The day started out as usual in Wisconsin, but as a cement truck was heading out, a ghost floated to the front of the new and impressive housing before him as he spoke with glee. "At last, my new mansion is complete!" Vlad phased through the house as Plasmus as he commented on each part of the house, starting with the master bedroom. "Bigger and better than what it was before!"
He phased into the kitchen that was just as meticulous as the bedroom. "Everything is absolute state of the art!" He then phased through to the underground with a hidden lab was set up.
"Including my new subterranean Ghost Lab. Completely undetectable to prying eyes." Finally, he headed for the study and reverted to being Masters as he beamed.
"This showplace is the pure embodiment of me; Larger than life, reeking of money and power and totally impenetrable."
No sooner had he said it, a loud rumble shook through the place as he exclaimed. "What in blazes-!?" The wall were torn down when a GIW tank rolled in, Vlad blinking in surprise before O and K popped out of it with GIW shocktroopers rushing in the wake with sledgehammers.
"Operation White Wall is go! Tear this place apart. If there's Ghost Contraband in here, we'll find it!"
"See here! I demand an explanation!" Vlad shouted for some sanity as to why the government was trashing his place.
"Save it for the slow and painful interrogation, rich boy!" The troopers started to trash the whole place apart as Vlad bellowed.
"NOOOO!" Like a house of cards, the whole place fell apart and what was left was rubble as Vlad shouted in dismay. "My precious house! Ruined! AGAIN!" He shouted with grabbing some books that were left alive and the Agents were about to call it as a false lead before the ground shook again and all turned to find a behemoth of a creature phasing through the ground as it bellowed.
"Who dares defile this sacred land, who dares incur the wrath of Molapore!" The monster roared with going to town on the agents as they made to fight back before Vlad noticed that the creature had dropped something beside him and he picked it up to read, blinking to find that it was actually written with ghost sigils, a language only ghosts, Demis, and people who are able to translate it naturally or artificially could read.
'Dear Vladimir Masters,
On behalf of Team Phantom, I wish to apologize for Danny's immature prank on your new home. He believed that, with getting a new home, you could return to attacking him again and he didn't wish to be contending with both your intents and other ghosts wrecking havoc in Amity.
That said, do be aware that this is the start of a 'prank war', but I am sending this letter via a 'favor' to see what can be done and how 'durable' your new home would be, I will personally give a guess on the level and material if you contact me on this frequency.
Knowledge is Power, guard it well,
Cedric Trace & Company.' Vlad blinked as he even saw the frequency that he could tune into as he folded the paper and pocketed it as he mused.
"So that's it... All right then, Daniel. Game on." Vlad turned to the GIW who were scowling at the retreating ghost, wounded it, but couldn't capture it with the current setup, he spoke in drawing their attention. "I didn't know about that ghost or what contraband you could have found here, but just to be on the safe side, couldn't you also investigate another location to be?" Vlad asked with a small smile.
As for Amity Park, the party watched the news on Danny's computer as Shelly made the report.
"Although no ecto contraband was found, it's certain that the mansion itself didn't stand a ghost of a chance against the government onslaught and the sudden behemoth attacking it! Now, on to the upcoming, mayoral elections..." Danny shut it off as he, Tucker, and Topaz laughed it up while Sam looked at them with disapproval and Talia hummed with Cedric holding her gently as Tucker started it off.
"Oh man! That's got to be the greatest practical joke ever!"
"The Cheese Head should have been insured BEFORE the feds came a-busting in!" Topaz smirked as Danny cheered with pumped arms.
"YES! I really knocked Vlad off his high horse this time!" He turned to look at the party as he beamed. "I mean, can you even imagine his face when the feds busted in on him like that?" Just as he said that, the 'feds' busted right in as O and K, armed with mallets and rappelling gear as O exclaimed.
"Nobody move! This is a raid!" Sam broke the silence as she glared at Danny for this turnabout.
"Um, I think I have a pretty good idea..."
With that, the agents went to town on the room as Danny exclaimed. "That's my computer!" The bed was next. "My bed!" The dresser was wrecked by K. "My dresser!" O made for the TV, but just as he swung, the door opened and the mallet hit someone as Danny exclaimed. "MY DAD!" Cedric decided NOW was the perfect time to step in as Talia nodded as the parents entered the room with Maddie trying to figure what the heck is going on.
"Danny, what on earth is going on?" Jack recovered to realize who was in the room.
"Cool! The Guys in White are trashing our house! They're my heroes!"
"JACK!" Maddie glared at the man as he made to correct himself.
"Er, I mean... QUIT TRASHING OUR HOUSE!" He tried to rant, but got distracted by the blaster on O's back. "Hey, is that the Ecto-Annihilator 47? Those things rock!"
"Stand down, Fenton." O spoke as he laid out the reason why they are there. "Our intel says you're harboring Ghost Fugitives."
"We're shutting you down! Lock, stock, and Ghost lab!" Sudden, the air hummed with power as all turned to the Iron Exorcist pointing a palm at them and a clear blue glow to it.
"You have a warrant or does a thermal round of ecto-plasma nicely go with white?"
"Warrant?" The agents started to laugh before Sam caught on and played it.
"Laugh it up boys, but page 198, sub-chapter 7; paragraph 37B of the Anti-Ghost Code says you need a warrant, unless exigent circumstances supersede the authority of the judge or magistrate." She beamed as K repeated two words from the sentence.
"Exigent circumstances?" He laughed as O shut him down.
"Save it, K. We don't even know what that means." Talia joined in as she spoke.
"Exigent means requiring immediate aid or action, and in this situation, you are overstepping the lines, unless you wish to take this up with the court?" To this, the agents looked utter fearful, getting pulled into court was the last thing they needed as they made to leave before making a warning.
"You're off the hook until we can get a warrant... Or a legal dictionary..." Maddie facepalmed on the stupidity of some people as Jack spoke in offering.
"Stay for dinner, fellas?" Maddie glared at her husband as he spoke. "It's just a bit polite, but okay." He shouted to the agents. "GET OUTTA MY HOUSE! And... I, uh... any chance you can hook me up with one of those ecto-annihilator thingies?" He followed them out with Maddie following suit as the energy rested and Danny spoke up.
"Thanks for the backup, guys. I'm glad you're up with your Anti-ghost laws, book definitions, and intimidation skills."
"Book definitions/Intimidation Skills... Right." Both Talia and Cedric voiced as the other glanced over to them, Talia was a sure thing of being quite a knowledge sponge, but Cedric's tone was not, he could have really killed or hurt them and what was Ecto-plasma? Sam recovered to voice her acknowledge.
"No problem." Her eyes swept across the ruined room in understanding. "They really did a number on your room, though."
"Yeah... and I don't think they acted alone." Cedric sighed at his tone, but let it go as he headed out with Talia as she spoke.
"So, this 'prank war', do you think that Daniel will go too far and make himself a target of pure spite?"
"That is almost a certainty, but let's just stay out of it for now." Cedric voiced as he brought up the display again and picked out materials and structure supports before confirming. "Yep, it's official, Danny actually did a service, the workmanship on Vlad's place was shoddy, utter garbage." He mentally typed up the report and closed the display before taking Talia to Nasty Burger for some food...
The TV played in the shower at the Regal Hotel as Lance Thunder made his report about Vlad. "One time community pillar Vlad Masters insists he had nothing to hide." Vlad came out of the shower as he commented with some resent.
"'One time pillar' indeed. Danny Fenton has tarnished my reputation and has made me the laughingstock of Wisconsin!" He growled with wrapping a towel around his waist in speaking. "And no one bows down to a laughingstock!" He left the bathroom behind as he mused, also getting the feeling that he should bind the towel tight for some reason. "But I'm sure that my shrewd countermove has put the skids to his 'high-jinks'."
"We now go live to breaking news from helicopter 2, flying above the hotel." He switched off the main TV before he paused.
"What hotel?" Within seconds, a massive wind current flowed through the room and he glanced out to find that his wall was missing and there were three news copters floating right there as he swiftly kept his towel from flying as he shouted in annoyance.
"Oh, butter brickle!" Above the hotel was the Specter Speeder with two residents laughing as they watched Vlad through a TV screen in the console as Tucker spoke.
"Whoa, can you say 'too much information'?" He laughed as Sam snickered as well to the scene.
"Maybe when I'm done suppressing my gag reflex." Sam reached up to the headphones she had on as she asked the pair doing the act. "You okay down there, Danny and Topaz?" McLain and Phantom had spread a sheet of invisibility to the wall on differing sides as Danny commented.
"Better than ever! An invisible wall! Top that, Plasmius!"
"We are sticking it to the man right now, talk about a news flash!" But it was just the beginning as the day soon rolled in and Lunch Time was happening at Casper High as Sam and Topaz joined Tucker at the table with Sam asking.
"Hey Tucker, Danny stashed away in the locker room as usual?"
"You know Mr. Modesty! After Gym Class, when he cleans, he cleans alone."
"Even when Dash and the jocks are laying off him, Baby Pop is still so nervous for anyone to see him, but I honestly gotta wonder..." Topaz smirked a bit. "...how much of him is actually string and how much is cord." Sam blinked before her face lit up as she spoke.
"Like that will ever happen." But the room filled with laughter as the trio dismissed their lunches to see what is going on and popped to the front of a crowd to see someone shower before the steam faded away and the laughter turned to silence and gasps as while Danny Fenton was showering, his body was marked all around and some briefly glanced to Dash as he shook his head before Danny turned and the girls felt a lot hotter as Danny's frame was not string, it was athlete bulk, with a four-pack to boot before he noticed the crowd and, in a moment of utter amuse, he smirked with running a hand over his pecs, also knowing who was behind this act.
"Did you get your tickets for a gun show, because this is no peep show." Most of the girls actually dropped to the seductive words and movement and the guys wolf-whistled and cheered while Topaz and Sam starting having blood dripping down their noses as Tucker tried to defuse the situation.
"A ghost kid with tan lines... Who knew!" He shrugged, but they were dazed to the look and went nuclear to the wink he gave them before they toppled, both noses bleeding out in bliss.
Later on, the gang headed to the Nasty Burger and Cedric raised a brow and Talia blinked with a blush with how protective and wanting the two girls now clinging to Danny were as Talia cleared her voice and asked.
"So, how about that big mayor election?" The room was quite the scene as Danny spoke with girls ogling him and guys in awe of him.
"Changing the subject isn't going to happen, Talia!" Danny could sink in his seat as he spoke. "I swear, I didn't think I suddenly had that kind of reaction from anyone in school before..."
"Well, you have been working out, Danny..." A teen behind Tucker's seat cheered before zooming back down as the tech-geek spoke with Ferdinand panting beside him. "...So the next few weeks are gonna be brutal on your 'loser' stance." Danny made to eat his Nasty Burger, but a gloved hand snatched it as his eyes trailed up to the face of K as he commanded.
"Everybody, out! This is an evacuation!" The occupants looked to the door as GIW troopers rushed in past O who explained.
"This place is being demolished by orders of the new owner." Danny stood up and rushed over with the gang behind him as he inquired, being freed from Sam and Topaz now to find out.
"New owner?" O and an trooper parted to Vlad walking in and wearing a smug look on his face as he spoke.
"That's right, Daniel..." Danny gasped in shock as Vlad explained. "You know, these walls are infested with harmful ecto-bestos." Cedric looked and then glared as Vlad continued his rant. "As the new proprietor, it is my duty to tear this place down." He then leaned in close as he spoke in a whisper. "With your own extensive background in demolition, I'm sure you understand, yes?" He smiled as Danny frowned as he turned to Cedric who replied.
"Temporal fluxing, Vlad's right, there is some 'explosive' asbestos going on." Vlad blinked in surprise, but regained his composure as the crowd was ushered out before a big truck with a large pummeling cylinder drove right up and O ordered the task through a walkie-talkie.
"One, two, three… demolish!" The crowd looked back to the structure as the cylinder dropped, it hit before the ground rumbled with a big boom under the cylinder and the top popped in molten metal, the ground bubbling as Dash exclaimed, saying the first thing on his mind over the 'explosion' that just happened from the cylinder.
"How could they!? I did some of my best nerd wailing in the men's room there!" Tucker plucked up a lid and mourned.
"Farewell, old friend! We hardly knew ye!" He cried with rubbing it on his cheek with Ferdinand whimpering as Vlad leaned close to Danny as he spoke.
"Let this be a lesson, Danny. I put the 'pro' in Quid-pro-quo. Not that you're bright enough to know what that means..." He paused to continued. "Also, sorry about trashing your hangout, but I do need to make some form of business here, Young Badger." Danny turned and ranted back in the whisper.
"I get the idea and I don't like it! Believe me, this isn't over yet!" He frowned with going to walk right past before he whispered back with a breath. "Also thanks, it may be a hangout, but it was... something a bit worse, thanks for taking out the sauce, too much heat and two blocks would have been gone." Vlad hummed as he turned in following the gang walk away.
"Oh good, I'll take that as a challenge..." His eyes trailed up to the billboard, prompting the 'Montez for Mayor' sign and smirked as he continued to speak. "And I do SO enjoy being the challenger..."
The next day had the coverage going on for the election day as Shelly made the news. "Our Election Day coverage continues!" Maddie and Jack watched it as Danny came in with trying to ask.
"Hey dad, is it okay if-"
"Behbeheh, not now, Daniel! It's Election Day and I've got my voting shoes on!" The shoes were red, white, and blue to Danny raising a brow as Jack stood up. "I've gotta run out and cast my vote for the next Mayor of Amity Park!" He plucked up a box, filled with 'Vote for Vlad' propaganda before dressing Danny up in the stuff before he spoke up under the sash, digital headband, flags, and badges.
"Vlad Masters for Mayor!?" If this wasn't a prank, it should be, because he...
...Actually, having him as mayor over Montez was a grand idea as Maddie was explaining. "He's a last minute, write-in candidate." She then ranted about it as clear as day. "At least he's channeling his… sociopathic, lonely-bachelor energy into something positive... But he doesn't care about other people!"
"And that's why he'll make a great politician!" Both mother and son glanced at each other as Vlad made his speech.
"If elected, I hope to breathe new life into this town!" The crowd cheered as Jack beamed.
"That's my Vladdie! Breathing lives and taking names! I'm his #1 supporter!" He started to tear up as he mused in glee. "And one day, maybe… His running mate! Hey, Maybe I need some running shoes too!"
"Uh, I gotta go..." Danny answered with taking off the propaganda and dashing out, transforming in the next room before Maddie spoke, shocked and surprised that Danny would just change forms with a flash of light like that as she tried to get Jack to notice as well.
"Did you just see a flash of light?"
"It's only the brightest of a new day dawning on our fair city!" Jack then hugged Maddie with one arm and stuck a thumb up for the man. "Kudos, Vlad!" Danny, on the other hand, wanted to take a more personal touch to the votes as he spoke with phasing through Fenton Works and into the sky.
"They say you can't fight City Hall, but they never said you couldn't fight in it!" He flew far to get to City Hall and see what he could actually do with Vlad's raising status as Shelly and Vlad finished up an interview.
"Thank you for revealing more to us than just your moles, Mr. Masters!"
"Oh no no no no, thank you, dear lady! And remember to vote for citizen Vlad, although I'm sure you will!" He chuckled as he corrected. "By the way, those are beauty marks."
"That is debatable!" She smiled with a leave to his minor surprise before straightening up with a frown before he made to walk away before a pair of hands snatched his ankle, turning him intangible and pulling him down into the basement before dropping him, some piping getting wrecked, but not more so than throwing him as Vlad recovered to muse.
"Why, Daniel! Come to wish your old uncle Vlad good luck, have you?" He stood up as Danny rolled his neck with a small smile.
"Oh, I am, but I am afraid I am getting a tad rustic, so if you please, indulge me."
"Oh, I assure you my boy, it is only just beginning." Vlad beamed as he changed form and the two clashed, Danny getting the upper hand with handspring on some plumbing and launching Vlad through City Hall and out before he paused for a second.
"Wow. Looks like Vlad's a little rusty, which means either I am getting better or he is playing a different game than what I am actually seeing right now." He took flight to following and flew away from a weak barrage of ecto-blasts and sassed a bit. "Is that it? I feel like you forgot some supplements! Here, have a nice dose of vitamin ME!" He closed the gap in dodging Vlad's discs and went into a flurry of attacks before flying down to the crashed Vlad and spoke. "Come on, Plasmus, you're stronger than that, better, what happened to the loving cheesehead who could showcase and wreck my day with four copies of himself?" Vlad smiled in getting up as he voiced back.
"You are quite right, I am much stronger, but today I had to lower my own energy for the grand trick I am about to pull off, a great upset. Behold!" Vlad turned to the voting booths where Danny spotted dozens on dozens of shadowy copies of Vlad's image hovering over the crowds there before swooping in to overshadow all of them as Danny clued in on what Vlad was up to.
"Oh man! He's overshadowing the voters!" He blinked as he spoke. "But to overshadow so many at once, that takes some serious training and will, no way could I pull that off with my own skills..." By the tens, voters made the choice of Vlad Masters over Ernesto Montez as Jack joined the crowd of voters.
"Out of my way, I'm voting for Vlad!" He got overshadowed as well, but he just repeated his speech. "I mean… OUT OF MY WAY! I'm voting for Vlad!" Both blinked as Vlad spoke.
"He just got overshadowed and he still giving that speech?"
"He is VERY proactive and seems to believe that YOU could even be President." Danny snorted as Vlad actually shook in actual terror before he spoke.
"A town is one thing, a nation is a WHOLE new story, never bring that up again, I VERY dislike that much power, could go to my head..."
"Very well..." Danny then tried to bolt. "DAD!" But Vlad slammed into him, sending him flying through the roof walling and down into a car as Shelly reported the sudden upheaval as even signs of support were ferried as well.
"Holy hanging chads! In all my days as a reporter, I've never seen such a ground swell of support for any candidate!" She took a paper given as she spoke. "According to the latest polls, Dark horse, Vlad Masters is the new mayor of Amity Park by a landslide! What an upset!" The possessed crowd cheered as Danny pulled himself free from the wrecked car.
"You're telling me..." Danny quickly looked up as Vlad came charging down before he rolled off to Vlad pounding the car a bit more as he remarked.
"What do you young folk say? 'Don't hate, congratulate'?" He laughed as Danny lightly glared at him as he spoke in reverting back to human. "Oh, what do I care, go ahead and hate..." The crowd and reporter drew close as Danny got out of the way to them.
"And here he is now! The new Mayor elect of Amity Park! Vlad Masters!"
"Masters! Masters! Masters! Masters!" The crowd chanted as Danny was left agape to Vlad grin at the victory before being ushered to the podium later on to the cheering crowd and giving 'peace' signs to them as he spoke.
"Thank you! Thank you one and all!" The crowd cheered as the members watched him as Jack cheered with the crowd.
"Huzzah! The Fentons are one heartbeat away from the Mayor's Office! Next stop, the White House, and I'm gonna be Vlad's number two man!"
"Jack... you're dreaming..." Maddie answered in disbelief as Jack countered freely.
"Am not! Why, just this morning, he told me that when he thinks of number two, he thinks of me!" That could be meant in a number of ways as Vlad spoke.
"I'd like to take a moment now, if I may, to thank a very special person in my life..." But while Jack thought it was him, it was actually someone else as Vlad spoke. "Come on up here! Danny Fenton!" Danny swallowed the fear and stepped forward as the crowd cheered once more as he stood with Vlad rested his hands on him in whispering. "I'm rubbing your nose in this mess you made, Daniel. Doesn't it smell yummy?" Danny lightly shrugged to that idea as Vlad turned Danny around and spoke of his plans for Amity. "It was this young man who inspired me to pursue my true calling! Politics! For that, I owe him a debt. And I will pay it by protecting him and all the precious children of Amity Park from the biggest problem facing this town... Ghosts!" The masses cheered once more as Sam groaned.
"Uh-oh, I have a bad feeling about this..."
"Relax, Sam! So he will propose a couple of lame laws. How bad could it be?"
Tucker wailed in horror the following day at Casper High. "NOOOOOO!" And for good reason as one of Vlad's acts was the Technus Act, an act that banned all tech-based devices as ghosts had the ability to infiltrate those devices, some even using them to their own advantage as Tucker pleaded with getting dragged by Lancer who was carrying such things, a strict dress code was also imposed as, out of everyone in Amity, it turned out that a majority of goths or people who wear dark and gothic clothes were more susceptible to ghost attacks than actually expected, so Sam's clothes were switched up and, in addition to all that, a curfew was imposed to keep people indoors and away from ghosts, a role call to make sure that everyone was still there before and after, and increased security to keep the peace, though Danny didn't think it was keeping the peace exactly as it was a routine search for any ecto-impurities and move on as the trio met up, with Topaz actually still the same as Tucker picked himself up to speak to his friends. "For the record dude, this reeks..." All of them were in the new attire, but it wasn't too bad, it was quite well-made and tailored to each one and there were no restrictions to instruments, so that was a plus for Topaz.
"And everybody thinks it's your fault, Danny." Sam added with helping to pick up some books that were dropped, the security having checked it and apologized for the mess before heading off to inspect a bit more. "Guilt by association with Vlad."
"Hey, I'm taking the biggest hit here, to be honest!" Danny glanced up with picking up a book to look at a security camera that was instilled to keep an eye out for any eyes, despite it being a tech-item. "With all this surveillance and restrictions, Vlad is making sure that I can almost never go ghost!"
"That might be a good thing..." Tucker voiced as he held up a newspaper with Danny Phantom being considered a 'danger' to society. "Looks like you're paranormal-non-grata again."
"Vlad's claiming that Danny Phantom's presence may be more an invitation to ghosts than a deterrent, so he has imposed a period with no Danny Phantom to see if it does work."
"Which we all know is an absolute load. With me out of the picture, ghosts will be on the loose all over town!"
"Easy, Baby-pop." Topaz spoke before peeking his lips and backing. "Let your Uncle at least have a bit of fun, if he is setting ghost captures, that's on him, he could make this town a bit better beforehand."
"Well... I guess..." Danny moaned as Sam peeked him too before heading off, though Vlad certainly made it a battle as he wasn't setting up easy captures at all, he was actively testing the GIW being employed, even grabbing some familiar faces to do so, as while the more mundane were easily put to stocks, Vlad's ghost contacts were much harder to deal with, even getting into contact with other ghosts to raise some havoc on the town, Vlad making it much better as he had recordings of each fight and capture, showing if Phantom showed up or not and so far, the ghost pop increased, but no Phantom in sight, some ghosts even planning eager to wreck the town without Phantom around to stop them, but the moronic ones got caught while the smart ones gave the force severe troubles as Sam took in the newspapers that had the ghost captures and news the following day.
"Boy, Vlad's PR Machine is really trumping up all this ghost battles."
"All those phony attacks were staged, but even he seems interested in giving the GIW trouble! Vlad's going the distance in convincing everyone that sometimes they don't need me anymore, but others, they NEED something to look to, to keep this from going down... I don't know if I should be happy or upset...
"But on the bright side, at least Vlad's rebuilding our hangout!" The three facepalmed as Topaz dragged her hand down her face.
"Bad Luck Tuck..."
"Hey, I am not jinxing it!" But as they arrived to the new joint, it looked a bit different as Danny exclaimed, teens standing outside to the grand reopening.
"McMasters?" They didn't dare to go in as there was a guard before Danny was the bigger man and approached the guard. "Excuse me, but what's going on?"
"Oh, we are just making sure that adults go first into the new McMasters, limit the rush hour of teens for now, Mayor Masters just wants to make sure everything is up to code before we actively reopen, so can I help you...?"
"Was just asking and thanks for the clarity."
"Good kid, good kid, now beat it for now, kids, we are still a good two days out before teens can come in safely." They nodded in backing off as Dash spoke with passing.
"Geeze, two days without anything based on Nasty Burger, it's going to be a drag for me, but I can work with that, maybe even use the football field a bit more as a hangout." They left as Danny hummed.
"Well, this is a good time to talk to Vlad, see what he has got up his sleeve." The roar of an engine and Danny turned to a jeep driving up and the pair of Cedric and Talia looking back as he spoke.
"Hey, guys, you looking to go somewhere?"
"Just me, and heading to the Mayor's House." Cedric nodded as Danny jumped in as he asked the other three.
"What about you three?"
"I am going to just head home, maybe get some meat in my systems."
"My parents are letting me off with now wearing 'decent' clothes, so I want to reapply my gothic ways, figure out new styles that wouldn't be so tough." Last was Topaz as she spoke.
"...I'm coming with..." She jumped in and landed on Danny's lap as Cedric spoke.
"Buckle up." The two split in getting seated and the jeep took off toward the mayor's house as Danny asked.
"You actually have a license for driving."
"Worked it out, did the paperwork, and even took up an utility permit, so the Fenton vehicles are counted as such, so no troubles."
"What about the mech, the Martyr?" Amber asked as Talia spoke.
"Heavy-duty utility walker, still a permit there." They soon arrived to the house and the two jumped out as Danny thanked them.
"Thanks, guys."
"No problem." They drove off again as the two headed in as a secretary spoke to their arrival.
"You have an appointment?"
"Yes, under Danny Fenton." The woman checked before humming with a understanding tone, Danny surprised that there was an appointment in the first place.
"You are in luck, Mayor Masters is waiting for you, don't keep him for too long now."
"Thank you." Both nodded to each other as Danny walked in and Vlad looked up from his work as he greeted the pair.
"Ah, Daniel, I had a feeling you'd come." He smiled as he continued. "Oh, and you have brought Miss McLain, what a lovely companion you have, along with dear Sam Manson, I approve." He gave a thumbs up as Danny rubbed the back of his head as he spoke with a sigh.
"Look, this goes against everything I stand for but... I'm sorry I played those stupid pranks on you, and I'm hoping you'll accept my apology and stop making things miserable for me and my friends..." He extended out a hand as he asked. "Truce?" Vlad didn't shake, but put the hand down as he spoke.
"There is no need for a truce, Danny, I know you are being a teen and that involves some form of rebellion, we may not be on very friendly terms, but I assure you, you are family, you don't need to feel like I am holding you back or keeping you from doing your hero work." Vlad spoke as he continued. "Think of this as a break for you and your friends." Danny breathed as he nodded as Vlad spoke. "By the way, McMasters..." He visibly shook as he spoke. "I didn't name it and also..." His smile slipped away as he checked the paperwork for something. "That's... odd, there is a pre-approved notice that it is off-limits to teens, but I didn't sign it, that is... unfortunate."
"Can you rescind it?" Danny asked as Vlad nodded.
"Yes, it will take some time, but the Nasty Burger will return and this notice revoked, now... have a nice day, you two." They nodded as Amber spoke.
"Well, now that that's out of the way, I want to do something, come on!" Danny yelped as Topaz dragged him along as Vlad just smiled at the sight.
"Ah, what a sight, I wish Daniel the best with his two female companions..." He turned back to the notice and surveyed it closely... "Montez, what exactly were you planning on doing...?"
It was a fiasco before long, Montez had set up a quiet system for when the Nasty Burger fell that would discredit Vlad, but the Demi was far stronger, wiser, and observant than the former mayor was as he cut a protest on the no-teen policy short, announced that, due to unforeseen events prior to his election, McMasters would be returned to being called Nasty Burger and to make sure everything was in prefect order for the business to continue as is as Danny joined in seeing it through before his eye caught something and he paled as the thin profile of a rifle was seen.
"No..." He sprinted for it as Vlad spotted the rushing Fenton as he spoke.
"Daniel, what's..."
"GET DOWN!" Danny lunged for Vlad, tackling the man before the crack and Danny bared his teeth as Vlad blinked as Danny's leg was punctured and panic set in as the friends called out.
"DANNY!" Vlad quickly turned him over as he spoke, the people out and about scattering to the sudden attack.
"Daniel!"
"F-Freak... I thought that was just a bullet, but it... it's burning... like a fever!" Vlad phased his hand in and bit back pain as he pulled it out and dropped it, his hand burnt, but it was not so painful to what Danny just faced as he pulled him in as he spoke.
"Not one of your pranks?"
"No..."
"Good, because that round was containing an fragment of arid ecto-nite, dangerous stuff naturally grown in the northern territories, has a high heat presence." He bit back a curse as he spoke. "It will purge itself soon, but we need to get you to the hospital quick or the lab, it will need some stitches!"
"G-Got it... Uncle...!" Vlad scowled as another crack hit the podium, missing them, but barely before a scream sounded and Vlad looked to find that someone took out the sniper in time, which meant that their lives were safe for now, he would address the attacker soon, but first, he got up and handed Danny to his parents who arrived to the scene in time. "Get him patched up, he just saved my life..."
"Got it, Vlad, we're on it!" The Fenton RV roared away as Vlad breathed before glancing at his hands and staggering, he was so closer to getting shot and, while his Leyline would keep him alive before his heart repaired itself, he would be a dead man walking and in a hospital from that as he soon felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to the Exorcist as he spoke.
"Mayor Masters, are you injured anywhere?"
"N-No, but Daniel..."
"I saw..." Cedric released as he spoke. "Talia is getting the further details, but no luck, the hitman was hired by Montez, but that's the problem, Montez had given the order months ago, this was set up to put you in the ground."
"Not possible, the Ecto-nite fired was of a fire core, it would have been more advantageous if it was using a wind core or a water core, and those are found in the southern isles." Both shared a look before Cedric picked up the round, its contents intact as he spoke.
"I'll investigate, Mayor, don't you worry."
"Trace, before you go..." Cedric stopped and Vlad spoke. "...If... you ever need some place to rest or sleep, just call me, tell the Fentons, anything, just... don't let the past control you..." Cedric looked back and Vlad watched a tear slipped from under the visor before he spoke.
"Thank you, but I'll be fine..." He rocketed away and Vlad spoke.
"I doubt that as I was the same..." He turned and rested against the podium as he spoke. "This should have been a draw, a way to do a rematch with young Daniel, but..." His covered left eye glowed an powerful white as he spoke. "Now... it is personal, someone wanted me weakened, someone wanted me on this target..." He gripped his hand as he spoke. "I will pay them back for this, that... is a promise..."