So...what's their problem? Danny asked himself as he followed Abby through the school wall. She won't be happy that I left Ashlynn out there by herself. I'm not finished with them yet! I need to think of something to tell her before she drags her sister off while I still need them.

He looked around as he emerged from the wall, and had to stifle a laugh at the sight that met his eyes in the evening light.

"No, Abby, I'm fine. I promise." Ashlynn rolled her eyes at her sister as Abby offered a caramel-colored hand to help her up.

"Whoa," Danny muttered to himself with a smile, "Paulina helping Sam..."

"What are you snickering at?" Abby's unusually sharp voice wiped the smile from his face instantly.

He folded his arms and leaned against the wall nonchalantly. "She saved both of us from unconsciousness when those two hit us with the spectral sound wave." He shrugged. "So I eliminated the threat."

"You could at least have seen if she was alright!" Abby thrust Paulina's hands at Sam, who again rolled her green eyes.

"Abby," she warned just as Danny leaned forward to defend himself.

"I--" He paused, spotting a dark speck hurtling in their direction...one he recognized immediately as Valerie in her new outfit. She's going to hit them! he realized instantly. She's going to hit my friends! His eyes went wide and flickered with green light. Before he knew what he was doing, his mouth opened, seemingly on its own accord. "DUCK!" he shouted the warning, causing the two girls to jump and whirl around just in time to see a bright red ectoplasmic cannon blast streaking towards them.

Suddenly everything seemed to happen in slow motion: With a shriek of alarm, Ashlynn grabbed her head and ducked, while Abby threw her arms up in vain self-defense, both girls bracing themselves for a blast that never landed. After a few seconds, Ashlynn peeked through her hands to see Danny standing between them and the hunter, holding up an ectoplasmic shield and looking extremely confused.

"How did I get here?" he asked an open-mouthed Abby. He couldn't remember anything except the need to protect these two new friends...wait, he was a ghost! He didn't have friends. He didn't need friends!

"See?" Unaware of his thoughts, Ashlynn smirked at her sister as the hunter growled at them.

"You and your friends had better leave here, ghost!" she yelled.

This challenge lifted Danny's spirits. He cocked an eyebrow, amused smile returning in full force. "I have two questions for you," he replied slyly, still maintaining the shield. "Why should we, and who's going to make us?" He folded his arms, cruel grin widening. "Because you certainly can't do anything about it."

Valerie's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh yeah?" she growled. "Since I got my new suit, not even the ghost boy can stop me."

Danny laughed openly at this, thoroughly enjoying the irony of the situation.

"You're worse than Vlad Masters!" he cackled. "Have you been taking lessons from him or something?"

Another cannon appeared in the air next to her as she shifted to a more defensive stance. "How did you know Mr. Masters was helping me?" she asked.

Danny thought for a moment. As he contemplated her words, he missed the look that passed between the two girls behind him.

"I didn't know," he finally answered in an icy voice. "But I do now...and he's going to pay for it."

"Not if I can help it!" Valerie yelled, shaking her fist at them. She paused to collect herself, her expression turning as cocky as Danny's. "This new equipment isn't from Mr. Masters, and it's even better," she taunted, indicating the suit given her to distract Danny during Technus' bid to take over the world. "Why should I even believe you can do anything?"

"Why don't you ask your little friend Danny Fenton?" Danny raised his eyebrow again, offering her an unimpressed smile.

Her face suddenly lost all emotion and her voice lowered to an even more dangerous note. "Is that a threat?"

The half-ghost couldn't stand it any longer. He let out a loud guffaw, before putting his hand to his head as he shook it ruefully.

"And they call ME clueless."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Um, Danny?" Abby tapped him on the shoulder. Still chuckling, he turned to face them, keeping the shield behind him. "Could you...er...show us where you freed us before? We," she paused and glanced at Ashlynn, who nodded, "don't remember very much, and we'd like to know."

Danny blinked at them for a second before shrugging. "Sure, I guess."

"It doesn't matter where you go, ghost, I will get you!" Valerie yelled at them.

"Would you care to wager on that?" Danny asked, before turning intangible and diving into the ground, followed by Sam and Paulina. Seconds later, the shield fell and Valerie floated down to where her quarry had stood.

"We'll see about finding you, ghost," she muttered as she turned on a device that began beeping, unaware of the two people watching from the bushes, who had overheard almost all of the conversation.

With a satisfied look on her face, she began to glide slowly towards the dock, keeping her eyes on the instrument.

"They won't have too long with Valerie tracking them," Jazz whispered to Tucker, standing up slowly as Valerie's frame disappeared into the deepening night.

"He'll probably be able to lose her," Tucker pointed out. "He's got a few tricks up his sleeve."

"Most of them dealing with changing back to human," Jazz countered, "which he won't do right now."

Tucker put his hand to his chin, "We'd better get there first, then. We know where they're going, that old warehouse down by the lake. Do you have your car?"

"Er..." Jazz scratched her head, looking slightly embarrassed. "Not exactly."

"Then what?" Tucker asked as he followed her around the corner of the school, only to stop dead in his tracks. "You've got to be kidding me..."

"Nope," Jazz sighed as she clicked the button in her hands, unlocking the door to the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle. "When I couldn't find my keys, I realized I just had to get here any way I could, and since Mom and Dad are out testing the Fenton Family Mini Assault Vehicle--"

"Wait..." Tucker interrupted with a snicker, "Mini? They built another one?"

Jazz sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. But with Dad's driving, it's just as dangerous."

"Yeah, I know," Tucker muttered, remembering having to dodge out of the way of what he had thought was the Fenton's RV.

"Come on," Jazz said, shaking her head, "Let's go. We have to hurry!" Tucker snapped to attention and dashed around the side of the RV as Jazz yanked her door open.

"Yeah, before we're too late," he agreed, crossing his fingers. He noticed when Jazz snapped her seatbelt on that she also crossed her fingers.

He wasn't sure if he should be reassured or more scared than ever.

Meanwhile...

Across town, near the dock, a small, armored car sped through a red light, tires squealing as it took a left turn in gleeful disregard of the honking cars that swerved out of its way.

"See, Maddie!" Jack grinned past his hunched shoulders and down to his wife, who sat squashed against the window, looking faintly sick. "I told you we'd both be able to fit in here comfortably!"

Maddie could only respond with a sigh. "Fitting" inside, to Jack, meant that they could breathe, even if only barely.

Just as he made another sweeping turn, alarms started to beep all over the car.

"GHOST!" Both adults in the car yelled, and the car accelerated towards several warehouses near the water.


Well, due to some difficulties my beta reader is having, I may not get this all up by the end of the month, but I am going to get it up asap. I have the best beta reader anyways, so I guess you guys will just have to wait a little longer, 'cause I 'aint givin' her up!

Anywho, I hope you like this.