent on someone doing it…" He pushed the milkshake across the table to Tucker. "Chug it down."

"No, no, I—"

"I dare you." Dan smirked. Tucker hesitated then picked up the glass, starting to drink out of it and tipping his head back as he drank and sucked up the ice-cream.

"You're mean." Sam grinned at Dan.

"He started it." Dan shrugged.

Valerie held up her phone. "This is going on the internet."

"That's a lot of ice-cream!" Sam shook her head.

"Don't dish out what you can't take yourself." Dan said matter-of-factly.

"Wow, he's really chugging it!" Valerie laughed, still recording.

Dan, Sam and Valerie watched as the milkshake and all the ice-cream disappeared into Tucker's mouth and down his throat and then he slammed down the empty glass with a "Ahhhhh!" sigh, chocolate all over his face.

"He seems okay." Sam commented.

"Wait for it…" Dan grinned.

"…..OWWWWWW!" Tucker held his head with both hands, curling up in his seat. "My brain! My brain is frozen! It hurrrrts!"

Dan laughed, smacking the table with his hand a couple times. "And you wanted to do that to me!"

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again! Owww!" Tucker whimpered.

"You're so mean, Dan!" Valerie laughed, lowering her phone.

"That was wicked!" Sam laughed.

Dan chuckled and leaned back in his seat, looking proud of himself. Tucker took a bit to recover and gave a puppy face after he finally did. "Learned your lesson, Tucker?"

"Yes." Tucker sighed dramatically. "I cannot defeat you, Sir Dan. You have defeated me."

"Oh, stop being silly." Sam pushed Tucker off his chair, grinning down at him when he protested from the floor.

The door opened and Vlad stepped in, looking around. "I thought as much." He walked over to them. "Dan, it's time for us to go. It's late, and we have an early flight tomorrow."

"Already?" The others protested. Dan nodded and got up, his outfit now visible to the older man. He raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, trying not to say anything in front of Dan's friends.

"Let's go." Vlad said, walking out the door again. Dan nodded and moved to follow.

"Wait!" Valerie got up and ran after Dan, grabbing his cloak.

"Hm?" He turned to her and was surprised by her lips meeting his swiftly. He blinked twice and then she pulled back, leaving him dumbfounded.

"Uhm…be sure to write." Valerie said, then ran out past Vlad.

"Well." Vlad watched her go.

"That happened." Tucker commented.

"That was bold." Sam whistled softly.

"Dan? Are you alright?" Vlad placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Uhm…yeah. I'm fine." Dan followed Vlad out, his right hand reaching up to touch his still-warm lips. 'Valerie…kissed me?' He thought. 'She…likes me?'

Vlad glanced at him as they walked and let out a soft sigh. It seemed they had a loooong conversation coming up.