(Do we still use disclaimer here? Obviously I don't own DP or any of the canon characters)
"Jack? I think it's trying to trick us."
.
They have been trying to get the device working since morning. The kids had already left for school when they finished the last few touches on the Fenton Core Detector. Theoretically it should take them to the source of the target ghost's anchor on Earth. And by disrupting the source, the core of the ghost's existence, the ghost should dissipate without an anchor to hold them on Earth. They've saved the last sample they have of Phantom just for this purpose.
"Aand we're ready!" Jack proclaimed, brandishing the latest invention proudly.
"Here let's get it set up." Maddie carefully inserted the glass slide with Phantom's preserved ectoplasm into the side slot. The screen blinked a few times then lit up green. It's ready.
.
They've been tracking the anchor all day. As easy as it seemed at first, it got confusing real fast. The screen's arrow took a couple of minutes to calibrate, spinning around a few times before it settling on a direction. They set off easily enough, the direction seems to be headed towards Casper High. The place is well noted for frequent Phantom sightings, suggesting that the ghost might have formed some form of attachment there while alive, it was one of the more likely locations to host Phantom's anchor. But then things took a strange turn. Every once in a while, the arrow on the screen would waver as if in hesitation, sharply pointing out towards the direction where they came from before flipping just as quickly back towards the school. The first few times this happened it had led them on a merry chase, wasting time backtracking to follow a false lead before turning back towards the school. It had also almost gotten them to backtrack the RV into the park's lake. They decided to ignore the arrow when it flipped again for the fourth time and drove straight towards the school. But by the time they got there, the arrow has changed direction. It seemed whatever might've been at the school is gone. Which led to the current situation.
'Did we somehow tip it off that we're tracking it down it's anchor?' Maddie wondered, rotating the device to check for flaws in the design. The arrow flipped again and pointed straight at her. "Jack? I think it's trying to trick us." Jack leaned over to look at the device. The arrow wavered a bit to the left, then slowly slid back towards the right, stopping when it points right behind them. Again. Jack frowned. He shook it a bit, the arrows spinning around to recalibrate again, this time settling due north. He grinned.
"There we go. It might think it's smarter than us but no ghost can escape from Jack Fenton! Let's go Mads, we've got a ghost to catch!" He revved up the RV engines.
Maddie took a sip from her normal thermos and nodded,
"Let's go."
.
Where the arrow took them next was a bit of a surprise to them. Nasty Burger while not exactly new to Amity was also not that old. The building was constructed a few years after the Fentons had settled down in the city; if Phantom had attachments to the place, it must've been a relatively new ghost. 'Did they know it back when it was alive?' Maddie wondered. She didn't like the idea that it might have been someone they knew.
They entered the establishment, feeling a bit out of place amongst the teenage regulars frequenting the place. The crowded place, with its grease smeared tiles and loud chattering in the background didn't seem like a place that held any connection to Phantom, yet it did according to the Fenton Core Detector. They strode inside, keeping an eye on the device while also scanning for something that might've belonged to the ghost. The teenagers, long used to the Fentons ignored them for the most part, occasionally glancing at them for signs to relocate seats. Maddie rechecked the device in her hand.
Again whatever the anchor was it's gone, the arrow twitches a bit towards the cashier but mostly stayed true to pointing southward. She sighed and waved Jack over.
.
It was late afternoon by the time they walked out of Nasty Burger, the kids would be home soon. Deciding to call it a day they headed home, detouring to grab a quick takeaway meal from their favorite place. Jack turned on the radio, flipping to his favorite channel and started humming out his favorite parts of the song. Maddie relaxed, snuggling further into her seat. They might not have made much progress today but she's not too upset about it. It's been a while since they did this, ghost hunting with just Jack keeping her company followed by a quick takeaway meal for dinner. Just like their early ghost hunting days. She missed it.
Soon enough their Fenton Works sign came into view, Jack drove over to the back of the house to park the RV. They got out of the RV, Jack holding the food while she took the device to return it to the basement lab to refine the sensors later. Walking into the house, Maddie glanced down at the device, curious as to where the arrow would point now that they've returned to the starting point. The arrow, initially pointing at the back of both her and Jack as it did earlier in the day started swaying again. As she walked further into the house, towards the kitchen where the basement lab entrance is located, the arrow started moving faster, swinging from behind her to in front of her then behind her again. She slowed her steps, paying more attention to the device now. Faster and faster the arrow swung until she wondered whether the ectoplasmic appliance in their kitchen is interfering with the device scanners. But it didn't act up like this earlier in the morning when they left for the hunt. She shook it, trying Jack's method. It didn't work. Deciding that its lost cause Maddie dropped her arm holding the device and walked into the kitchen to greet her kids. Seems like Danny's friends are here too.
"Hey kids, how's school today?" she greeted before a beep and buzzing vibration in her hand interrupted her. The device is no longer showing the arrow. Instead the screen is blank except for the text displayed on the screen:
"Source found"
AN: Danny's anchor are his family and friends. The device is working perfectly fine but Phantom's anchor kept moving around. Maddie never thought the anchors might include her and Jack so she thought Phantom somehow broke their device again.