Hey, everybody!

God I love review people, you're just all so…review-ish…yeah. XD

A newcomer's welcome and all my prize candy to Arin Ross. Yes, 44678 is number code for GHOST. I know I've heard from the rest of you before, so welcome back! I love you all!

This one's a little shorter than average, but I blame the perfect ending point. It came a teeny bit too soon. But on the bright side, when my Writer's Block dissolved a chapter ago, it unleashed an unholy torrent of plot. I'm like three chapters ahead right now, and they're all the usual length. My fingers hurt…. ;D Anywho, the plot thickens. No Dan in this one, he's preoccupied with Skulker, poor thing. But I am LOVING where this thing is going now. Whole new places I didn't originally envision. Tie-ins and allusions galore! Basically this one is about what Danny's parents did on their mission to Axion and the Mayor's office. Have fun!

Bye! (I'm off to type another chapter or eight)

HiddenAuthor

Chapter 11 – Missions

Jack and Maddie sat down in the small waiting area outside the mayor's office, scowling in frustration. They'd just managed to schedule an appointment last night, but a 'paperwork error' had caused some delay. Some anonymous secretary was sitting back at her desk, reading a dated magazine and listening to some new-age music on a pair of headphones. They'd already been there for half an hour, and after the urgent message they'd delivered, this seemed almost criminal. That, and the incessant ticking from that pretentious grandfather clock was slowly driving them insane. Jack was still gazing forward in some stage of shock, despite his irritation. He had a job to do, but without the distraction, he couldn't stop images from flashing before his eyes. Vlad's accident, Vlad attacking his son, attacking him. Attack after attack after attack. There seemed to be no end to them. And under that…what? Resentment? Who did he resent? Jack groaned. Concerned, Maddie dropped her incredibly stale reading material and looked into her husband's eyes.

"Don't worry, Jack. I'm sure the mayor will see us soon. For now, why not try some more needlepoint?" Jack just shook his head, his threadwork lying forgotten by his side.

"That's not it Mads. I'm just confused, I guess." Maddie smiled softly at her husband.

"I can understand that. It's been a confusing few days. We've had to deal with one surprise after another. At least we've had a girl in the house before, so Dani isn't too much trouble. And really, no matter how she was 'born,' she's family, and there's really a connection there. But with Danny's ghost powers, Vlad's powers, all of these lies coming down…we've missed out on a lot, and it's a lot to handle." The huntress reached over her hands and gently clasped his. "I couldn't sleep for days after I found out. The guilt was just so horrible, I didn't know if I could live with myself. Finally, I talked with Danny about it. He didn't really tell me much that I couldn't figure out on my own, but it helped to hear him say them. I had some of the best sleep of my life yesterday. I'm still really tired, but…I'm just so glad I talked to him. Have you?" Jack shook his head, looking down. "Why not?" Her husband shrugged, looking uncomfortable.

"I don't think I can." He whispered slightly. Maddie quirked an eyebrow. "I…can't tell him. I feel bad about attacking him, but I would do the same for any ghost. I'm not dwelling on that, and I know he feels the same way. But that's not what's bothering me." Jack sighed, as Maddie tried to coax his problem out of him. "His powers are just so amazing. And I…I've been doing this for my whole life, and he's defeated more ghosts in the last month than I have in my entire life. And his…condition…it isn't replicable. The odds of it even working twice are amazing. I'm…" Jack sighed again. "I'm jealous. Of my own son. He can do things I never will, and I think I resent it. It's not that he's a ghost, I can live with that, I'm not insane. He's just so talented." The older man put his head in his hands. "I think I'm even jealous of Vlad. And he's evil. He's all alone, all he can do is hate and plot, and he never succeeds. And I'm jealous of that. What kind of horrible person am I?" Maddie frowned. Her husband wasn't usually this serious; he'd always had a sort of bounciness to him. A feeling that horrible things just couldn't touch him. That feeling was gone.

"You're a good man, Jack. I wouldn't have married you if I didn't think so. I'm amazed at what Danny can do. Some jealousy is understandable, and I know he'd understand, too. You should get this off your chest. After all, resentment is why Vlad is the way he is. Don't let things stew. We lost one of our best friends because of jealousy; don't make the same mistake he did. Talk to Danny, tell him how you feel. I know things will get better if you do." Jack just nodded, picking up his needlepoint. Maddie thought she saw a familiar logo in the stitching. With a small smile, she went back to her reading. Maybe her magazine would have tips on how to keep cookies from hovering.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton?" The two looked up from their distractions. The secretary was suddenly very busy with various office tasks as her immediate superior stepped inside. "Mayor Montez will see you now." Nodding, both hunters stood and followed the chief secretary to Montez's office. The mayor was sitting behind his desk, shuffling papers.

"Ah, yes, the Fentons. Your daughter was just in here yesterday afternoon, setting things up for the press. Did you have any last minute changes?" The two stared at the man for a moment, and then Maddie cleared her throat.

"Is that a joke? We left an urgent message with your office last night. Immediate action must be taken." The mayor narrowed his eyebrows.

"Last minute messages from citizens aren't exactly on the top of my priorities list, Mrs. Fenton. Running a city, especially with an ongoing ghost problem, is a very difficult task. I haven't even received your message yet. I heard about your visit in the break room, and took it on faith that you had a good reason to visit, so I hurried the process. But please don't assume I know everything, or anything." Jack frowned.

"Mayor, the city is in danger of a major ghost attack." Mr. Montez paused for a moment, setting the papers down.

"I see. I believe the last time this happened, no one had any warning. What changed?" The hunter coughed nervously.

"Err, a refugee made its way to our house. When questioned, it told us." Mayor Montez raised an eyebrow.

"So a ghost told you?" Maddie frowned, gripping the desk.

"I know it seems strange mayor, but the ghosts are afraid. And anything that's a threat to them can't be good." Montez frowned.

"Oh? Phantom's a threat to them. My own reservations aside, if he is helping us, then that would put a slight hole in that theory." Now Jack scowled.

"Maddie and I both think Phantom is on our side. The evidence all supports that, and we're not too proud to admit we're wrong. But that doesn't mean we're wrong about this. Back during the last ghost invasion, the attack was lead by refugees. If scared ghosts are coming here, what's after them is a massive threat." Montez stood.

"But ghosts can't come here. The footage said that plain as day! If it's as true as you say, there is no threat." Both hunters stood.

"That won't stop this one! Steps must be taken. Now, before it's too late! We must have access to the utility network to set up a ghost defense and security system. We might not have time as it is, but all this red tape is just making everything harder!" Mayor Montez glowered up at the irate ghost hunters.

"I won't actively support this. The costs will be obscene. However," he held up a hand to stop the two red-faced guests from blowing his ears out, "I won't stop you. You have your access. Just don't expect me to pay for this. That is all." Montez dropped back into his chair and resumed sorting papers. Nodding brusquely, Maddie quickly pulled a still red Jack out of the room.

"Come on Jack. Let's get to work. I know the mayor wasn't too helpful, but he's just covering himself. He let us have what we wanted. Now we need to go see Mr. Gray." Jack just followed her to the car, slipping into the passenger side as Maddie took the wheel and whipped out a cell phone.

"Hello, Axion Labs? Yes, this is Maddie Fenton; I'm calling because I need to speak to Mr. Damon Gray. It's urgent. Yes, I'll hold…Damon? Yes, this is Maddie Fenton. I need to speak to you immediately. It's very important. No, as far as I know, your daughter is fine. No, she isn't in jail. No, her secret is still safe. I'll explain everything when we get to there. Yes, we're coming right now. Alright, we'll meet you at the main gate in five minutes. Thanks. Bye." Maddie casually tossed the phone over her shoulder and floored it. Jack jerked back in his seat and accidentally poked his finger with his needle.

"Aw, Maddie! Calm down, you're driving like a maniac." Mrs. Fenton just shot her husband an amused look and returned her eyes to the road. Even at the speeds they were going, they only just made it to the gate in time. Damon Gray waved them in and hopped in back for the ride over to the company lot.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" Jack frowned.

"Ghosts." The security officer rolled his eyes.

"Of course. Why else?" Maddie frowned thoughtfully.

"Mr. Gray, Jack and I are very sorry for everything that's happened to you in the last year. If there is any way we can help make amends for that fiasco with Phantom…" Damon raised his hand.

"Don't worry about it, what's past is past. I was upset to lose my job, but to be honest, Phantom already helped turn things around." Jack and Maddie quirked an eyebrow. "About two weeks after the accident, he showed up at my small new office. I gotta tell you, I was scared out of my mind, and more than a little angry at him for what he'd done. Even though I knew it probably wouldn't work, I pulled my gun on him. He didn't even move. He just sat there, looking ashamed, and," Damon looked up, "he apologized. I never thought ghosts would do something like that. He told me some story about the old kennel in the basement and a ghost dog, and how he wasn't trying to hurt anyone. Up until Dalv corp. bought out controlling stock, he actually showed up and helped me set up ghost shielding technology. I don't know how he got the parts or knew how they worked, but the extra security he helped me put together got me my old job back." Damon sighed. "I know Valerie hated him for a long time. I even tried to stop her from ghost hunting by locking up her suit. Not just for him, of course, but for her own safety. But she somehow managed to get a new one somewhere. She told me a ghost made it, and it fell apart later. I couldn't find a trace of it. If I had, I would have tried much harder to set her straight. Phantom doesn't deserve that. For a ghost, he's a pretty incredible person." Maddie smiled softly as she pulled into a parking space.

"Yeah, he sure is." She froze. "Wait, Dalv owns this place?" Damon nodded, confused.

"Yeah, Phantom stopped coming around after that. Some top secret nanobot project was stolen a few months ago, and a week later, there was a corporate buyout. Since then, there have been lots of changes. A lot of our R&D budget has been siphoned over into the ghost weapons division. Whoever owns Dalv must think that local demand will make it worthwhile or something. And anti-ghost security has been upgraded several times. Especially where Phantom was concerned. My division was given a memo that Phantom would likely attempt to steal Dalv information and research, and to apprehend him on sight. He did show up once, and did steal a prototype thruster." Damon frowned. "I followed my orders to the best of my ability. Even if he'd helped me out, he had no right to steal. If you run into him, tell him I'd like an explanation." Jack frowned.

"Actually, he wanted us to come talk to you. He came to us asking for help. There's a powerful evil ghost heading for Amity Park right now, and we need to set up a ghost security system for the entire town as quickly as possible. He told us you were very good at that sort of stuff, and we should get you to help." Damon frowned.

"I don't see why he'd pick me; I've never done anything like that. Sure, he helped me make ghost systems for Axion, but I didn't know what I was doing, I just followed his instructions and took the credit." Maddie looked back and the confused man.

"He has his reasons; it's just hard to explain right now. Besides, you seemed pretty capable during that invasion. Will you help us?" Damon frowned.

"I'll need approval from the higher-ups, but since Dalv hasn't sent down any of its usual instructions this week, they'll probably play this by ear and let me go. I'll grab as many anti-ghost products as I can to help." The man jogged inside and left the Fentons in the RV, waiting.

"Maddie, isn't Dalv…" She nodded.

"Yes, Jack. Dalv is the front company Vlad set up to run his schemes. Danny will probably tell Damon the truth later on, but for now it's probably best not to upset him. Imagine, that monster put his whole family at risk just to get to Danny. Especially Valerie." Jack snorted.

"Right now, I'm willing to believe almost anything of Vlad. After all Danny's told us…" Jack sighed. "I think I'll always remember how much fun we had together, though. I'll miss him." Maddie nodded sadly.

"Me, too." The couple was broken from their reverie as Damon came jogging back out.

"I convinced them to give me a personal day. And I brought these." The guard unloaded his arms, dropping several complex devices in the seat beside him. With a boyish squeal, Jack frantically rooted through the pile and pulled out random devices, babbling excitedly about what they could do. Maddie smiled to herself, glad her husband was feeling a bit better. Damon looked up, frowning. "Now what?" Mrs. Fenton shook her head as she took to the road again.

"I don't know for sure. Da-err, Phantom said we should put you in charge of the city defenses. But…" She hesitated. "He also said we'll need Valerie's help." Damon's face hardened.

"No. No way. I am not putting my little girl in harms way. End of discussion." Maddie opened her mouth, but Damon raised his hand quickly. "I don't want to hear it. If Phantom placed me in charge of the defense, I can say that Val isn't going to be part of it. And since I am, in charge of security," he growled, "the first thing I want to do is meet the 'boss.' I'm inclined to trust Phantom, especially after that footage Val took, and everything he did for me. But I'm not about to set up a powerful weapons network he could use to his advantage until I'm absolutely sure he's on our side." Jack opened his mouth to defend his son, but quickly shut it. There was nothing he could say to convince Damon otherwise.

"Alright. Maddie, let's go home." Nodding, Mrs. Fenton took the next exit and rocketed off towards Fenton Works.

The couple arrived home ten minutes later. Jazz had the door open and the automatic defenses suspended before they got to the step. Damon shot the girl a look. She just shrugged.

"Impending doom struck me as a pretty good reason to miss a day of school. Mom and dad called this morning and excused us. Besides, I have my own project to help with, and I need time." The older girl gestured for them to head towards the kitchen. "Lunch?" Nodding, the three went over to the table and sat down. Danny was leaning back at the table, eyes closed and breathing evenly. But at the sound of a chair leg moving, one eye creaked open, and he sat up. His hair was plastered to his head with sweat, and he looked exhausted.

"Hey." He panted, as Jazz used the normal microwave to cook hotdogs. Damon stared.

"Good heavens, are you alright?" Danny just nodded.

"Yeah. I-er, Phantom's just been down in the lab since yesterday, getting ready for the attack. Um, I've been helping him test his limits a bit. It's, err, really tiring." Maddie looked over at him with concern.

"Why don't you go upstairs and rest, dear. I'm sure we'll manage fine for a few hours." Danny nodded mutely, and started to trudge upstairs. Damon nodded.

"Yes, you can't be expected to keep up with a ghost, kid. You need your rest." Jazz raised an eyebrow behind Damon's head, and Danny managed a tired smirk as he left the room. The guard cleared his throat. "While I'm thinking of it, I should probably head downstairs and talk with Phantom. We have some catching up to do." Danny froze halfway up the stairs and groaned. Jack and Maddie both winced slightly and sent mental cries of pity to their poor exhausted son. Jazz just sighed, and passed out the franks.

"Why don't you eat first? I'm sure Phantom will want some time to get himself cleaned up after that long of a workout." Sending as much gratitude as he could at his sister with one gaze, Danny rushed upstairs and into the shower. Damon paused thoughtfully.

"I suppose. Have any mustard?" Maddie nodded, and went over to the fridge.

"Nice cover," she whispered discretely at her daughter.

"I've had practice," she muttered back. Out loud, "Okay, Mr. Gray, are you willing to help out?" Damon swallowed his bit of hot dog and sipped a soda.

"Like I told your parents, I'm not making promises 'till I talk with Phantom. I have a few questions I need to ask him, and if I don't like the answers, you're on your own." Jazz nodded; satisfied that he seemed willing to keep an open mind. Damon polished off the hot dog, and stood. The others moved to follow him. "Right, so Phantom's in the lab. Let's go." Mr. Gray and the Fentons walked through the messy kitchen, leaving Jazz behind to clean up.

"Thank a lot! This is exactly how I planned to help out."