HELLO EVERYBODY!

Generally a good vacation. I did not, however, get as much work done on my computer as I might have wanted. The story is briefly given below. You'll laugh, you'll cry. I mostly laughed, as the universe has a twisted sense of humor and I struggle daily to appreciate it. But I'll admit, this joke was veeerrry hard to laugh at.

An airline, which shall remain nameless, was to blame. My trip to Mexico was supposed to be a two-city jump to Cancun by way of Detroit. So we roll out on the small puddlejumper plane to the Automobile capital, and oooh! Fog! Yay! Our plane was delayed an hour. Upon arrival, I sprinted across the entire length of the Detroit airport through the underground connecting tunnel and all the way to the end of the A gates to catch the next flight, only to find out that not only had the plane already left (it left 10 minutes early, and I might have caught it if it hadn't), it had left at the other side of the airport! AHHH! But this is where the fun starts. Since there were no more flights to Cancun from Detroit that day, I was graciously invited by the airline to tour the lovely city of Atlanta on my way. A small detour, of course. o.O After switching planes for a SECOND time in Detroit after a malfunction with the first, we flew off towards Atlanta, already an hour behind the NEW schedule from that little delay. So, upon arrival, I got to sprint across the much larger Atlanta Airport, and arrived at the gate minutes before the plane was scheduled to take off. I can only marvel that I still got my luggage in Cancun, just in time for a thorough probing. (Though a very nice bag of golf clubs (not mine, a relative's; I don't golf) were lost on the return trip, and are as I type wandering about somewhere in Minneapolis.)

In short, the five hour trip with one decent, relaxing layover turned into an eight hour trip (in the air alone) with two sprints and an hour 'wait' finaggling with airline attendants to figure out where to go.

Yes, the universe is FUNNY! Still, once there, it was wonderful, and I managed to type up a chapter or two. So moving right along...

MUCH LOVE TO REVIEWERS!! Thanks to Diamond Raider, Arabic Blessing, Lady Jarine, The Fluff Ghost, "Quacked Lurker" (note the sparkly highlight thingies. I'll use those for anonymous readers from now on, to give them extra generic love since the private kind needs e-mail.), "Linda", MarinJayde, bluename, DP fan, egyptianqueen777, Queen S of Randomess 016, hermie-the-frog, BarnOwl 93, Tornada Silverwind, acosta parez jose ramiro, Sasia93, Unrealistic, Egyptian Ghost Kitty, Warrior of winds, Nonasuki-chan, and chaotic.calm. You is good peoples:D

Here's chapter twelve. I know the teaser thing will make this confusing, I just know it! But...I don't want you guys to not review this whole chapter just because you wanted to be supportive earlier. So, it's in a new slot. Till next time. (And it should be soon, I'm way too broke to go on vacation again.)

HiddenAuthor

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Chapter 12 – Notices

"Jack's Log. Hunter's date, um…Friday. I am closing in upon what may well be the greatest discovery in the history of ghost hunting. Soon, very soon, I will-"

"Dad? What are you doing?" Jack Fenton rolled out from underneath the huge body of his latest invention, arc welder in hand; to lock gazes with his bemused and slightly concerned son.

"Er…Creating life, but not as we know it?" He suggested hesitantly. Maddie giggled from over by the Ghost Portal as their son rolled his eyes. "I'm just having some fun, Danny. And look!" He gestured broadly at the giant machine above him. Everything's ready for Danielle's reembodiment. Now if I could just finish the ecto-energy transmitters…" Mumbling about wires and converters, Jack pushed himself back under his enormous creation. Blue light flared as he began welding once more.

"So this thing will really work?" Danny asked curiously, walking around the machine slowly to take in the full view.

"Mhmm." Maddie mumbled positively as she continued her work at the portal. A long cable could be seen flowing from the portal to the large new device. "Your father and I must have watched that lab footage a hundred times. Kitty didn't actually take over Jazz's body as planned, but it seems that with the extra boost from the portal, she didn't have to. A temporary switch was enough." With a slight frown at the thought of her daughter becoming the soulless body of an invading ghost for all eternity, Mrs. Fenton resumed her work. "Oh, remember not to finish connecting the wires until I shut off the-"

"OW!"

"Ghost Portal." She finished with a sigh, coming over to Jack's side of the production. A light smoke was wafting out from underneath, and the air was laden with the scent of burning hair. "You know how much energy flows through that portal, Jack." She scolded. "You know we can't finish connecting the wires while there's a live current in them."

"Sorry Mads." He apologized as he surveyed the damage in a small hand mirror. "I just got excited, that's all. We've been trying to fix Dani for so long, and now we can! I just want to get her back to normal." Maddie smiled as she flicked singed hairs from his now temporarily bald forehead.

"Um, how will this help?" Danny asked nervously from the sidelines. It wasn't that he didn't trust his parents, but their first tries at inventions tended to have some kinks. Like an uncharged battery. Or an 'on' switch on the inside.

"Take a look inside the machine." Maddie advised. Curious, Danny edged forward and looked in through a display glass. Eyes wide, he quickly jumped back.

"What is that stuff!" He gasped.

"Bits of human." Maddie answered in what her son thought was a way-too-calm tone. "We took Dani's DNA and stuck it into some normal human cells and got them to form into a body shape. Now we'll put what's left of the real Dani into the ghost portal and turn it on. The energy discharge will suck up her ectoplasm and shoot it into that chamber, fusing it together into her new body. It's almost the same way you got your ghost form, but in reverse." She added as an afterthought.

"How'd you learn to do the DNA thing?" He asked. His parents both shot each other a strange look.

"We, uh, just tried it once to see what would happen." Maddie said with an odd half smile. "No reason, really." Danny frowned for a minute, but shrugged, deciding to let the matter drop.

"So when are you going to do it?" He asked.

"Sometime tomorrow." Jack called out from back under the machine. "The body in the chamber hasn't had long enough to fully form yet. It might be dangerous to do it too soon."

"Right. I'm just gonna go upstairs and do some homework, so…"

"Danny!" Jazz jogged downstairs two at a time, some rolled up paper in her hands.

"Uh, yes?" He responded, eyeing his panting sister. After a quick gulp of air, Jazz reached up and handed him her package.

"I just got a copy. They're all over town." It was a new 'Spook' paper.

'Phantom Called Out

For the last several months this paper has been publishing free, true facts about he elusive Danny Phantom. But what has Phantom ever said on his own behalf? What answers has he given our burning questions about his safety, his sanity, and his true nature? None! The people of Amity Park will stand for it no longer! On behalf of our fair city, we demand that Phantom immediately stand down as 'hero' and submit to local authorities for extensive questioning and testing. Only when we know he is what he says he is will this city ever truly be safe. Where are you Phantom? You can't hide the truth forever!'

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"Oh, how about this one, sweetie? It brings out your beautiful eyes! Oh, or this one!"

Yet again, Sam found herself on the painful end of a dress-up. And this time, her parents meant business. But she knew as soon as her parents had started commenting on 'how frail and ill' Grandma Manson was becoming, that something big was up. And now she was trapped. There was no way she was going to let them ship her granny off to some home. Even if that meant putting on pink…fluffy…dresses.

"You know I'm perfectly able to dress myself, right?" Sam asked hopelessly. She was predictably rewarded with a dismissive smile.

"Oh yes dear, but the…clothing you tend to wear is simply unacceptable at this sort of party." Eyes alight; her mother reverently opened a huge box and pulled out a giant confection of ribbons, silks, hosiery, ribbed corset, beads, gems, and frills. "Now this is something a young lady of your status should be wearing." It was official. Her mom was insane.

"You're insane." Sam stated flatly. A slight flush crept across her mother's face, but she received no other reaction.

"Well tell me, Sammy." She said in a prissy, brick tone. "What sort of outfit would you find acceptable?" That took her daughter aback.

"You're…compromising with me?" She asked distrustfully.

"Well it's not as though I have a choice." Her mother burst out. "You simply must attend the party, Sam. So many young men of good standing are coming; they'll be expecting you. But I absolutely refuse to let you go unless you're wearing something we both think is at least marginally acceptable." Grinning triumphantly, Sam rushed over to her closet. "And no black! It's gauche." Sagging slightly, she redirected her steps to the far back of her closet. A few minutes of rummaging later and she stepped out holding a very simple dress in violet. The pattern was set out in basic lines, with no thin material, frills, or gems. After a momentary frown, her mother grudgingly nodded her acceptance.

"That's adequate, I suppose." She conceded. "And simple lines do convey a sense of humility and strength." Smiling, her mother gradually warmed to the dress. "Yes, you're bound to attract a respectable young man with that, provided you don't paint your face with that awful black makeup." Head high in triumph, her mother retreated from Sam's room. The incredibly annoyed girl looked down at her dress.

"Well I guess that's something." She muttered. There was a quiet knock on her door.

"Sam?"

"Grandma?" Perking up, Sam hurried over and opened the door. Her grandmother quickly came in.

"So what're you in for?" She asked jokingly. Sam grinned in response and held out the dress.

"It's not so bad." She said. "At least it's not pink or something." The two shared a shudder, and broke into quiet giggles.

"No, I suppose not." Her grandma conceded. "But do you think he'll like it?" She finished with a wink. Sam blushed.

"W-who do you mean?" She asked. Her grandma grinned.

"Why that Fenton boy, of course. I heard he's managed to find an invitation. A good, caring young man if I ever met one." The old woman pulled up close to whisper in her granddaughter's ear. "And your parents hate him, so he's perfect!" Sam burst out laughing, falling back onto her bed. Her grandma smiled quietly.

"You really do love him, don't you dear?" She asked. Still a bit pink, Sam gave a small nod. "I can tell, sweetie. When you get to be my age, you can always tell. And I know he feels the same way about you." The older woman sighed. "I wish your parents could see that. How they got it in their heads that the only good match for you would make you completely miserable is beyond me. I want you to be happy, Sam, and you deserve it. Never forget that, okay?" Her granddaughter nodded mutely.

"And stop cringing at their beck and call just to keep me out of the home." She added brightly. Sam stared. "Oh, didn't think I knew about that, eh? That's the other problem with young people; they always think their elders are idiots. Don't ask me why, we're the ones that taught you everything. Still," she sighed, "you really should just be yourself. I don't think either of 'em has the guts to actually ship me off, and I'll fight tooth and nail to stay. Be happy Sam. That's all I want."

Smiling quietly, the older woman ambled off towards the door, masking most of her inner fire behind a façade of quiet dotage, off to subvert her unsuspecting children. Sam smiled to herself and turned off the light. Maybe tomorrow wouldn't be so bad after all.

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"I am the Box Ghoo-ow! Ow! Ow!"

Red and green beams of energy lanced out through the cool night air to repeatedly strike the box ghost. An enthusiastic dodge through a side alley showed that the blasts were very weak and meant to hurt but not knock out the annoying ghost.

"Run, Boxy! Run!" Laughing enthusiastically, Valerie Gray chased the invading spirit through the twists and turns of Amity Park's downtown district, careful to steer her quarry away from any civilians or easily damaged material. She made enough mistakes like that early in her hunting career and had no desire to make more. If nothing else, that sort of carelessness would definitely get her grounded.

BOOM!

"Argh!" She moaned in frustration as the Box Ghost overturned a huge pile of crates in an attempt to throw her off.

With a quick backward glance, she noted that no property damage had been done and that the boxes were empty. Still, she knew that this chase had come to an end. In one fluid motion, she swung her arm behind her back, plucked the Fenton Bazooka out of its holster, charged it with her free hand, and fired the second she completed the arc. Green energy burst forth and swallowed the Box Ghost in a very small temporary portal, his idiotic threats echoing for a few short moments before fading into the gloom. Snorting at stupid ghosts and stupid hunts, the Red Huntress turned to head off on patrol.

"Nice shot."

Val's head shot around to take in the commentator and the huntress nearly crashed into a nearby wall before remembering to turn. One eyebrow on her spectator's face rose in amusement, and she scowled, though more in irritation than in real anger, to her slight surprise and definite pride.

"Phantom." Danny grinned, albeit a bit uncertainly.

"Huntress."

"It's my night for patrol." She said coolly, flying over to sit next to him on a crumbling roof ledge. The moment she settled, a spider web of cracks spread out across the entire surface, but nothing crumbled. Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow.

"I'm feeling pretty weightless right now." Phantom remarked offhandedly, looking absently up at the stars. "Don't worry though; I don't think it'll break." Val snorted and settled down.

"Why are you out here, anyway?" She asked at last. Danny turned and gave her a questioning look. "I mean, you have a big day tomorrow. And I already gave you your invitation, so you didn't need to come find me. You could be asleep, or something." He shrugged.

"Got a lot on my mind." He said at last.

"That doesn't answer my question." She said, with a touch of irritation creeping back into her voice. "I mean, don't you usually go redecorate that lair of yours when you want to think?" Danny shot her a lopsided smile.

"Been talking to Tucker?" He asked casually.

"Been talking to Tucker." She confirmed. "I…I am sorry about how much I was stressing you out, Danny." She continued quietly, after a discreet look around. "I know why you didn't tell me, and I think you were probably right. If that's what you're thinking about, well, just know I'm coping, or whatever. I'm not totally sure about the ghost thing yet, but I'm not mad about you lying to me." Danny smiled quietly.

"Well I guess that's one less thing." He said. "To tell you the truth, a lot's been going on lately."

"Like what?" She asked curiously. Danny shot her a mischievous grin.

"I thought this was your night for patrol." He teased. Val glowered over at him.

"I'm on my break." At this, Danny actually laughed.

"Wow. Why didn't I think of that when the last ghost attacked?" He joked. The two shared a quiet laugh on the starlit rooftop before settling down once again.

"I don't know where to start." He said at last. "Danielle's getting 'fixed' tomorrow, or at least I hope so. Tucker would have explained about why we had the funeral by now." Val nodded. "I thought that was why you were so confused before. She's not dead, just…out of it. Or something. But tomorrow, she might get better. Or if something goes wrong, she could get totally torn apart." He muttered. "And this ghost friend of mine, Clockwork, is in some real trouble. He's so powerful, he doesn't have to listen to the ghosts punishing him, but he wants to anyway. I guess I'm glad he is, but a part of me really wants him to just break the rules and do what he wants." Danny shook his head. "But if I stop caring about following rules like that, what am I supposed to do when I'm too strong for other people to control? I want him to break the rules so much, but I know he shouldn't. So it's up to me to keep him out of trouble." Val looked over at him for a second.

"What happened?" Danny chuckled bitterly.

"I don't really know." He admitted. "I think the council – the ghosts that make the big rules and decisions – wanted to kick him off, so they used some technicality to put him under arrest. Now if anything goes really bad in the next few months, they'll do who-knows-what to him. And the worst part is I think this fighting between him and them is about me. They're…scared of me."

"Oh." Val said quietly.

"Yeah." He responded morosely. "It's because he got in trouble that Vlad got released. But if nothing goes wrong, Clockwork's in the clear and Vlad goes back to ghost jail, or whatever. So he's working hard right now to make some major trouble, something I can't clean up. And I have no idea what it is, except that I'm supposed to go to that Manson party tomorrow. Oh, and the Guys in White came to our house asking questions, that 'Spook' paper is practically calling me a criminal, and your dad lost his job – along with the most powerful antighost weapon ever built - to some mysterious evil guy."

"You heard about that?"

"Are you kidding? Your dad and my dad are like this." Phantom crossed his fingers. "The D-man." He said dryly, rolling his eyes. Valerie chuckled a bit, but if it was subdued, Danny supposed he understood. "Is he okay?" She hesitated.

"I don't know." She said at last. "He seemed really upset. He knows something's going on over there, and it can't be good." She frowned. "I've had a lot to think about too."

"Which is why you were chasing the Box Ghost across town." Phantom reasoned. Val smiled.

"You can't beat the classics." Phantom grinned back. Val's watch beeped.

"Ah!" She moaned. "I've gotta go. It looks like another ghost popped up across town, over by tower 22. Later!" And just like that, Danny was alone again. A brief shimmer of energy later, and the rooftop was empty.

A small chunk of stone broke off the edge and crashed onto the walk below.

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"Jack, Maddie." Damon greeted casually from across the downstairs dining room table.

"Damon."

"I know it's late, but I need your help." Jack and Maddie looked at each other, and let their gazes return to their friend. "You know I've been booted off the tower project, but there are some things you don't know yet. The man in charge now…he's working for someone. I mean, he's some sort of…spy, or agent, or something. He's not here to help our city, he wants something else. He came on the project very recently, but he's completely taken over. The towers are all operational now, even if the non-critical structures aren't up yet. And that had to take some serious cash, or at least a lot of engineers and ghost scientists. When I started asking questions, I got fired. Now this 'Smith' guy is in charge, and he's bad news. I know it."

"Ok, Damon." Maddie answered quietly over tea. "Jack and I both know how important the towers are, and how dangerous they can be in the wrong hands, but…what can we do?"

"I want to sneak in." Jack started coughing. "It shouldn't be that hard!" He hastily added. "I designed most of the basic security systems myself. They can change the codes and add guards, but moving where the wiring and cameras and things are would take a lot of effort, no matter who they are. If anyone can get in, I can."

"That makes sense," Maddie answered, "but what can Jack and I do?" Jack nodded, massaging his throat.

"You two are local ghost experts, and two of the most trustworthy people I know." He answered grimly. "If 'Smith' is up to something in those towers, it's probably ghost related. Whatever it is, I need one of you to come along to figure out what's going on, and help me figure out what to take back out with me as proof."

"I'll go." Jack said gravely, setting down his soda. Damon smiled hesitantly.

"Er, thanks, Jack. But, uh, I was sort of hoping Maddie would come. No offense," he hastily amended, "it's just, uh, you're not exactly built for stealth." Jack looked down at the acres and acres of…him, and grinned sheepishly.

"Right. Good luck you two." Maddie rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't feel bad, hon. You can work on that other project while I'm gone. The one downstairs." Jack brightened.

"Uh…" Damon looked from one to the other. "Did I miss something?" The two looked flustered for a moment, and then Maddie turned and gave Damon a hesitant smile.

"We…er…have found clues recently that Dani might not have died last September after all." She started. "We never found a body. And there's been a rumor that she might be somewhere in the Ghost Zone." Damon paled.

"For all these months!"

"Well, Phantom's been looking for her." Jack threw in. Maddie shot him a warning glance. "We think one of his friends found her a while back, and word is just getting to us. So tomorrow, I'll be heading off to check things out." Their friend looked unconvinced for a minute, but grinned.

"That's good news! I'm sorry to ask you to help with this, Maddie, I know how important Dani is, and-"

"Don't worry Damon," Maddie interrupted. "I want to help you. We only have the one Specter Speeder, and Jack alone can search just as well as the two of us together. What time should we head out tomorrow?"

"Noon." Both Fentons raised their eyebrows. "There's usually a shift change around then, because of how well-lit the perimeter is. And we'll have some shadow cover on one side of the tower. If we went at night, they'd be lit from an outer ring on every side, and sneaking up on it would be almost impossible. I designed the system, remember?"

"Right. Noon it is."

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'Right. Noon it is.'

Smith smiled darkly to himself and set down his headphones. Yes, placing a bug at the Fentons' house was an excellent idea. Among other things…

"So we'll be having company tomorrow. Well, there's no way they'll breach the tower." Still, it always paid to have a backup strategy. Now what…

BEEP BEEP BEEP!

'Proximity Alert! Unidentified Flying Object approaching Tower 22. Ectosignature present; appears manmade. Identity…confirmed. Vigilante 'Red Huntress.''

Smith's smile deepened.

"Hmm…hostages can make an excellent backup plan. Even vigilantes." Fingers flew over a small keyboard.

'Engaging Ectobeams in Five…Four…Three…Two…