Danny stepped into a large room. On one side sat his friends and family tied up and gagged with normal rope. They all stared at him as he stepped into the room and they shouted muffled cries that sounded like warnings. Danny swept his gaze over them, but they were unharmed. Although he could tell that they hadn't come without a fight considering their torn clothes and tousled hair, but they were unharmed. In a dark corner was a woman wearing a green kimono and a grinning mask, weapons were strapped to her hips and her back, evident by the hilts of blades visible over her shoulders. There were a few black garbed people spread through the room, in particular close to Danny's loved ones. They reminded him of ninjas.
He then turned to the man and woman standing in the middle of the room. The man had a bald head and wore a suit. Lex Luthor stood in a relaxed posture, almost like he was waiting for a business partner for a lunch meeting rather than a ticked off half-ghost. The woman had long brown hair and wore a dark suit. She had no expression on her face and despite seeming relaxed, Danny could recognise a ready posture when he saw it. It was discrete but he saw it. He understood that this woman was guarding Luthor and so was a lot more dangerous than she seemed. Which explained Luthor's ease in this tense situation.
Agents O and K stepped out of the way on either side of the double doors, blocking the exit should Danny try anything. Luthor smiled at Danny.
"Hello Danny, I can call you that right?" Luthor greeted him. Danny decided to play it safe and pretend he didn't know who Luthor was.
"Sure. Better than some of the things I've been called in the past," Danny replied, giving an obvious glare towards the Guys in White behind him. Luthor nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure. I do apologise for your treatment in their labs," Luthor retorted, giving a scolding scowl to the agents as well. Danny raised a questioning eyebrow.
"What do you mean? How did you know about that?" Danny asked worriedly. Anyone that didn't know him would think he was nervous, but he knew his friends would pick up on his true intention.
Luthor blinked.
"I was under the impression you were aware of my involvement with the Guys in White," Luthor remarked, confused. Danny frowned and shook his head.
"Sorry. No. Do you mind, who are you?" Danny lied. Luthor recovered from the surprise and drew himself to his full height proudly.
"Lex Luthor, founder and CEO of LexCorp. Fore runner in technology, rivalled only by Wayne Industries. Star labs and Axion labs are a close second of course," Luthor introduced himself. Danny blinked and nodded.
"Oh. Sorry for not recognising you. I'm not really up to date on the news. Been a busy couple of years," Danny apologised carefully. Luthor smiled in an understanding way.
"It's fine Danny. I don't blame you. Youth today are rarely interested in politics, right?" Luthor offered and Danny gave a tentative smile in agreement.
"Kaldur, I'm in the control room now. I'll have visual on Danny and hopefully the Leaguers and his loved ones soon," Robin announced over the mind link. Danny kept his face neutral as he scanned the room.
"You have a lot of guards Mr. Luthor," Danny remarked. Luthor scanned the room before smiling.
"I do. But I suppose, we should get to business. If you aren't aware of my involvement, then I doubt you'd know of the Light," Luthor decided. Danny frowned questioningly.
"Light? Is that a branch of the Guys in White?" Danny inquired with a confused expression. Luthor smirked and shook his head.
"No. The Light are far more influential and discrete than this government funded organisation," Luthor corrected. Danny frowned again, seemingly in thought.
"But if you're not part of the Guys in White, then… how is it you can order these guys around? Because the Guys in White have never taken humans before and I noticed that you're the one in charge," Danny pointed out.
Luthor blinked in surprise at the question.
"I give additional funding to this organisation in return for being kept up to date on their projects. You're surprisingly perceptive Danny," Luthor remarked. Danny shrugged.
"Having a clueless reputation helps with my line of work. I'm not stupid," Danny replied honestly. He only did badly at school due to lack of sleep and time because of ghost fights. In fact the lack of sleep, did sometimes make him a little slow on the uptake, but since being with the team, he'd caught up on his sleep and improved in his studies with Red Tornado. Luthor nodded.
"I see. Then I assume that you understand that I mean you and your loved ones no harm," Luthor commented.
Danny gave his family and friends an obvious glance.
"Then why take them? What do you want if you're not with the Guys in White?" Danny asked. Luthor nodded.
"You are a very elusive man to find Danny. I needed to get your attention somehow. I want to give you an offer," Luthor explained. Danny blinked at being referred to as a man. A moment ago he was being told that he wasn't even human. It suddenly struck Danny how Luthor truly didn't see him as a ghost only. But he kept his expression impassive.
"An offer?" Danny prompted.
"Icon and Plastic Man are on the second basement. They seem to be unconscious. Danny and his loved ones are with Luthor in a large room on the ground floor," Robin informed the team.
"Team alpha, go to Icon and Plastic Man. Team beta, go to Danny. Robin, direct us," Aqualad ordered. Danny ignored the exchange.
"That's right Danny. I would like you to work for us," Luthor continued.
"Work for you? Doing what?" Danny inquired with obvious suspicion. Luthor chuckled.
"Oh, just little jobs here and there. I don't wish to stop you fighting those other ghosts. I'd just like you to offer your unique abilities for our plans. It wouldn't be anything big, I assure you. A simple infiltration here. Maybe a little destruction there," Luthor answered.
Danny considered the man as he ignored Robin's mental directions to the others. He knew what Luthor was asking. He wanted Danny to be a hired gun. His own personal mercenary. Which Danny was never going to agree to.
"What's in it for me?" Danny inquired, trying to stall until the team could reach him.
"Well, firstly, as part of the Light, I can make sure that the Guys in White leave you alone and those reports detailing their experiments could disappear. In addition, your loved ones would be under our protection and you would be paid. Handsomely I'll add," Luthor offered with a warm smile. Danny blinked. It was admittedly a very generous offer. One that he would be a fool to decline in all honesty. Immunity from the Guys in White. His secret protected. His family and friends protected. And all he had to do was break the law and take a step closer to becoming his evil self… that was a deal breaker. He made a promise and he intended to keep it even if he never technically made the promise since it never happened due to Clockwork rewinding time.
"And the alternative?" Danny asked carefully.
"Do I need to go into specifics Danny?" Luthor retorted and waved a hand in his loved ones' direction. Danny licked his lips and shook his head.
"Guys, running out of material!" Danny warned the others.
"We're almost there Danny. Keep stalling," Aqualad replied.
"What makes you think that I'd want to destroy things?" Danny inquired. Luthor frowned.
"Come now Danny. I have been funding the Guys in White for years. They've told me how destructive ghosts like to be. You may only be half-ghost but I've seen the evidence of that urge inside you. Your human half is holding you back from reaching your potential Danny. I'm offering you a chance to really let loose in a controlled way. Think of it this way, you're a loaded gun. Your human half is the safety lock. I'm giving you the opportunity to fire that gun at a safe target," Luthor explained.
Danny bit his lip to prevent a snide remark. They thought ghosts were mindless destructive creatures unable to control themselves. They thought that he was only different because of his human half. How wrong could they be!? However Danny could see that if that was the case, Luthor's offer was very tempting.
"You shouldn't believe everything they tell you Mr. Luthor. There are a number of misconceptions about ghosts," Danny informed the businessman. Luthor's frown deepened. Danny could sense that he was getting himself into trouble but as long as he could keep Luthor talking, the team had a chance at getting to them before things took a turn for the worst.
"Misconception? Danny, I've read the reports. I know about that scream of yours during the experimentation," Luthor pointed out. Danny bit his lip. He glanced at his family before deciding to keep the conversation going.
"That wasn't what it seemed Mr. Luthor. I wasn't actually aware of what I was doing. I didn't want to destroy, I wanted to escape. There's a big difference," Danny admitted.
"Are you saying that power was a defence mechanism?" Luthor realised, raising an eyebrow. Danny nodded.
"Yeah. It was. I didn't mean to do it. My powers are sometimes instinctive. I don't always realise what I'm doing. Most of the time, I activate my powers for the first time by accident. Like my ghost ray. It was instinct that I later learned to control," Danny explained. He just had to keep Luthor talking.
Luthor frowned in thought.
"I see. So, my offer?" Luthor asked. Danny bit his lip.
"Guys! Seriously running out of material!" Danny mentally shouted.
"Hold on. We're almost there," Aqualad assured him.
"It is a very generous offer Mr. Luthor," Danny admitted. Luthor nodded.
"It is," the businessman agreed. Danny glanced around the room, playing for time.
"I need an answer Danny. I'm not a very patient man," Luthor warned. Danny bit his lip and turned his gaze to his family and friends, desperately trying to draw out the wait for his necessary answer. Luthor tutted.
"I guess that's my answer right there. Very well, I tried. But if you refuse to be my ally, I can't exactly let such a unique resource go. Doctor!" Luthor concluded.
Danny snapped his gaze to the businessman.
"Wait!" Danny shouted before crying out and falling to his knees as a piercingly loud noise filled the room. The humans were unaffected but he and Cujo were in pain. Cujo whined and held his paws over his ears in an effort to drown out the sound. Danny rammed his hands over his ears, noticing that the ear with his Fenton phone wasn't nearly as painful as his bare ear was. As a result he heard Luthor's next order before the noise intensified.
"Restrain him. Kill the children, they are of no use to me. But keep the adults alive. Their expertise is invaluable," Luthor decided.
Oh no! What will happen?!
Will the team get there in time to save Danny and his loved ones?
Let me know your theories.
Until the next chapter.
