This chapter is dedicated to Yo yo-illuser Thanks for your terrific input! Thanks for digging me out of the hole. Thanks for making this chapter possible! Whoo hoo!
I'm growing a little weary...therefore, I shall take a small break from my frentic posting schedule to recharge my batteries. Should a wave of inspiration hit I'll update, but otherwise I'm going to be taking a short break...Please, in the meantime. REVIEW for me.
Chapter Nine
Maddie Fenton was angry. Very angry. She cursed and kicked and tried to bite at the being which had a hold on her, but to no avail. He was not about to let her go. She realized that continuing to struggle was going to do nothing but make her tired, so she forced herself to relax.
She watched as they chased Danny, who would circle around and taunt Dark Dan, who in turn would fire a few blasts at him. Danny seemed to evade him with ease, some how he was much faster than this Dark creature. Maddie found herself very proud of her son.
Danny himself was angry. All right, angrier. It was one thing to mess with him, but quite another to mess with his family. He had to be careful when shooting blasts at Dark Dan. The last thing he wanted to do was hit his mother. Dark Dan couldn't have picked a worse person to use against Danny, even though he was relieved it wasn't Sam who Dark Dan had decided to use as bait.
"You have a choice to make," Dark Dan called. "Either give in to your fate or I destroy her!"
Danny circled around a few times. He made brief eye contact with his mother who yelled, "Don't give in to his demands Sweetie."
Danny knew better. He knew that if he gave into Dark Dan's demands that his mother and his entire family and all his friends would be destroyed anyway. This was a stalemate, except Dan held all the cards. "Darn," Danny whispered to himself "I'm mixing metaphors."
"If I surrender," Danny yelled to Dan. "You're just going to destroy her and everyone."
Dark Dan did not deny the fact. He only laughed. "Let me go you filthy creep!" Maddie said as she tried to kick at him. Dark Dan ignored her and flew after Danny who had to be quick to evade him.
"We're at an impasse," Dark Dan said. "A stalemate! I hold all the cards!"
"Your mixing metaphors," Maddie growled in disgust. Danny himself was shocked at Dark Dan's statement as he was thinking the exact thing just moments before. Maybe Dark Dan was like him more than he lead them to believe. Maybe Danny could figure out his weaknesses without the help of Jazz's amateur psychoanalyzation.
Dark Dan sent a blast toward Danny which grazed him and sent him spinning. Danny opened his hand and realized Sam had placed something in them. Now he could remember her pressing something into his hands before Dark Dan attacked. Fenton Phones. The girl was a genius!
Danny flew away from Dark Dan and inserted the Fenton Phones into his ears. "Hello?" he asked. "Can anyone hear me? Danny to anyone!" he waited and had just about given up hope when he heard Jazz's voice.
"Danny?" she asked.
"Yes!" Danny cheered then had to duck from one of Dark Dan's blasts.
"Are you all right?" Jazz asked anxiously.
"Well if you mean am I all together," Danny answered. "Then yes. I'm all right."
Jazz gave a relieved sigh. "So what's the problem now?"
"Oh nothing major," Danny said. "I'm in the Ghost Zone trying to evade this ugly brute and um…save Mom." He tried to say the save mom part quickly.
"Save Mom?" Jazz screeched. "What do you mean save Mom?"
Dark Dan threw another glancing blow at Danny. He needed to get some distance from this guy and try to plan on how he was going to rescue Mom. He could see her in her teal haz-mat suit red goggles, looking pretty ticked off.
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Sam was surprised when her cell phone started ringing. So surprised in fact that she jumped. Tucker gave her a strange look and she blushed a little as she answered.
"Jazz?" She asked. Then did a little dance. "He realized I gave him the Fenton phones!" Sam told Tucker.
"Good!" Tucker said. "But I don't know what good being able to communicate with him is going to do." Tucker turned and looked at Vlad and Jack who were in a pretty intense argument. He couldn't quite get them to listen to Danny's idea about the ghost catcher.
"He wants to talk to Dad," Jazz told Sam. "He says he has an idea on how to stop Dark Dan, but needs Dad to help him."
"Okay," Sam said as she cast a doubtful look toward Jack Fenton who was booming angry insults at Vlad who was poking the larger man in the chest.
"Mr. Fenton!" Sam yelled. "You have a call!" She held up the phone and they ignored her. She looked at Tucker who stepped away and gestured that the task was all hers.
Sam steeled herself and walked up to the two men. She was pretty good at keeping Tucker and Danny in line. Interrupting two angry adults was a little more difficult.
"Excuse me!" she said as stood on her tip toes. Man Jack Fenton was tall…and wide, and just a little intimidating from this close. He looked down at her and she felt like a little mouse. She held up the phone. "It's Danny." She said.
"Thank you Samantha," Jack said as he took the phone. "Excuse me Vlad but I need to have a conversation with MY son." He turned away and started talking. Sam turned and looked at Vlad who was looking back at her expectantly.
"What?" Sam asked. She wasn't about to back down from Vlad. He'd already caused enough damage and anguish. He didn't' deserve to be an intimidator.
"Tell me about the plan you and Mr. Foley are trying to hatch." Vlad said. "I've noticed the two of you whispering over there. And how is it that Danny is on the phone with Jack? The last I checked there weren't any pay phones in the Ghost Zone."
Sam looked at Vlad for a moment. He wasn't the same person anymore. He was no longer a ghost hybrid, but that didn't make him any less dangerous, any less evil, and it certainly didn't make her any more inclined to trust him. On the other hand he did have a great deal of knowledge.
"Is it possible," Sam started hesitantly as she watched Vlad's face. "To make a device that will split the two ghost halves of Dark Dan?"
Vlad's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not sure. I know how to extract with the beam, but something so broad. I'm not sure. Besides, they would only merge back together quickly."
"But if it's something they flew through," Tucker said as he walked up and join the conversation. "Maybe we could do something before they realized it. Shoot them down. Isolate them. Something."
"Yeeesssss," Vlad said as he caught onto the idea and wheels very obviously started turning in his head. "Very interesting idea." He pulled himself from his thoughts and smiled at Sam and Tucker. "We'll need to start right away."
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Jack Fenton put his hand over his ear so he could hear his son speaking to him from the Fenton phones to the telephone, into the cell phone. The reception was bad.
"How is she?" he asked his son in a softer than normal tone. "He hasn't hurt her has he?"
"No Dad," Danny answered. "She's fine for now."
"Calm cool and collected?" Jack asked.
Danny laughed, "That's Mom. She's definitely defiant." Danny had to duck from a few blasts as he evaded Dark Dan who had managed to maneuver in front of him and fire a few shots.
"So Dad…," Danny started. "I don't know how I'm going to rescue her. He's not going to let her go under any circumstances."
"Don't worry about rescuing your Mother Danny. She's the kind of woman who rescues herself." Jack said in assurance. "Concern yourself with defeating that ghost!"
Danny was glad that his father wasn't worried, but that didn't mean he wasn't. "Listen Dad." He said as he flew far enough away from Dan to ensure he wasn't overheard. "Valerie is on her way through the Ghost Zone in the Speeder. When you get back I need you to start work on something kind of like the Fenton Ghost Catcher. It needs to be able to separate Dark Dan's two halves."
"Oh!" Jack said. "You mean the Fenton Xtractor!"
"Fenton Xtractor?" Danny asked in confusion.
"Yes!" Jack answered excitedly. "It separates a ghost from a human."
Danny would have covered his face with one hand if he could. "Ok Dad great. Wish we'd known that earlier. Can it extract a ghost from a ghost though?"
"It might take a little modification," Jack answered, "But yes. What is your plan?"
"I can't talk any longer Dad," Danny answered as he noticed three ghosts approaching. "We've got a little trouble here. I'll be in contact with you again soon."
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Danny groaned as the three ghosts approached. Technus, Spectra and Bertrand. How did he know he hadn't seen the last of Spectra? He looked to Dark Dan who was regarding them curiously.
"Phantom!" Technus called. "Word in the Zone is that you've been weakened. Word is you're separated from your human half. Word is you're easily destroyed now and we've come for some pay back. Pay back that's long over due. Over due with interest. We plan to take it out of your hide."
Danny snorted in amusement then looked at Dan out of the corner of his eye. He wore an expression of disgusted disbelief. Maddie looked exasperated.
"We've come for our revenge," Spectra added. She looked at Dark Dan and narrowed her eyes. "Whatever your issue is with Danny Phantom," She said. "We get him first."
Dark Dan smiled slyly. "Well," he drawled slowly. "You think he is weakened? Be my guest. Dispatch the…I think you call him, "whelp" for me. This might prove to be a pleasant diversion."
"Oh great," Danny said to himself. "His plan is to tire me out with these three."
"My plan," Dan said to Maddie "Is to tire him out with these three. He can only fight me for so long."
Danny felt a little ill as Technus, Spectra and Betrand advanced on him. He had said that he never wanted to be split in two again, but for the sake of this battle he really wished he had been able to master the technique of multiplying himself, if only to keep a watchful eye on Dark Dan.
Well at least he had the advantage of them thinking he was still separated from his human half. He could catch them off guard. His biggest worry was that Dark Dan would catch on that their thoughts were similar. He'd definitely keep his quips to himself. As hard as that was.
Spectra advanced first, but he shot her with his ectoplasmic blast and she tumbled away. Bertrand shot at him after her and he managed to dodge again. Normally he would have sent a blast in retaliation, only he was trying to second guess himself. Bertrand, encouraged by the difference in Danny shot forward. Danny shot at him as he approached and he swerved away toward Dark Dan who merely raised his eyebrows at the creature.
"If I could just multiply," Danny said to himself and thought hard. "Come on!" Of course this wasn't really the time to try something like this, but it might through Dark Dan off kilter and give him some kind of advantage against the three goons he was currently facing.
It was with a great deal of shock that Danny multiplied himself. One. Two. Three. Wow! He nearly jumped up in down in celebration. One of him did. It wasn't like being separated from his ghost half. It was…different. His three copies flew off to chase Technus, Spectra and Bertrand who were now quite aware that Danny wasn't as weak as they assumed.
Danny turned and looked at Dark Dan. "Well?" he asked.
"What do you want?" Dark Dan asked. "A medal? A gold star?"
"Maybe Sir you could please give me my mother Sir," Danny replied. He was trying to stay out of character but realized how lame he sounded. Dark Dan regarded him with contempt then began to fire blasts at him again. But Danny was now one step ahead of him and moved long before the shot reached him.
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Jack didn't have much time to warn anyone as Valerie in the Specter Speeder flew through the portal and zoomed to a halt. She jumped out of the vehicle and looked around.
"Okay!" She yelled in her tough tone of voice. "I'm here on a rescue mission. Tucker!"
Sam and Tucker looked at each other for a moment. Tucker shrugged his shoulders then jumped up. "Valerie!" he called as he ran forward. Sam grinned mentally storing Tucker's actions for later use.
"Danny sent me," Valerie informed Tucker importantly. "He wants me to take you all back home. Says something about Jack working on his plan.
"Yes," Jack said as he climbed into the Speeder. "We need to get cracking!"
Vlad ran through his lab gathering things together. "I'm going too." He informed them. "Jack is a bumbling idiot! He needs help if this is going to work." Tucker and Sam looked at each other worriedly as Valerie gave her former mentor a look of contempt.
"Jack Fenton is a brilliant man!" Valerie growled. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to you insult him like that Mr. Masters!"
Vlad took a deeply troubled breath then said, "Fine, fine whatever you say Miss Gray." He climbed into the Speeder and waited. Sam and Tucker followed.
Before they knew it they were back at the Fenton Lab. Jazz was waiting anxiously downstairs.
"Did you hear from Danny again?" Jack asked anxiously. "Is your mother free yet?"
"No," Jazz said. She looked at Tucker and Sam for a moment then at the Speeder.
Tucker leaned over and whispered to Sam. "Do you think she wants us to take the Speeder and go into the Ghost Zone?"
Sam looked around. Valerie was now assisting Jack and they were talking ghost while Vlad sat in the corner, tinkering with something. Jazz had gone upstairs declaring that everyone needed lunch.
Tucker stole a look over at Vlad. He was ignoring them. He stole a look at Jack and Valerie, they were laughing about something…which rather disturbed Tucker a little bit. Then they jumped for the Speeder. Ha ha! Jazz had left the power on!
"Should we do this?" Sam asked. "Danny will probably kill us for it."
"Oh yeah!" Tucker answered. "We're doing it!" He gunned the Speeder and they launched into the Ghost Zone.
"Okay Mr. Smartie Pants." Sam said. "How are we going to find Danny?"
Tucker grinned and hit a few buttons. "He has the Fenton Phones. We home in on him that way!" He turned and looked at Sam then paled.
"What?" Sam yelled then turned around and nearly screamed.
"Jazz!" They said together.
Jazz raised her eyebrows at them. "Scared you huh? You two are so easy to predict."
"Stow away," Tucker grumbled as he turned back to the controls for the Speeder.
"Great!" Sam said. "Now Danny's really going to kill us."
"That's if Dark Dan doesn't get to us first." Tucker added.
Jazz shook her head. "Oh yeah it was fine that the two of you sneak off in the Speeder to help him, but when I come along it's a big uh oh! You know I'm part of this team too!"
"You're right," Sam said comfortingly. "We're still so used to it being just the three of us that…."
"We're just not sure how you fit in," Tucker interrupted he rather feared Jazz would take his place as the brains of the operation. He was quite happy with his role. Jazz gave him a smile of understanding.
Jazz adjusted the zipper on her hazmat suit. "Lets just find Danny and see if we can help rescue Mom. We can go over all this team stuff later."
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Danny saw the Speeder approaching and was filled with both anxiety and relief. Dark Dan saw the Speeder approaching and laughed.
"You're not very powerful without your friends are you?" Dan asked. "That makes you weak. That makes them a liability."
"I'll give you a liability!" Maddie said and kicked again at Dark Dan. He laughed at her attempts.
"Maddie Maddie Maddie," He said. "You should just give up trying to fight me. In fact. I suggest you offer some of that same advice to your son."
Maddie eyed the evil ghost for a few moments then said very softly. "Sweetie I advise you to let me go. You can go back into the Ghost Zone and do whatever ghosts like you do. Just do the right thing. Let me go."
Dark Dan gave her an incredulous look. "You're not talking to me are you?" He asked. "I can't imagine that you're actually addressing me as if I'm your son! I killed him a long time ago, and I will do it again!"
"Some part of you is my Danny," Maddie answered. "I see him in your eyes. In your face and in everything you say. You can deny that he exists in you all you'd like. I am the mother of that part of you. Stop acting like a spoiled child and let me go!"
Dark Dan laughed. "You amuse me!" he said then his expression grew deadly and serious. "Were it not for that, I would destroy you now for your impertinence."
"If it weren't for your being a nasty little ghost I'd ground you for yours," Maddie growled. Dan laughed again.
Danny took Maddie's distraction of Dark Dan as an opportunity to communicate with Tucker and Sam. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
"It was Jazz's idea!" Tucker said as he pointed to Jazz who waved out the window at Danny.
Danny put one hand up to his forehead. "Don't listen to him," Jazz said. "He's just trying to place the blame. It was his idea. I just stowed away." Danny smirked and made eye contact with Sam for a brief instant until his attention turned to Dark Dan, who was…genuinely laughing and to his mother who wore a look that he recognized as a, "your in big trouble mister" glare.
"All this stress is turning my hair white," He groaned.
"Aww gee Danny!" Tucker called. "That was like, really lame!" Danny simply shrugged as he circled around Dan who laughed at something Maddie said yet again. He wished he could get close enough to hear them. The next thing he knew the were gone. Dan flew off so fast that Danny wasn't sure which direction they went. He flew cautiously over to the Speeder.
"Where did they go?" Jazz screeched in alarm. "What happened?"
"He was laughing," Danny answered. "Apparently he thought something she said was funny."
"Mom?" Jazz asked. "Funny? I don't think so!" Danny shrugged and looked around. What were they supposed to do next.
"We should head back to your house," Tucker suggested. "This would be the perfect time to regroup." Danny hesitated for a moment then agreed.
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This is actually sort of a filler chapter. Imagine that!