Bruised

Chapter Twenty

Villain's Plot

The villain is the character people remember

~Udo Kier

Danny sighed as the plane finally landed. Although once he restarted his phone, it blew up.

Then immediately died.

He sighed.

Ember looked at him with an innocent expression.

"You're a menace," he whispered. Jack turned to him.

"Did you say something?" He asked cheerily.

"Ember drained my phones battery," Danny said. "Looks like someone wanted to get ahold of me quickly too."

"Sorry, Dipstick," Ember whispered back making Jack laugh.

"There's a charger in the RV," Jack grinned making Danny laugh.

"Hopefully it's nothing to important."

Maddie watched as Vlad took a call and then headed out.

He had an interview to go to apparently. She just watched before staring at the family photos on the shelf.

Danny was gone and had been for a while.

His spot in their family had been taken over by an unknown ghost who'd been feeding information to the ghosts in an effort to sabotage their work.

And now with the president on the ghost's side there wasn't much they could do but ride it out.

She felt so hopeless and wished Jack had stayed with her.

He should be home soon though.

With the ghost who killed her son.

She swallowed her sorrow before getting her house ready for a fight.

She wished she could warn Jack but was afraid she'd also accidently warn the Ghost.

She'd wait as she started programming their security system for back up. No ghost was going to get away with killing her son, even if it was the last she ever did.

"It seems like she readying for an attack," Clark said watching the mother closely. Tucker paled.

"Do you think Vlad would have told her that Danny's dead, or that he's a ghost?" Tucker asked staring at the reporter with horror. "I mean, it would explain why he was there before Danny came back."

Clark thought about it for a moment before he got an idea.

"Stay here, you said Danny and his father will be about an hour? I can distract her enough to buy time. Go to the airport," Clark said as he pulled out a notebook. Tucker nodded before he dropped off the roof.

Clark sighed before flying to the front door and knocking.

He needed an interview with Ghost Hunters anyway.

Tucker felt fear as he finally got there. They should have already landed and were probably heading out now. He spotted the GAV and just leaned against as he waited. He was scared for his friend with how much had been happening, but he was glad that he at least had some backup.

Now if only things would chill for a while so they could have some type of normal night.

He watched the people exiting waiting for his friend as he pulled out his PDA.

He wondered who Sam was meeting with. Her parents had sounded super harsh earlier that day when they demanded she be there for dinner.

He tried to invite her to his house and act like it had already been planned.

Didn't work.

He looked up when something bright orange caught his eyes. Jack was grinning and saying something he couldn't hear, but he could see Danny laughing lightly.

Which meant things worked out well with his dad. Tucker was glad he didn't have to worry about Jack rejecting his son.

He'd already done a bunch of planning if things were to go sideways. He was happy he wouldn't have to use any of them.

At least, with Jack. They still weren't sure how Maddie would handle it, and with whatever Masters said, he was unsure how emotionally stable she was.

"Tucker?" Danny asked as he noticed his friend against the GAV. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, we may or may not have a problem," Tucker said as he shoved himself off the vehicle. "Vlad was at your house talking to your mom. We weren't there in time to see what he said, but we may have gotten Clark to distract her for now. All we do know is that he made her cry and arm the house."

"That doesn't sound right," Jack said as he tapped his chin. "Wait, whose Clark?"

"A friend…sorta," Danny said getting the hint as to how Tucker got some of that information. He wasn't happy that this had to come to this, but at least he had some back up here. "Where'd Masters go?"

"Lois Lane demanded an interview from him. Pretty sure Clark set that up trying to help," Tucker explained making Danny huff.

"After all the other trouble he caused, he better be helping," Danny said as he looked at his dad. "I've got to call B. Give him a heads up that something fishy is happening."

"Alright, I'll get the GAV started up and try to see about it recognizing you as a friendly. I know we can do that, but never seen the reason until now," Jack grinned before going around the beast of an RV. Danny smiled.

He never realized how freeing it was to have his dad on his side. Even though his mom was still up in the air about accepting him, he knew that without a doubt, his dad would be on his side.

"Dude, whatever Vlad's planning can't be good," Tucker said concerned. "I mean, what are we going to do?"

"I dunno, until I get more information, there's not much I can do. Vlad can't threaten me right now anyway. And I'm still his king. Any move that threatens the Peace Treaty right now can be seen as an act of war. I'm not sure he realizes that either," Danny said as he crossed his arms. "I've never seen him at the Truce Party either. I don't think he realizes that Ghosts take truces seriously."

"Huh, so he's about to step in it big time," Tucker laughed before looking to the side when he heard another snort. Ember appeared making Tucker jump. She put her arm around Danny's neck with a grin while Danny just shook his head.

"Also, Ember has decided that taking over the world is lame and is helping us. Technus too," Danny smiled making Tucker sigh.

"I knew Technus did. He's still at…" Tucker trailed off as he realized the ghost could be in danger.

"No, he's actually on the WatchTower with Red Robin and the Justice League. He's helping them run that right now," Danny said making Tucker breath out with relief. "He's been pretty helpful to them and has fallen in love with their tech."

"Oh god, you have to take me to see it, please!" Tucker begged making Danny laugh.

"Course, Batman said that both you and Sam can come with me. He even said he'd be willing to help train you guys since you've been ghost hunting with me."

"Really?"

Clark smiled when Maddie opened the door. She glared at him.

"Hello, I'm Clark Kent with the Daily Planet," he greeted holding out his hand. She watched him carefully, and Clark knew that something had changed.

Probably with whatever it was that Masters told her.

"Look, now's a bad time," Maddie said shaking her head. "I just got some bad news, and I really need to focus."

"It'll just be a couple questions about ghosts," Clark said pushing towards her. "I just want some background information about Phantom."

"Phantom is the reason that there are even ghosts in Amity Park to begin with," Maddie spat, and suddenly Clark could just feel her hatred of the ghost. It was so much more than before when he was in the White House.

Which meant that whatever Masters told her was feeding into this.

"According to past records, Phantom is the hero that fights them off," Clark said watching her closely. She closed her eyes as her anger spiked.

"No, he's not. He's toying with us. He'll wait for this to be signed and then kill all of us," she growled trying to shove him away from the door. "Now leave."

Clark pretended to stumble down the steps as she shut the door in his face.

He pulled out the JL communicator and called Phantom.

He needed to be warned.

Masters pulled himself together as he entered the room with Ms. Lane. She was a cutthroat reporter, and she never pulled her punches.

He'd have to play the best version of himself if he wanted to survive this interview with everything in tack.

He wasn't quite ready to face Superman just yet as he wasn't sure if a ghost could overshadow a kryptonian.

And Superman was well known as saving Lois no matter where she was.

He'd just have to ensure that she never screamed loud enough to get his attention were she to get too close.

He could overshadow her if worse came to worse, but for now, he'd try to remain as clean as possible without ghost powers.

Phantom had let the little fact that hybrids existed slip as he read over the released documents. Hybrids were protected under the Metahuman Rights Act.

Which while he knew he'd be safe from government experimentation should anyone find out about him; he didn't want anyone to know that humans could have ghost powers to ensure he remained under the radar for his own crimes.

He'd have to beat Phantom to remind him who was more powerful.

Ghost King.

Vlad needed a better plan that would weaken the other hybrid first.

Sam stared at Bruce Wayne as he talked with her parents. Damian was standing off the side looking a little green at all the high pitch talking that was going on.

Why was he here?

Of course, then she blinked as her mom noticed her.

"Sammykins, come meet Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian?" Pam asked to ensure that she got the name right.

"Yes, of course," Bruce smiled as Sam took in a breath. Knowing that this was the same man who was Batman wasn't that big of an issue, until she actually got a close up of him acting like a typical socialite.

Which she figured was the same thing Danny did when he'd pretend he was weak as Fenton even though he was the town's hero.

"Hi," she said looking him up and down. There was no sign that this man had training or could even be a threat other than his big arms. "Nice suit."

"You should see my other one," he smiled making Sam shake her head. She really did want an up close and personal meeting with Batman. She loved the dark and mysterious. "Now we were talking about using your town as a point to start looking into clean energies with ectoplasm?"

"Oh yes, while our company doesn't really deal with that, we do help out a lot when it comes to ghosts," Pam smiled as she led Bruce away from the two teens. Damian looked annoyed at now being left out of the loop.

"So, think they'd notice if we ditched?" Sam asked looking at Damian who just blinked at her.

"Tt, Father would notice the moment we left the house," he informed crossing his arms.

"Think he'd care if I stole you for some recon?" Sam asked straight up. Damian looked at her in surprise.

"What are you talking about?" he asked as Sam noted he broke character far easier than Bruce did. She laughed.

"Well, that's just sad, and Danny's in trouble, we just don't know how much trouble," Sam explained as Damian blinked when he realized that yes, she knew exactly who they were.

Bruce's comment earlier made more sense now.

"I could always ask. I don't exactly like these types of dinners," Damian said as he stared at the room when Pam and Bruce were talking business. Sam grinned.

"Cool, cause I'm not sure a reporter is going to be able to be enough," she said making Damian actually laugh before composing himself once more as he looked horrified at what just happened.

Sam laughed before walking towards the adults. Damian following her lead unsure how she'd pull it off.

Turns out, Pam didn't like Danny and thought that Damian and her would make a cute couple.

Which Sam nearly gagged at, but it her gave her the out that they needed.

Bruce gave a quiet be careful to Damian before turning to Pam and asking about land and warehouses around Amity.

I've officially finished writing this beast. There are 24 chapters in total! While the ending is a little open, I'm not planning on really making another.
Although I have like four other stories started. I have posted Grave which was none of the original ideas I started with no too long ago.
But I might post either Criminal or the TwinsAU
which I've sorta made awkward by Grave...which only happened because I reread my Incision story...oops.
Also, anyone read any good Injustice/Danny Phantom crossovers? Cause I really want some good ones...and it's not like I'm already writing one.