Shadow Rose
Chapter Eight
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Rose Anderson's Narrative
I flattened my body as a late night shopper strolled over the drain in which I was hiding. Phantom was hidden, invisible, hovering above the empty streets. The Red Huntress was also above ground, clinging to a wall. The Night Rider was following our target. Tucker was in touch with all of us via the earpieces Danny had provided called 'Fenton Phones'.
"He's heading towards the rendezvous," Tucker said loudly and I hissed at him to be quite.
"We know how pleased you are with your system Tuck, but keep it down, many of us are trying to keep a cover here," Valerie said, the only one who could speak aloud without drawing attention to herself under the helmet.
"We could always just drop him off the team," I said quietly, "Or blow the Hidden PDA's cover, how did you come up with that anyway?"
"Keeping Cover here," Sam hissed under her breath, "I'm feeling kind of uncomfortable without my suit here."
"Yeah, well tough," Valerie said.
Our target wandered over my hiding place and I pushed myself upwards, the grill automatically sliding aside thanks to Tuckers technology and appearing to the target as if I'd burst out of the ground.
"Mr Baxter, if you would be so kind as to hand me the goods," I said.
"What goods," Dash's hand drifted unconsciously towards his pocket.
"The one's you stole from Pamela Manson four hours ago," Valerie said, landing on the ground behind him.
"And are planning to dispose of to the Hidden PDA," said Danny, becoming Visible.
"What no Night Rider?" Dash asked, shifting into a protective stance and dropping all pretence.
"I'm here Baxter," Rider said, stepping into our circle, Sam must have been carrying her head covering in the pocket of her black hoodie, which was zipped up to her neck and her hair tucked inside the hood.
"But I'm not going to take you out today," Rider continued, her eyes taunting him, "My good friend Rose is." Dash paled to a chalky white.
"You don't mean… Rose Anderson do you?"
"Anderson is a weakling," I scoffed, "She's a perfect little angel, too perfect. No Master Baxter, the 'Rose' of which Rider speaks is me."
"The Shadow Rose?" Dash's complexion turned to the colour of porridge, "That's even worse."
I flexed my gloved fingers eagerly and grinned. Dash whimpered and stumbled back, Sam grabbed his arms and pushed him to the ground, just as a police car came screeching to a halt beside us. I pouted, "Aww, I wanted to beat 'im up."
"There, there Shadow," Rider grinned, slinging an arm around my shoulder.
The police were almost immediately joined by the Press and I grimaced, "If they ask me for an interview one more time heads are going to roll." Phantom grabbed our hands as the Huntress took to the skies.
"Ready to disappear?" He asked, grinning, but didn't wait for a reply, we vanished as the Media's cameras began to flash.
--- --- ---
"I hate the Press," Sam grumbled when we arrived back at my apartment; our headquarters. "Nosy, Interfering Losers." I laughed and pulled off my mask.
"You'll have to be careful Rose," Valerie said, slipping through the window, "You're starting to gain a reputation." I gave the air a little punch and cheered.
"A rep isn't that big a deal," Tucker said, pulling off his headset, "I mean look at mine!" I looked at him blankly.
"Tucker Foley has a Reputation that doesn't ruin his Love life?"
"Hey!"
There was a sudden loud knocking on the door and Rose winced.
"Danny?" Came Jazz's voice, "Danny are you in there?"
"I'd be careful love." Squeaked the Little Old Lady who Lived Next Door, "The Mother of that girlie's very ill. I think it's Cancer," she whispered loudly and clucked in a reassuring sort of way. I opened the door and rescued the red-head from the continued torture of Miss Finnegan.
"What do you want Jazz?"
Jazz took in the dimly lit room with her mouth open, "I was… looking for… Danny?"
"How did you get this address?" I asked impatiently, "Mum doesn't like it when I bring friends here she doesn't know… oh wait, you're not a friend." As you can probably tell, Jazz and I don't get along very well. I find her infuriating and she finds me patronising. I know I am patronising but most people are used to that by now-at least, all the people who understand what I am are.
I think the real reason Jazz and I don't get along is because I am smarter than her and Danny likes me better than her… isn't that sad?
"Nothing to say?" I asked briskly, "You admit that this was a complete waste of our Time? Okay then, Goodbye." I tried to push her out of the door and slam it after her.
"Plasmius is coming for Dinner!" Jazz suddenly shrieked and I stopped pushing her… she fell over.
"Maybe you could Roast him," Sam said thoughtfully as Jazz picked herself up and dusted herself off.
"This is serious Sam, you have no idea what this guy is capable off," she leaned forward a bit and whispered, "I heard he took out the Shadow Rose and she was out of commission for over a week." That was the last straw I burst into hysterical laughter, everyone else found it amusing to. Jasmine Fenton was so bewildered and we didn't bother telling her that I was the Shadow Rose and it had been her dear little Brother who has put me out of commission.
"If Plasmius is planning something, we'll get him," Danny said determinedly.
"My hero," I joked, Jazz scowled.
"If you won't do anything Danny I'll have to deal with him myself." That made us all laugh; I'd say poor Jazz but… I like to see her suffer.
"The Protectors will do what they have to," I said lightly, "Just because we didn't all jump up and grab our weapons doesn't mean we aren't taking this seriously," I ushered her out of the door. "Now you go and talk to Miss Finnegan." I turned back to the others, my face grave.
--- --- ---
Rider and I sat on the Fenton's roof that evening playing cards. Valerie was muttering at us through her comm. Set, Tucker was playing a video game and listening to Valerie's colourful language, and Danny… well, Danny was sitting down to a Family + Plasmius meal. Did I mention that we were also eavesdropping, which was why three of us were on the roof. In all fairness Danny didn't know we were on the roof, which now that I think about it we should have told him. Anyway, no harm came of us neglecting to tell him of our location.
"Daniel would you pass the butter?" Vlad said smoothly, "I want to add some to these scrumptious potatoes."
"Why thankyou V-Man," Jack Fenton boomed, "I made them myself." There was the sound of half-chewed potato hitting the ceramic plate.
"Jazz, tell your father not to pound his college Buddy that hard," Maddie said.
"Dad, keep hitting him, it's very nice of you."
"Jasmine!"
"How are you going at school Daniel?"
"Good," Danny muttered.
"Do you have a girlfriend yet?" Vlad asked snidely and Rider and I tried to contain our giggles.
There was a muttered "No."
"But you like someone?" I gave Rider a conspirator wink and she made strangling motions with her hands around my neck.
"Is it Rose?" Jasmine said with a distinct disapproval in her voice.
"No!" Danny yelled in horror in unison with the sound of his chair falling over. He was keeping his powers in check then.
"But you had a thing with her once," Vlad said knowingly.
"You never told us about this Danny," Maddie said, ever the mother.
"It was just one kiss, wait, two," Danny muttered and then sounding extremely horrified, "Did I say that out loud?"
"Danny, would you get the ketchup?" Jack Fenton boomed, Rider and I were almost choking we were laughing so hard.
There was the sound of someone's chair being pushed back and the fridge opened. We heard Danny yell and fall over, which meant he had found our present… a chocolate box with his name on it and a note telling him we were eavesdropping.
"Danny? Are you okay?" Jazz called.
"I think I'll get some air…" Danny said, his voice faltering and minutes later joined us, scaring Rider out of her wits when he came through the roof at our feet.
"What are you two playing at?" He hissed, "You could jeopardise everything."
"We can do no worse than you," I said, trying to contain my laughter, "Did I mention Valerie was with us as well." Danny gave a despairing look at the Huntress across the street.
"Just, keep it down, please."
"Keep what down Daniel?" Plasmius said, rising through the roof much as Danny had done, "I already know your little friends are here."
--- --- ---
While I leave you in suspense about what happens next I just want to talk to you a bit about what we do as a team. They call us the Protection Five now, we have a reputation for being the best and some people in the group, okay only me, can get a bit big-headed on the subject. But we do pride ourselves on being heroes; saving lives. We try not to spread it around that the Hidden PDA is part of the Group, we just call him Techno when we're suited up, but it works, and he's got connections.
Tucker's role is to keep us in touch, keep us connected to each other. He obtains the latest technology and uses it to create his own, weapons and the like that stun but don't kill, so we can bring criminals in for justice. He, and the rest of us, try to stay clear of Ghost Weaponry-we just steal the Fenton's stuff, not the most reliable, but it works.
Valerie, out of all of us, has the most reputation for success, she's good when Danny's down for some reason and there's a ghost. At first it was hard for her to work in a team, but she's one of the best now. We rely on her to get us going as well, she's got plenty of time on her hands and she uses it constructively.
Sam, the Night Rider, is great as a friend, we all like her and she likes all of us, some more than others (referring here to her obvious crush on one Danny Fenton/Phantom). She's familiar with the criminals we need to look out fro and understands their type. She'd make a good criminal profiler one day.
Danny is our wonderful Public Face; he also rescues us from the Media. His powers are wonderfully useful and he has a clone that fills in when we have an emergency. The best thing about Danny though, is the way he encourages us all. He takes our jokes really well and contributes to them, he helps us when we're down and restores our fighting spirits.
As for me? I'm the Leader of the Pack, always ready and raring to go. I keep them organised and get them going, everything goes through me and I know everything. We are the Elite. We are the Five.