slade1021: I brought a longer chapter!
AvidReader123: Yes, he is and he never did find out about Clockwork in the show, but, for my purposes, he needed to know.
Kiori-Koneko: You rock! Thanks for some constructive criticism!
I Break For Ghosts: Oh, don't worry, I bought one too! LOL! But, yes, I love suspense! My second favorite literary technique!
Inumaru12: Yeah, my friends and I do stuff like that all the time. And the only reason I'm updating this late at night is because of sugar intake—I had two sodas and three candy bars!
xheartkreuzx: Just stick around to see what happens to Danny next! (cackles evilly) And thanks for reviewing!
little-n-lost: Thanks! I'm glad my story is not awful!
The Wicked Wench of the West: And the story continues!
alfea.daughter.of.elphaba.and.fiyero: Yes, yes it was. But it's over and I bring you yet another chapter!
TayloWolf: Some birthday, huh?
pottersparky: You'll find out why everything happened later, promise. And, as for evil Danny, Vlad doesn't remember it, because it happened in the future that doesn't exist anymore, see? This chapter is longer too, no worries!
the sleep warrior: Every time that I go to bed without updating, my conscience haunts me, so I don't need more! Here's your chapter!
crazybluephantom: thank you! (givesyou chapter as gift)
Riverfox237: I really don't know why they call him that either. I just call him "Phantom" cause that's what Valerie calls him on TUE. Thank you fer the review!
Mina-chan AMD: yes, curse Vlad!
Phantom Darkness: you sound like Jack! Here's your chap, calm down!
Spiffy McFloogan: Yes, Vlad is. But I really don't think about that stuff, so I don't know, interesting thought…
Chapter Five
Sam watched the dark landscape fly by outside the window of the Fenton's RV, or "Family Assault Vehicle" as Maddie so fondly called it. The huge hills and few scattered trees, twiggy saplings, were barely visible by the dim starlight, blurring as they rolled past.
In the back of the RV, Tucker snored blissfully. The vehicle was incredibly roomy; there was enough room for six people to sleep comfortably on the floor and two queen sized mattresses pulled out of the walls. Sam turned and looked at him. He was sprawled out on one of the mattresses, his mouth hanging open as he slept and Sam smiled, despite herself.
True, she was much happier than she had been in the past three months, but nonetheless she felt an uneasy aching guilt in the pit of her stomach. Not to mention how much she had missed and thought about solely about him for three months—thoughts and feelings she had explained away as grief for her best friend. As if she had read Sam's thoughts, Jazz got up and came over to sit on the seat with her and she started; she'd thought Danny's older sister had been asleep.
"What's wrong, Sam?" she asked gently. Sam looked at her earnest face and struggled to find words to express what she was feeling.
"It's just—I feel guilty."
"That you believed it when they said Danny was dead." Jazz finished knowledgably.
"How did you know?" marveled Sam. Jazz smiled sadly.
"Because I feel the same way." The statement seemed to encourage Sam and she continued.
"Do you think Danny feels abandoned?" she whispered. "I would."
"Me too." Admitted Jazz. "Like everyone gave up on you."
"So you think that's how he feels?" Sam said, feeling even more guilty than before.
"He might." Jazz conceded. "But once we find him, he'll know that wasn't true." Sam smiled halfheartedly, the knot in her stomach loosening slightly. Maddie looked back at them from the front passenger seat.
"You girls had better get some sleep." She advised. "We'll be in Wisconsin by morning." Jazz went back to her sleeping bag obediently and fell asleep almost immediately.
Sam, however, continued to stare out the window, thinking about Danny. Jazz only knew half the problem, and might have eased the guilt in her stomach, but she had done nothing for the fluttering of her heart. The last thing Sam remembered before she fell into a deep sleep was praying silently that Danny was returned safely to them.
Sam woke up the next morning, with bright sunlight shining in her face. She had slid down in her seat and curled into a ball in her sleep. She stood up and stretched, simultaneously blinking to adjust to the light. Maddie had pulled open the doors to the RV and was examining a large lethal looking weapon. She spotted Sam and brightened.
"I'm glad you're awake!" she said, brightly. "Now we can start down to the castle." Sam clambered out of the RV and was promptly handed Danny's thermos by Jack. Tucker was wearing the Ghost Gauntlets and Jazz was stowing the Specter Deflector in her bag.
"Okay, everyone listen up!" Maddie said seriously. "We're going down there to get Danny back and if I tell you to do something, do it, no questions asked, got it?" They all nodded dutifully, including Jack and she hoisted her weapon up onto her shoulder. No one mentioned the secret fear they all harbored; Danny might not be alive by now.
"Let's go!"
Vlad's castle was nearly a mile away, but all downhill, so they had plenty of time to talk. Funny thing was, no one seemed very willing to. Except Jazz.
"So…" she said, desperate to break the silence. "How did you guys do on the C.A.T.?" The C.A.T. was the career aptitude test that all freshmen took. Results had been mailed out a week after school had ended, but neither of Danny's friends cared much.
"Passed it."' Replied Sam without elaboration.
"Passed it." Tucker echoed. They lapsed back into uncomfortable silence and Jazz tried again.
"So did Danny." She said. "He got a higher score than I did."
"He did?" Sam said, surprised. Jack and Maddie still didn't know Danny had almost cheated and Sam didn't think she needed to say so. All the same, after the big deal he'd made about it, she figured he do just okay. She hadn't expected him to beat his sister; the know-it-all scholar.
Jazz simply nodded, it seemed like she didn't want to talk anymore. It was obvious why. Vlad's enormous house had just come into full view. Every step they took down the hill, the tension got thicker and thicker; the group grew quieter and quieter. At long last, they reached the castle. It towered over them and they stood in it's shadow, staring at it for a long moment.
"Well, we're not getting anywhere by just looking at it." Sam said boldly. She climbed the huge front steps and rang the doorbell. They all heard the chimes echoing through the house, but there was no answer. Sam twisted the doorknob and pushed it open; it had been unlocked. She crossed the threshold and went inside, followed by the others.
The huge mansion felt cold and empty, but they all looked around nervously, feeling like they were being watched. Without a word, they separated into groups; Sam, Jazz and Tucker, Maddie and Jack and went in different directions to search, but Sam was already getting a sinking feeling, that Danny wasn't here.
The first room the three teens searched was a bedroom; it was completely unremarkable and completely empty. They backed out of the room and continued down the hall. Farther along the found a stairwell and started down it into the darkness below.
Tucker felt along the wall and flicked on the light. They were in a basement that had once been used as a lab.
But not anymore. Beakers were smashed on the floor, liquids of different colors and composition spilled everywhere. A desk and filing cabinet had been overturned and papers littered the floor. The room looked like it had been hit by a tornado. Judging by the pandemonium, Sam could guess what had happened.
Only two things in the room were undamaged: what looked like a large mirror hanging on the far wall and a pair of metal doors, obviously a ghost portal. Jazz crossed to the portal's control panel and pressed a few buttons. A red light above the portal flashed red, denying her entry.
"I don't think Danny is here, Sam." She said.
"But it's still too dark to see." Tucker said, gesturing to the ceiling. Several of the lights had been knocked out. He spotted a light switch next to the mirror and flicked it. Sam gasped in horror as the back room lit up.
"It's a prison!" she spat in disgust. The walls of the tiny room, still glowing weakly, were covered in scorch marks and the light flickered, sparks occasionally shooting out. Green ectoplasmic goo spattered the floor and the door, which used to be invisible from inside was splintered and hanging feebly from a single hinge. Sam pushed through it, determined to find some clue to what had happened. Tucker held his PDA up to the mirror and started typing on it.
Something black caught Sam's eye and she dropped to her knees to retrieve it. It was a piece of black fabric, just like on Danny's jumpsuit. At the same time, Tucker's PDA beeped loudly.
"Those walls are made out of the same materials as the Specter Deflector." He said. Anger overwhelmed Sam and she jumped to her feet and pushed the broken door so roughly, it fell completely off the wall and went back to the outer room, clutching the fabric tightly. If Vlad had done something to Danny even worse tahn hold him captive in such a place--she didn't know what she'd do.
"Danny was here." She muttered, showing Tucker and Jazz the fabric. Jazz started to speak, but a loud crash and shout from upstairs stopped her. They exchanged a glance and a scream propelled them up the stairs.
A/N: Sixty-five reviews! You peeps are the coolest! I love you reviewers! And-by the way-sorry for the long wait, the computer wouldn't let me on fanfiction for some reason, until tonight. But in payment the chapter is way longer! YAY! Next update on Sunday, hopefully, sorry in advance for the wait, but I will be out-of-town, with no computer. (tear) See ya around and please keep reviewing!
