Sam, Tucker, and the Fentons sat in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting impatiently. Jack was pacing the floor and had been doing so for the past hour; this had proven annoying for just about everyone.
"Will you stop that!?" Jazz shouted.
"What else am I supposed to do while we sit around here waiting for someone to come out!?" Jack turned to face her, "This isn't the time to worry about ghosts and I'll go down with Custer before I read one of those old magazines!" he pointed to the small stack of reading materials by his wife, who was reading one. Tucker was trying and half-succeeding to remain calm by playing a game on his webcam, while Sam sat impatiently, ready to jump at the slightest noise. A nurse walked in, unnoticed by everyone.
"Excuse me?" she said softly. Sam jumped, turning towards the nurse; everyone else looked over, nervous, "Danny is going to be fine," everyone breathed a sigh of relief, the tension and fear fading from their expressions.
"Can we...?" Sam asked.
"Yes, but one at a time. Who brought him in?" everyone looked at Sam, "You can go first. He's asleep, so unless he wakes up on his own, do not disturb him," Sam nodded, got a pass that had Danny's room number on it, and headed off.
"So," Jack said, having nothing to do now, "Anyone bring something I can do, use, read, etc.?"
---
Sam stopped by room 28 and opened the door. Danny was lying on the bed, asleep. He'd been cleaned up and put into hospital clothes. There were two bandages on his face, but still he looked strangely peaceful. Smiling and sighing at once, Sam moved some of Danny's still messy hair away from his eyes. As she did that, Danny started to move, his eyes still shut. He shot up in a start, slightly gasping and looking around all over.
"Sam?" he just noticed his best friend's presence in the room. Her smile changed to one less relieved and more friendly in nature.
"Welcome back," Danny laughed, but quickly stopped. He may have been cleaned up, but his body was still sore all over.
"I'm guessing I'm in the hospital," he looked around some more as he lay back down, "What happened?"
"I was gonna ask you," Sam said, "That cat-ghost probably isn't going to stay away for long and this happening to you is nothing but help for Paranormalics..."
"Hey, hold on a sec!" Danny looked confused, "Cat-ghost? What the heck are you talking about!?"
"...The cat-ghost that's tried to kill us the past week..." Sam was starting to worry, "That you fought...in ghost form?"
"Sam, maybe I don't have room to talk here seeing as I'm the one in the hospital bed, but are you sure you're alright?"
"Can't you remember anything from being captured? About being a ghost!?" Danny thought for a minute, then sighed and shook his head.
"All I remember is waking up in your room and passing out. Come to think of it, the last few months are a blur. I hardly remember anything. Why, am I forgetting something important? And what about ghosts?" Sam was about to say something, but decided against it. It might just be temporary amnesia, and if it wasn't, she shouldn't give him a headache after what he'd been through.
"Don't worry about it," she smiled again, "You gonna be OK?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he yawned, "Sore, but I'll be fine."
"'K," Sam moved away from the bed, "I'll go get your parents."
---
"Whaddya mean he can't remember anything!?" Tucker whispered loudly to Sam. They had moved their conversation to an empty hallway away from Maddie and Jazz.
"He can't remember anything," she said simply, "Anything after the lab accident is a complete blur!"
"This is not good!" Tucker was almost loud enough that Maddie and Jazz could hear, so he brought his voice down, "I finally convinced him to find out Valerie's new phone-number in ghost-mode and he never had time to tell me on Friday!" he noticed Sam's stare, "In addition to the, needing to know about The Order, thing."
"Not to mention that's a whole part of his life gone."
"Well what can we do about it?"
"Hope. Maybe it's just temporary amnesia. If it's not, we'll think of something."
"Right," Tucker held up his electronic planner, "If Danny doesn't get his memory back, Sam thinks of something," they noticed Jack heading back.
"Well?" Maddie asked.
"Exactly what Samantha said; fine except for the last few months being a blur. I think he's suffering from ecto-amnesia. Fortunately, I had a device in the works for that problem and the blueprint wasn't among the ones stolen!"
"Dad, didn't it occur to you that he might just have..."
"To the lab!" he shouted, running out the door, "I'll be back in an hour!"
"Apparently not," Jazz sighed and headed off to Fenton's room.
---
Danny Fenton had recovered enough to go to school by Wednesday. As he, Sam, and Tucker walked down the hall, a few people looked at him strangely, but most just felt it was a normal day. To most, it was.
"So Danny," Tucker asked, "What's Valerie's new phone number again?"
"Huh?"
"Tucker!" Sam was getting fed up with this. Fenton's amnesia was definitely not temporary. Everything from the accident in the lab up until he'd been left in her room was a complete blur. Since she hadn't figured out a way to get his memories back and Fenton was still pretty sore from whatever he'd gone through, she didn't think bringing up things he had forgotten was a good idea. Unfortunately, Tucker had been frequently forgetting that.
"What!? It could help him get his memory back!" the bell rang as the three walked into Mr. Lancer's class.
"Welcome back, Mr. Fenton," Mr. Lancer noticed him as they came in, "In light of why you have been absent the past few days, you are hereby excused from all assignments you have missed."
"Oh, thanks."
"However, you are not excused from handing in the homework assigned on Friday."
"Uh, right," Fenton looked through his backpack, but Tucker was the one who looked concerned.
"Uh, Danny?" he said.
"Yeah Tuck?"
"On Friday...when I was watchin' those pirate movies...I started chewing some gum at one point instead of eating popcorn. I needed to spit it in something, and I think what I grabbed was your..." Fenton sighed before letting his head drop down onto the desk.
"Well, I'm afraid that leaves a zero in your gradebook, Mr. Fenton," Mr. Lancer grabbed some papers and started to pass them out, "And I'd like you to stay behind a few minutes after the bell rings."
---
As the bell rang, the principal's secretary announced over the intercom that there was to be another meeting in the theatre, presented by Mr. Lancer. As the students filed out of the room, Danny Fenton walked over to Mr. Lancer's desk, Sam and Tucker waiting outside for him.
"Danny, I've looked into your problems with Mr. Baxter," Mr. Lancer closed the book on his desk, "and I completely understand the situation. The detention I assigned him on Monday has been extended for two weeks, as has his suspension from the football team."
"Uh...thanks," Fenton looked confused.
"Well, the assembly's about to start," Mr. Lancer stood up. Fenton followed him out, stopping by Sam and Tucker.
"Let me guess," Tucker said, "You can't remember talking to Lancer about Dash?"
"Actually, I remember that. But I have a feeling I was trying to cover up something, and I can't remember what that thing is!"
"Just relax," Tucker said, "I'm sure it'll come back soon. It better, 'cause now that the rest of the non-popular crowd's found out Val's not gonna be free for much longer," Fenton and Sam sighed and headed into the theatre, where Mr. Lancer was already at the podium.
"'Yo, dogs!'" he was trying to act hip again, reading from his book, "'What is in da house?'" someone had brought a pet cricket for science class; that was the only sound in the room, "Well," Mr. Lancer looked depressed, "Let's get started. The latest news of the paranormal situation has come in, and we feel it's now escalated into an issue that we should be following regularly here at Casper High," the curtains behind Mr. Lancer pulled back, showing a screen, "A projector displaying images from a television has been set up. Please direct your attention to the screen behind me," he turned to look at it as the lights dimmed.
"...and now the latest reports have come in from Amity Park, which now appears to be the most haunted city in America," the news reporter was outside Washington. Behind him was a large crowd, all of them looking fearful and wearing good-luck charms and magic symbols, holding up signs like "We're Haunted! We're Haunted!" and "Spirits Walk Among Us!"
"What is the latest report from Amity?" an off-camera reporter asked.
"It says that the son of ghost-hunter Jack Fenton, who was captured by the same group of pirate ghosts who've been plaguing Amity all last week, as returned home safe and sound," Fenton looked around. Everyone was looking at him, as if he was right out of some kind of horror story. He didn't even remember how he got mentioned on this report. Now he was getting a headache.
"Now this kidnapping only adds to the tension here concerning General Conrad, correct?" the off-camera reporter spoke up again.
"That's right. In fact the vote by Congress has just came in," both the crowd behind the reporter and the students in the school grew more tense, "This is not a matter for the Supreme Court to decide. However, Conrad's effectiveness as the head of Paranormalics is even more controversial than ever thanks to this latest incident in Amity. A special commission has been assigned to make a recommendation to the CIA and to the President. A member of Conrad's own staff, Ken Bruce, is applauding this action. President Hartman has tried to fight this controversy the entire time, and still urges the CIA Director Dave Thomas to keep Conrad on as the head of Paranormalics. He's done this against the advice of all his political advisors, and with his ratings in the polls down to 52, I think they might be right."
"Andrew Tyner, reporting live from Washington D.C, thank you Andrew," as the scene changed to the inside of a news studio, the lights went on and the screens went off. Sam looked over at Fenton. His hand was on his head and he was moaning from his headache.
"You OK?" she asked. No answer came...at first.
"I..." he grimaced, "I'm starting to..."
"Wait a minute," Sam snapped her fingers, "That's it! Tucker, you've collected all the ghost stuff over all of Danny's fights, right?"
"Right."
"Bring them over to my house. Both of you meet me there."
---
With a wave of his hand, Velkan telepathically removed the sight of the news report from the eyes of his five advisors, Skulker, and himself. The seven were in a private room away from the trade centre, and all looked pleased.
"It seems Mr. Fenton has served our purpose as a warning," Velkan poured himself some ghost-wine, passing along the bottle to the rest of his men, "Vlad's little plan should fit in perfectly. On that note," he waved his hand again, and they could all now see the aged half-ghost, "How is our little re-education program going, Mr. Plasmius?"
"See for yourself," Velkan's telepathy allowed all at the table to do so. Vlad stood calmly, his hands behind his back. In front of him was Danny Phantom. He was completely transparent, the upper part of his dark suit badly torn. Down on one knee, and with a hand against the wall, he looked tired and worn down, his breathing heavy.
"Come now, Danny," Vlad used ectoplasmic energy to form a sword, "I haven't even broken a sweat yet!" he attempted to bring the blade down on Danny, who created an energy barrier.
"Can't rely on that forever, child!" Vlad used his free hand to blast some energy into the floor. It came up inside Danny's shield, wrapping around his arms and throwing him against the wall, chained.
"What to do, Danny?" Vlad mockingly asked, grinning evilly, "Well? Think fast!" he raised the sword again. Concentrating as hard as he could, Danny formed a green glowing pick to the lock of Vlad's energy chains, freeing him just in time. He had no time to avoid the next blow, however. As if by instinct, and ectoplasmic shield resembling those of the knights of old appeared on his arm, defending him from the blade. A green blade appeared in Danny's hand, both actions surprising him.
"Finally!" Vlad laughed, "I was beginning to worry that I put too much on you too soon! But since you're starting to catch on..." their battle continued, Danny on the defensive and still weak. Velkan waved his hand again, removing the scene from his eyes.
"I think everything is going just fine," he smiled.
---
The doorbell rang, and Sam answered the door. Tucker stood there, empty-handed.
"Tucker," she could tell bad news was coming, "Where's the ghost stuff?"
"Well...y'know last week when I was having the sci-fi film marathon with my dad instead of helping you and Danny?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, two days before, we were still trying to buy the new TV system, so we had a garage sale, and I..." he laughed nervously, which didn't make Sam any happier, "Come on! Someone offered me $200! That bought the surround sound and the DVD player! How often is someone besides Mr. Fenton gonna offer that much for a bunch of old ghost junk!?"
"What did the guy look like?"
"I dunno. Tall with brownish-gold hair. Why?"
"Did he look like this?" Sam held up Wednesday's paper. The top story, as with the past week, involved the anti-ghost situation in Washington. Bruce was on the front of the paper, with the article going with the picture involving a speech he had made against Conrad.
"Yeah...that's the guy!" Tucker was not catching on. Sam made a loud noise of frustration before turning around and marching back inside.
"What!?" Tucker walked in behind her, "How was I supposed to know then he'd be our biggest human enemy!? That was before this all started!" right after they were inside, the doorbell rang again. It was Danny Fenton.
"Hey, dude," Tucker answered the door, "Watch out for Sam," she appeared behind Tucker, who, when he noticed her, jumped back and almost knocked Fenton over.
"Well, let's get started," she led them up to her room, where a bunch of VHS tapes lay on the ground by the TV, "I've taped all the reports of the anti-ghost situation in case we needed to check something on them. Danny, you were starting to remember something when you saw that report at school, right?"
"Yes, but I lost it right after it was over."
"Probably wasn't long enough. Maybe this'll work better," she put in the first tape, and the three sat down on the floor in front of the TV.
---
The commission sat in a straight row of five behind five podiums, the U.S. flag and a seal of office behind them. No one but a few Congressmen and Bruce were present in the rest of the seats in the room. The discussions between the men of the commission had been going on for the past few hours. No one noticed a strange green fog coming up through the bottom of the door and drifting up into a corner on the ceiling, staying there. Finally the discussions stopped. The head of the commission stood up, clearing his throat.
"As head of Paranormalics," he began, "General Gary Conrad has removed all of the corruption that the organisation suffered under the leadership of Sarah Frost. He has also made many needed revisions to the regulations and roles concerning Paranormalics. All activities done under his command have been nothing but monitoring of ghosts and watching for those that do haunt the world. However, since the incident that occurred in Paranormalics headquarters, General Conrad has refused to take any action, particularly against the horror that has been striking Amity Park. One could argue in his defence that, while these ghosts have struck throughout the past week, their timing is random and impossible to recognise. The controversies leading to the formation of this commission have also bogged him down. Nonetheless, the commission is sympathetic to the beliefs of many of the American public and of Congress that the threat of paranormal creatures haunting our country is no longer a matter that can be taken lightly, left strictly as an 'observe and take notes' issue. Therefore, the commission unanimously recommends that General Conrad be removed from office by the directors of the CIA, and that he be replaced with someone who can provide more security for the American people. Hearing adjourned," he banged the gavel down on his podium, and the members of Congress and Bruce got up to leave, satisfied. One member of Congress stumbled as he collected his things to head outside. He took too long. He was the only thing left in the room within a few minutes...at least the only thing that could be seen. From the ceiling, Panther's green fog slowly floated down to the floor and approached the remaining Congressman.
---
Sam hit the "Stop" button on her remote as the last tape ended. On the TV in its place was a live news report.
"That's a lucky coincidence," Tucker commented, being shushed by both Danny Fenton and Sam.
"The commission has unanimously recommended that General Conrad should be replaced," the reporter outside Washington said, "The CIA directors will meet later this evening to..." he took some papers from a hand off-camera, "This just in. Congressman John A. Davis has gone missing. He was among one of those attending the hearing," Sam turned off the TV, looking at Fenton. He seemed to have trouble breathing, staring blankly at the screen.
"I...I remember!" he jumped up suddenly, "I can't remember that much, but it's coming back! There was...a large ghost in armour...Skulker, I think?" he looked to his friends for help.
"Right..." Tucker nodded, both he and Sam excited Fenton's memories were back.
"There was a...cat-thing...they called it Panther," Fenton continued.
"Right," Sam answered this time.
"And Velkan," Fenton started pacing, "They came to my house last Friday, caught me there, and..."
"Right, right, right!"
"...that's it," all three looked disappointed.
"Never mind all that!" Tucker grabbed Fenton, "Do you remember Val's new phone number!?"
"Tucker!" Sam shouted.
"What!?"
---
In a blinding flash of light, Panther appeared before Velkan and his advisors, Davis crashing down on the floor in front of him. Velkan kneeled down, quickly passing his hand over the space above the Congressman's head.
"Leave him to Skulker," two of his advisors picked him up and carried him off; the hunter had left them earlier, "They've recommended Conrad be replaced," he frowned, "We may have to make a change in schedule at the rate they're going. Kindly inform Plasmius," a third advisor left to do so.
---
"So it's agreed," David Thomas, director of the CIA, threw the file down on the table where he and his top men were discussing the situation involving Conrad, "he is removed. I'll take the news to President Hartman tomorrow morning, and we'll hold discussions on who to appoint in his place."
---
Danny Phantom was down on his knees, chained to the wall with Skulker's ghost chains restraining him. His uniform had become even more badly torn from Vlad's "lessons." Apparently he thought that the best way to teach Phantom all the things that he'd learned over 20 years was to force Phantom into needing them right away. He needed some way to escape. He tugged on the ghost chains again, but to no avail.
"Wait a minute," he thought of something. Concentrating, he formed an ectoplasmic pick, "I hope this works," the pick fell into the lock, moved around, and opened the chains. Phantom pulled his hands away from the wall as fast as he could…and fell down on his face.
"Gotta watch out for that," he said to himself wearily as he stood up. At least he was free from the chains. Now came the harder part; getting out of wherever this place was. He slowly opened the door, looking around carefully. There was no guard. However, right across the hall from his cell, was a room without a door, where twenty ghosts were sitting around, drinking ghost-rum and singing pirate songs. As expected, all of them were pirate ghosts. The Flying Dutchman was among them. They didn't notice him, and Phantom could see another door at the end of that room. He didn't want to risk running into Skulker or Vlad.
"Here goes nothing," he said to himself, turning invisible and silently floating into the room, keeping down as low as he could.
"I say!" one of them shouted, "There be a rat tryin' to sneak past the crew of the Whaler!" Phantom had been sighted.
"Oh no," he got ready to fight as fifteen of the ghosts charged towards him, the other five being unconscious. Despite being weak, Phantom didn't have too much trouble fighting most of them, seeing as how all but three of the fifteen attacking were drunk. Soon he had just those three to worry about, that number including The Flying Dutchman.
"No one dares try and get past The Flyin' Dutchman!" the large ghost whipped out his cutlass, "Have at ye, dog!" Phantom quickly formed an ectoplasmic sword to parry the Dutchman's blow. He now used that for combat as all the ghosts he was fighting readied their own blades. He didn't run anyone through, but he used the guard to hit the ghosts over the back of the head and knock them out. The only one he couldn't manage that with was The Flying Dutchman, who was laughing hysterically as their duel went on.
"Yer out of yer league, kid!" he shouted, "Ye be lookin' at the champion of the Bikini Bottom Fencers League for the past three thousand years!" Phantom knocked the sword from the Dutchman's hand, landing it in the counter of the bar, "Well, maybe it was the Knot-Tyin' Contest."
---
Vlad barged into the private room where Velkan, Skulker, and the advisors still were.
"You!" he pointed at Skulker, "Please do not tell me you were foolish enough to make those ghost chains out of something based in ectoplasmic energy!"
"...I did do that. Why, what's wrong with them?" Skulker was confused.
"Didn't you see Danny pick the lock on my energy chains!?" Vlad shouted, "He has the ability to free himself from restraints based in ectoplasmic energy now!"
"...You mean he learned that permanently, it wasn't just an accident?" he looked around nervously; no one was supporting him here. He laughed nervously.
"Whoops," he pretended to check his controls, "Oh, look at that! I, uh...have to go to the library, check out a book on a gorilla...again. Gee, what an annoyance. Well…bye!" he flew out of there as fast as he could, Vlad about ready to go after him.
"Let him go," Velkan ordered.
"But sir..."
"Let him go," he was more defiant this time, "He didn't know when he built those. It's not worth killing him over. Besides, there's an easy way to get him back and even more ready for your training. Where is Panther?"
"Finding out the results of the CIA hearing," one of his advisors responded.
"When he returns, send him after young Danny's girlfriend."