Chapter 19: Charity Chaos

Danny was happily walking through Casper High when his best friends interrupted him. "I know what that smile means, Danny!" Tucker exclaimed. "You've got another date with Barbara!"

"Yes." Danny confirmed. "We're going to watch a fundraiser race in Gotham this weekend."

"For which cause?" Tucker asked.

"Probably Gotham's Children's Hospital." Sam guessed.

"There's no way to know, Sam." Danny replied. "The charity that receives the fund will be chosen by whoever wins the race."

"Bruce Wayne usually wins and he always chooses that charity." Sam explained.

"Sam, I've never seen you so into car racing or any other kind of sport." Tucker commented.

"Well, it's for charity." She commented.

"And it makes sense Wayne's that good as a driver considering he's…" Tucker said until his friends interrupted him.

"Not that theory again." Danny and Sam said.

"Robin's uniform looks like a Flying Grayson's." Tucker argued.

"Attention, students." Principal Ishiyama announced though speakerphones. "Assemble at the auditorium."

Meanwhile, at Blackgate Penitentiary in Gotham City, inmate Mr. Lancer received a visitor. "Lancer, a potential employer agreed to get you through the work release program." The visitor said.

"Did Principal Ishiyama got me my old job back?" Mr. Lancer hopefully said.

"Not exactly, Lancer." The visitor said with a malicious smile and handed the former teacher a document.

"Well, it's still better than staying here." Mr. Lancer sadly commented after learning who's willing to hire him.

Back in Amity Park, Principal Ishiyama addressed her students. "Students, Mayor Masters is about to make a public announcement and insisted on having you watching it." She said as Mr. Falluca brought a TV. "People of Amity Park, realizing we need better ghost hunters, I've recruited a team of my own: The Masters' Blasters!"

Three people wearing mostly red uniforms showed up and screamed "Masters' Blasters stop disasters!"

"They are so good at fighting ghosts Danny Phantom will no longer be needed in Amity Park." Vlad declared.

"Yay!" Paulina happily exclaimed. "My ghost boy will have more time for me!"

"You know he's dating someone else, right?" Sam asked the shallow cheerleader.

"He'll come back to his senses." Paulina said.

"Either way, he'll instead have more time for the Justice League." Tucker said.

"Well reminded, Foley." Kwan said and approached Danny. "Fenton, if Supergirl or Batgirl are available, will you get me their phone numbers?"

"Forget about them!" Another jock ordered. "I want Felicia's phone number!"

Meanwhile, Vlad was delighting himself with his newest petty scheme. "Knowing the little badger as I do, I'm sure he'll humiliate himself trying to outdo my Blasters while I'll line my pockets with money from people who'll pay the Blasters to rescue them." Vlad told his (sister's) cat Maddie. "Nothing can go wrong!"

An alarm suddenly rang. "What's that?" He asked after recovering from the shock.

A holographic version of Maddie Fenton showed up to explain. "A malfunction caused your Ectoranium mining satellite to explode, dear." She said with a sweet tone.

"Fudge buckets." Vlad groaned.

Meanwhile, the latest development was being evaluated by the Bat-family at the Bat-cave. "Bruce, if I didn't know about Mayor Masters being a supervillain and Danny Phantom's arch-enemy, I'd see the Blasters as nothing but a publicity stunt." The second Robin commented.

"I agree, Tim, but what could Masters want?" Batman asked.

"Maybe he wants Danny to leave Amity Park to join the Justice League and, once he's away…" Batgirl suggested.

"A plausible theory, Ms. Barbara." Alfred Pennyworth commented as he brought a tray with snacks and then approached Batman. "With due respect, Master Bruce, shouldn't you be more concerned about immediate threats as that Baron Von X you spoke of earlier?"

"Who?" Batgirl asked.

"Baron Von X is a race car driver from the Kingdom of Zoravia, Babs." Robin answered. "He came to Gotham City to enter the charity race."

"What's wrong with that?" Batgirl asked in confusion. She could understand 'Bruce Wayne' being worried about his racing rivals but that's no job for Batman.

In response Batman pushed a button and the Bat-computer displayed a picture of a balding man wearing a black uniform. "A friend of yours?" Robin teasingly asked.

Batman frowned. "That's Baron Von X's sponsor Lubek. Lubek briefly became the King of Zoravia upon his father's death in 1988 but was so hated by his subjects they soon voted him out of the throne and put his younger brother Carl in charge of the Kingdom. I have reason to believe, even if nobody can prove it, that Lubek endangered the life of Von X's greatest adversary in another race. I'm trying to find out if the charity he's racing for is legitimate or just a façade to finance Lubek's scheme to take back the Kingdom by force."

"Maybe Danny could help since he's coming here anyway." Batgirl suggested.

Batman frowned. "At least put him on alert and tell him to make sure Phantom's not seen in Gotham unless it's needed. People might be seeing him as a Leaguer but I'm still worried his visits to Gotham might attract enemies of his."

Batgirl then phoned Danny. "Danny? It's me. Barbara."

"Hi, Barbara."

"Danny, I've heard of the Masters' Blasters." Barbara commented. "I guess Danny Phantom will have more time for Justice League missions."

"At first, that might be good but Sam's worried the Blasters are merely here to outdo him." Danny expressed his worry.

"Well, superheroes whose main concern is this aren't into heroics for the right reason." Barbara commented. "If I were Danny Phantom, I'd just wait and see and only interfere when the Blasters are unable or unwilling to do."

"Really?" Danny asked. "Because Sam suggest I, I mean he should be trying to outdo them."

"And waste the taxpayers' money?" Barbara asked.

"Actually, people are charged as the Blasters save them, Barbara." Danny explained.

"That's terrible but my advice still stands." Barbara replied. "And besides, I have a feeling Danny Phantom will love to be in Gotham during the race."

"I get it, Barbara." Danny said. "Bye."

"Does Masters really think people will keep paying the Blasters like that?" Robin asked.

"Politicians aren't known as examples of intelligence, Tim." Batman replied.

Meanwhile, at Fentonworks, Danny told his sister and his friends about that phone call. "Batman must be concerned about a supervillain attacking Gotham City while he's racing." Tucker commented.

"Not that again, Tucker." Jazz moaned.

"The coincidences are too many." Tucker bragged.

"Tuck, you've earlier mentioned the Flying Graysons." Danny pointed out. "Who are they?"

"The proper question is who were they, Danny." Tucker replied. "The Flying Graysons were a family of trapeze artists Bruce Wayne's first ward, Richard Grayson, became the last survivor of when mobsters the circus refused to pay protection to retaliated by killing Richard's parents. Afterwards, the first Robin made his first appearance wearing something similar to a Flying Grayson's outfit."

"Well, Dad said each Robin made his debut around the time Bruce Wayne adopted a ward." Danny commented, starting to believe the billionaire playboy could be the caped crusader.

"Danny, I agree with Tucker's statement about too many coincidences but we should stop discussing the theory before a supervillain hears it and goes after Mr. Wayne." Jazz suggested.

"True, Jazz." Sam replied and addressed Danny. "About you going to Gotham for that race, having an extra superhero won't harm if somebody tries to steal the charity money."

On the race day, Barbara guided Danny to special seats next to some cops. "Nice to see you again, Danny." Commissioner Gordon commented. "Few visitors come to Gotham more than once."

"As an Amity Park citizen, I'm used to ghosts, Sir." Danny replied, trying not to let his girlfriend's father intimidate him.

"Danny, I think you might enjoy the view." Barbara commented and pointed to the people sweeping the streets. "Do you recognize somebody?"

Danny then smiled. "Are those Dash and Dale?"

"Yes." Barbara answered. "They're cleaning the streets as part of their community service."

"Awesome!" Danny was excited. "I can't wait to mock them!"

"Not so fast, young man." The Commissioner sternly said. "You will stay away from them. Restraining orders work both ways." He stated and muttered "whenever they work at all."

Meanwhile, Zoravia's former King Lubek was hidden in an abandoned building with one of his subordinates. "Mr. Wayne and Baron Von X are about to pass here." Lubek told the subordinate while holding a laser cannon. "One blast and Wayne is out of the race and victory is mine!"

"Not so fast, Lubek." Someone said and Lubek and his subordinate saw Robin the Boy Wonder.

"You and what army will stop us, kid?" Lubek arrogantly asked.

"This army." Robin answered as several police officers showed up. "Lubek, you're under arrest for attempted murder." Detective Montoya said and turned her attention to Lubek's subordinate. "And you're under arrest for accessory for attempted murder."

"Murder?" Lubek asked in fake outrage. "I was just trying to hinder my racer's adversary."

"That's reckless endangerment at least and, no matter what you manage to plead it down to, you'll be declared persona non grata upon serving your sentence and then you'll be deported back to the Kingdom of Zoravia, where I know your brother will be ready to prosecute you for your crimes against your former homeland." Detective Montoya pointed out.

After Lubek was arrested, Commissioner Gordon received a call. "Was he caught?" "Good. I'll have Baron Von X arrested after the race ends."

"Arrested?" Danny asked in confusion. "What happened?"

"Baron Von X's sponsor was caught trying to shoot Bruce Wayne during the race, Danny." Barbara's Dad explained.

Bruce Wayne and Baron Von X finished the race and Wayne won with 0.127 seconds ahead of the other racer. They were about to go to the podium when the cops interrupted the Baron. "Baron Von X, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit attempted murder." Detective Bullock said. "We caught your sponsor trying to kill Bruce Wayne during the race." Detective Bullock said.

"Assuming Mr. Wayne opts to press charges, of course." Commissioner Gordon added.

"Show me the evidence and I'll decide, Commissioner." Bruce replied.

"Forget it, Commish." Bullock said. "Even if Mr. Playboy here doesn't press charges, Lubek and Von X still attempted to disturb a public event."

Their discussion was interrupted when Bruce Wayne was caught by a yellow beam. "Sinestro?" Most people asked and/or thought.

"Not exactly." Scarecrow answered as he revealed himself to be using a yellow power ring.

End chapter.

Author's Note: Lubek is the main villain of the animated series "Princess Natasha" and Baron Von X is a character who appeared in the two-part episode "Zoravian Lightning".