Disclaimer- don't own a thing
The low buzz of off tune humming danced through the chilly gloom of the subbasement in Vlad's mansion. Vlad was moving carefully around his machinery in the dim lighting, checking various dials and screens for readings. Everything had to be perfect before they could continue with their plans.
Vlad hated the idea of actually harming Danny in any way. He paused for a second, his hand resting on the warmed metal hull of a large hollow container as he remembered the night before. It had almost stopped his heart when he had come back downstairs to see Eddie carving slices in Danny's face. The cold, calculating look that had been on Eddie's face as he had watched in silent satisfaction as the blood streaked blade flashed closer and closer to his victim's face.
A furtive glance across the room showed him that his patient was still unconscious, his head tilted painfully to the side, his hair covering his eyes and his mouth gaping open as he wheezed in pain even in his sleep. He winced in sympathy at the sight of the rust brown streaks which poured down his face. There hadn't been any time the night before to clean Danny up, he'd had to run back upstairs and yell at Eddie for a good hour. A harsh scowl appeared on Vlad's face; Eddie had merely laughed and shrugged asking what the big deal was, he had left Danny alive hadn't he? Wasn't that all that mattered?
To Vlad, all that mattered was that if this plan failed he didn't want to give Danny more of a reason to come back in revenge. Leaving lasting marks, definitely counted as a valid reason in his book. At least the antidote had worked, he hadn't even been one hundred percent sure it would.
Satisfied that the laboratory was prepped for the coming events of the day, Vlad left the freezing, soulless room and instead moved into his warm and inviting study. Once sequestered in his favorite leather chair, he called quietly into the empty room, "Skulker."
Immediately, there was a response. The metallic body of Vlad's mercenary minion appeared with a faint ghostly pop that went unnoticed in its normalcy. "Yes Plasmius." There was no question in Skulker's normally strangely mobile face. Instead it was blank, as if waiting for something to be written there.
"After the events of last night, I'd much rather that Master Haverstein was not present for the next stage. Make sure he is still…out, for the moment. And then report downstairs and begin preparing the subject ," Vlad dictated with a cruel smile on his face as he stared into space. After Eddie's disfigurement of Danny's face, he had quietly slipped a heavy dosage of sleeping pills into the younger man's nightcap of brandy. He would be sleeping for a few hours yet, but it paid to be prepared. With a slow, even nod, Skulker disappeared.
Reappearing beside Danny's slumped figure on the gurney, Skulker dispassionately stared at his nemesis for a minute. Then he got to work. Quickly and efficiently, he sterilized the crook of Danny's arm with a swipe of and alcohol dowsed cotton swab and, with a careful lift of his fingers, gently tilted his head in a more comfortable fashion.
Floating slowly over to a tray nearby, he smoothly and methodically began to prepare some syringes filled with a pale blue liquid.
Silently, Danny opened his eyes then quickly shut them again. Skulker was not something he wanted to first see when he opened his eyes. But he had to admit that if it came down to Eddie, Vlad or Skulker, he would take the hunk of scrap metal any day. Even with his lack of superhuman powers, Eddie was far more frightening than any ghost Danny had ever come across. He had the scars now to prove it. Gently, moving his head to the side Danny stared at Skulker's back, his face unwillingly flinching at the movement the pain caused.
"Skulker," Danny hissed, "hey, metal head!" Skulker continued in his lethargic movements, as if he hadn't heard Danny's entreaty. Eyes widening, he suddenly noticed the various needles resting on the tray waiting for an unsuspecting vein to attack.
Frustrated, Danny struggled against his bindings. After a somewhat awkward night's sleep, he was far stronger than he had been before and was ready to knock some sense into his kidnappers. "Skulker, look at me damnit!"
A somewhat stilted chuckle interrupted his pathetic attempted escape, swiveling his head painfully towards the stairs, Danny was greeted by the sight of a smiling Vlad carrying a mug of something steaming as he regally traveled down the steps. "I'm sorry Daniel, but Skulker can't really help you. See, he only listens to his master now and days."
A shiver of something traveled down Danny's spine, and he distantly thought it must be something like fear. "Where's your friendly neighborhood butcher today Vlady?" With death in his eyes, Danny stared as Vlad sedately walked closer. Desperately he wished he had the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes, of all that abilities to have and that's one he was missing. A wicked image of Vlad hopping around the lab with his butt on fire popped into Danny's head.
Shrugging carelessly, Vlad placed his mug on the lab table, grabbed a stool and sat on it, with his arms crossed. "I do believe that Mr. Haverstein found last night's events too taxing, so he is sleeping in this morning."
"You drugged him."
A short laugh echoed through the room, "Oh Daniel, you do know me all too well."
Danny pressed against the bindings on his arms and neck, "So I'm guessing then that you won't let me go?"
"Of course not, why go to all this effort only to release you once you've gotten your strength back. Really, you must think me an idiot," Vlad shivered, "or your father."
Danny's bright blue eyes narrowed in confusion, "So why all of this Masters? Why in the world did you kidnap me in the first place? I understand Eddie, but you?" He ignored the jibe against his father, it wasn't the important thing right now.
"I can't really speak for Edward, he truly makes no sense. But as for me…" Vlad paused for a minute, crossed his legs and his eyes shined in anticipation, "well, I suppose that in a few minutes it won't matter anyways. You won't really remember much. Fine, I wanted you because I'm getting on in years and you've finally come into your full potential. I need an heir Daniel."
His face twisted in disgust, Danny groaned, "Give me a break Plasmius. That old spiel? I don't believe that for one minute."
Vlad's lips curled slowly into a grin, "Which is why I told you. Now then, on to the main event! Skulker, my coat if you please." Dully, Skulker stood beind Vlad and held out his lab coat waiting for him to put his arms through.
"Masters, what's up with Skulker?" Danny asked, as he tried to wriggle his wrist clear of his restraint without catching Vlad's notice.
Standing up from his stool, Vlad shook out his sleeves and moved over to the tray table holding the syringes, picking one up he examined the liquid and began to gently tap the side of the vial, trying to get all the bubbles out. At Danny's question he stopped mid-tap, "Skulker? He's fine Daniel, don't worry."
"Not what I asked, what'd you do to him?" Danny demanded, more than slightly nervous. The sight of that needle forebode ill, he just knew it.
Vlad smiled. Something he meant to be reassuring, but something that scared Danny far more than the sight of the needle. "Now, Daniel. Don't worry so much. It'll make this far more difficult than it really has to be. Skulker is just fine. He's finally free of all concerns and desires."
"You castrated him?!" Danny yelped loudly, his eyes huge in his head at the very thought of what he might lose. His hands instinctively twitched as if they felt the need to protect a very important part of his body.
Vlad snorted in derision, "Not quite. I didn't really want to contend with Ember if I did that. No, Skulker was just my test subject in my latest ghostly experiment. You see this," he gestured at the syringe in his hand, "is filled with a liquid that inhibits a ghost's, or in your case Daniel, half ghost's, ability to think or move for themselves."
"Uh, Vlad," Danny chuckled, "you're too late."
Confused, Vlad faced him, "What do you mean?" Danny had allowed someone to experiment on him of his own free will? When had this happened?
Danny shrugged to the best of his stilted ability, "Well, years ago a guy named Freakshow controlled several ghosts. Yours truly was one of them."
Vlad chuckled at the simple mindedness of his guest, "Ah, but Daniel that was easily rectified if I remember correctly. Just by simply destroying his staff, am I correct?" without waiting for Danny's confirmation, he continued, "I did my research. Anyways, this formula is far more complete. Sadly, there is no antidote yet. But since I'm sure Ember won't mind Skulker as a mindless slave, I don't believe that will be an issue."
Danny spluttered in indignation, "But, you can't…!"
"Again, you underestimate me Daniel." Vlad sighed in pain, as if he was unused to such an occurrence, "Yesterday you asked me to kill you because it would be simpler than having an unwilling body doing my will. This is the easiest way to save your life and get what I wish, see?" he said cheerfully, as he walked closer to Danny's prone body, the needle stretched towards his outturned right arm.
Pausing before the tip of the needle pricked Danny's skin, Vlad caught his gaze, "Now is the time to tell me, do you have any allergies, heart conditions…?" he questioned happily.
"What, you don't have any of that in my file?" Danny sniped back; in a panic he was desperately trying to yank his arm away from the jutting needle. It wasn't one of the baby needles the nurses at his doctors usually gave him, this was a monster of an instrument. Vlad obviously wasn't unduly concerned with the pain he might cause his victim.
Vlad grinned, "No, I do. I was just making sure that there wasn't something you were hiding from me. Of course, I'll find out soon enough." And with that, he jabbed the thick needle into the pulsing vein protruding from Danny's arm.
Gritting his teeth, Danny twitched at the chilling, itching feeling that pounded through his body almost instantaneously. It surpassed the pain of the rigid intrusion of the needle, within the next second he forgot the pain, the flooding of yet another foreign liquid in his body and that he hated Vlad. He forgot his family, Tucker, the fact that he was a ghost and Sam. He remembered that he wanted to obey Vlad Masters. And nothing else.
His eyes blinking rapidly, Danny suddenly slumped back over and his entire body shook violently within the restraints. Reaching out, Vlad rested his hand sympathetically on Danny's heaving shoulder, "Don't worry son. It'll be over in a minute. The shakes last longer only if you are full ghost."
-- --O- O-O -O-- --
Frustrated, Sam plucked at her clothing feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Under her clothing, Sam was wearing a lightweight bulletproof vest, a microphone feed attached to her bra, a camera disguised as a button on the front of her sweater and the microscopic tracking device that Tucker had shown her and Jazz the night before was tucked away in her front jeans pocket.
"Tuck, let's hope it doesn't rain with the amount of hardware I'm wearing." Sam complained as she carefully adjusted her camera button on the dark purple sweater she was wearing. She had originally thought it was just going to be the tracking device until Tucker had arrived earlier that morning with his arms stuffed with mountains of electronic gadgets and his face as bright with impending joy. She hadn't had the heart to say no.
"Don't worry, they're encased in a lightweight plastic casing to prevent that." Tucker muttered as he furiously tapped on the laptop keyboard before him. Suddenly, he adjusted the laptop to face Sam, "Ok, Sammy, here we go. See this?" he pointed at the screen. It showed a ballooned image of Tucker's face, focusing mainly on his nose. She nodded, "Ok, well this is a satellite feed. Whatever you see, Jazz and I'll be able to see also at the exact same time."
Sam nodded to show she understood, "Fine, now what?"
"Now," Jazz mumbled, as she walked in munching alternately on an apple and a candy bar, "you call Eddie."
"Aw do I have to?" the Goth whined loudly, as she slumped onto the couch. When Jazz shot her a glare she sniffed, "What, you can't blame me for not wanting to. You have no idea what this guy is capable of Jazz! I mean, I can bet that he's been party to at least one…murder." Sam's eyes shot open, "Oh dear god."
Scared at the expression on Sam's face, Jazz hurried over to the couch, sat beside her and grabbed her hand, "Sam? Sam, what is it!"
Numb, Sam stared at Jazz unseeingly, "He was the one. He tried to…oh god."
"Sam?" asked Tucker quietly, he had never seen her at this degree of frightened. Eddie had always scared her, but this was something beyond that. "He was the one who what Sam?"
Wide-eyed, Sam twisted her hands in her lap as the realization crashed over her. "A few weeks ago," she began in a soft whisper, "there was an incident at Axiom. An explosion actually, in a lab that Danny was visiting."
"Was he alright?" asked Jazz in desperation, worry coloring her voice.
Smiling softly at Jazz, Sam nodded, "Yeah, he was fine. But there was a woman who was burned badly, Danny walked with her to the ambulance. He said that she had changed her mind."
Tucker was confused, "Changed her mind? What, she decided that she didn't want to be burned anymore?"
"No, she had been paid to kill him. And I think that Eddie is the one to put her up to it," Sam finished, her voice back in a whisper.
Tucker held up his hands and chuckled, "Wait a second, you're telling me that Eddie put a hit on Danny? And the assassin failed?" Sam nodded, not paying attention to Jazz's worried expression or Tucker's laughing one.
"Yes! It makes sense!" she exclaimed, suddenly understanding everything, "Damn Danny for not telling me, him and his 'noble' intentions," she rolled her eyes in annoyance. Then she held out her hand, "Tuck give me your phone."
Grasping his phone protectively to his chest, Tucker glared at her, "Why my phone? Use your own!"
Glaring at him, Sam wrestled with his flailing limbs but finally manages to wrest the device away from him, "You can be such a baby sometimes. I'm just going to put his number in your phone. If I have to wear all this crap you can handle one extra measly phone number in your new 'baby'" she griped as she punched in the digits. Handing it back to him, she dug into her own pocket and pulled out her own phone.
For a minute she stared at it, the well worn keypad and slightly smudged screen. Her phone's background was a picture of Danny, a candid she had snapped a few days after they had gotten together. He had been eating cotton candy that she had bought at the grocery store and had somehow gotten it all over, including the tip of his nose. In the picture he was trying to get that one little piece with only his tongue. Gathering her strength from the image of Danny, she hit a number and the dial button, then waited as the ringtone buzzed loudly in her ear.
As the tone continued to ring loudly, Sam grew worried that it would go to his voicemail and she'd have to call back later. She didn't think she could make herself do that. Luckily though, it was finally picked up.
"H-hello?" greeted the sleepy voice of Eddie. Confused, Sam looked at her watch and saw that it was late in the afternoon by now. How could he have been sleeping this late in the day?
"Eddie?"
A yawn sounded in her ear, but was cut short as he suddenly seemed to perk up at the sound of her voice, "Sam! Hey, how's it going?"
Faking a giggle, Sam winked at Jazz and Tucker, twirling a lock of her hair for good measure, "Oh, it's going fine. I was just thinking though, I mean, I've been working for you for a few weeks now. Don't you think I need to see the main office?" At the sight of the combined dropped jaws of Jazz and Tucker, Sam let out another false giggle, "Besides, I feel like we really haven't spent any time together lately. And you're right, we should be friends again."
"Sam, I'd be honored. Would you care to spend the day together tomorrow? We can make an event of it."
Squashing the panic that was bubbling deep inside her at the idea of spending an entire day with him, Sam choked out her reply, "Sure, that'd be wonderful. Pick me up at ten?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Hanging up, she turned to Tucker and Jazz and smirked, "Well?"
Tucker pointed at her in shock, his jaw still wide open, "You just giggled." His mouth opened and shut and a lost expression crossed his face, "Twice," he whispered, confused.
Sam rolled her eyes, "Thank you Captain Obvious. Jazz?"
Finishing off her candy bar, Jazz grinned, "Wonderful. We'll get the dirt on this jerk soon enough." Kindly, Sam chose not to tell Jazz that her teeth were covered in chocolate as she spoke.
Laying back on the couch, Sam allowed herself a minute to let everything sink in; she had just called her ex-boyfriend and fake boss. A man, who had apparently tried to kill her boyfriend. A boyfriend who was currently missing. And tomorrow she was going into the lion's den; there was something seriously wrong with this image.
"There's something else…" Sam muttered.
Tucker glanced up from texting Valerie, "Whatcha mean Sammy?"
Sam rested her gaze on Tucker and Jazz, "It just makes no sense. Eddie can't be the only one. He'd have to know that Danny was half-ghost. And I know he's rich, but he doesn't have the knowledge or experience to deal with ghosts…there has to be someone else."
Jazz and Tucker looked at each other in confusion, but Sam's mind was reeling. Eddie was human, that she was sure of; he had no knowledge of ghosts. So he would have to know someone who did have an understanding of the supernatural world.
"Jazz, do you think your parents…?"
Jazz shook her head in sharp motions, "No! Mom and Dad have never met this guy, I'm sure of it. They would have mentioned some rich big-wig funding them. They would have been over the moon about it."
Tucker snapped his fingers, "I got it!" he exclaimed, "Think about it guys. Who's rich, knows about ghosts and has an issue with Danny?" It was like two light bulbs had suddenly been lit.
"Oh my god." Sam slapped her forehead as she and Jazz groaned simultaneously, "Of course…we're idiots. Vlad's helping Eddie."
Jazz snorted in amusement, "Well, gee Sam guess you really didn't have to make that date with Eddie after all." Frustrated, Sam grimaced at her.
"Thanks Jasmine," Sam mumbled, lightly punching Jazz's shoulder as she laughed at her friend.
Tucker stroked his chin, "Well I guess we might have an idea where they're stashing Danny then."
"Are we sure though? I mean these are two of the richest men in the state. They could be hiding him in a warehouse on the other side of the country for all we know."
Sam physically blanched at the idea of Danny on the other side of the states but nodded in agreement, "Jazz's right. Which means," she moaned loudly, "I still have to go out with Eddie."
"Aw poor Sammy, she has a date," Tucker snickered at his friend's plight. His laughter quickly turned to a shout of pain as Sam whacked him upside the head and Jazz punched his shoulder, "Ow damnit, if I want to be abused I'll go home and let Val do it guys!"
Sam chuckled and winked at Jazz, "I always knew Val had to be into S&M." Jazz joined in chuckling at the sight of Tucker's slightly flushed face.
Jazz waved a hand in the air, another gently cradled her stomach, "Ok, so we should figure out our plan for tomorrow guys." Sam nodded in agreement.
"Agreed. Ok, so here's how it's gonna happen. Sam will obviously be with Eddie and she'll have more bugs than a roach motel on her, just in case. Jazz and I'll be following along behind carefully. Got it?"
Sam sighed and dropped her forehead into the palm of her hand, "Can't we just fast forward past tomorrow to when we get Danny back?"
"Sorry Sammy, but we all know this has to be done. It'll be alright though," Tuck sympathized and gently patted her on the back. Glancing at his watch, Tucker's eyes flew open and he jumped up, "Damn, I'm late. I'm supposed to meet Val and her dad for dinner. Later guys!" With that he flew out of the apartment.
Their goodbyes echoing along behind him, Sam and Jazz sat on the couch silently for a few minutes. Out of the corner of her eye, Sam watch as Jazz lovingly caressed her lower stomach. Curious, Sam watched her for a minute. Since Jazz had been around, Sam had tried not to ask too many questions about her friend's current state. But seeing the soft glow that seemed to come from deep within Jazz, Sam couldn't help herself any longer.
"Jazz," Sam asked quietly, "who's the father?"
"His name is Christopher Gardner, he's a grad student at Berkeley." She sighed in remembrance, "He's gorgeous and smart and sooo nice. Or at least I thought so, when I told him I was pregnant he just sort of ran. I didn't follow." Tears began to flow thick and fast down Jazz's pale face, furiously she tried to stem the rush and wipe them away.
Helplessly, Sam watched as her only female friend in Amity cried her eyes out on her couch. There was nothing she could do to help the hurt that was tearing Jazz in two. There was a buzz in the back of her brain though, the name sounded vaguely familiar. Getting up, Sam walked into the hallway and grabbed a blanket from the linen closet.
Handing the warm, fuzzy blanket to Jazz, Sam smiled sympathetically and sat back down to wait for Jazz to calm down. She didn't need this kind of excitement, and Sam was incredibly sorry that she had asked in the first place. "Jazz, please…he's not worth crying over if he doesn't even care that he's going to be a father."
Gulping in deep breaths, Jazz nodded slowly, "You're right of course. I'm just being silly and hormonal. Besides," she added brightly, her eyes shining from her tears a moment before, "who needs that jackass when I have family and friends willing to be here? Thanks Sammy, I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning Bond." A hug later and Sam was alone in her living room.
Grabbing the blanket that Jazz had abandoned, Sam curled it around her body and snuggled into the couch. It was still the middle of the summer, but you never would have known it from the weather the past few days. Oddly chilly during the day, it only got colder at night. Somehow it seemed to reflect the mood around Amity lately.
Jazz had been right in saying that the Fenton's had noticed that Danny Phantom was missing. The lack of ghostly activity had Mr. Fenton so antsy not even fudge could catch his interest. They had actually called Sam the day before asking if she had noticed anything strange about Danny. He hadn't been answering their phone calls for over a week now, they said. Sam really couldn't say anything but that Danny was tied up at the moment. The truth of that statement was something they didn't need to know at the moment.
This was the moment of truth for Sam. Tomorrow was the day that could either make or break everything for hers and Danny's relationship, not to mention their lives. She could sit here on her comfy couch, and not leave the safety of her beloved blanket and let sun rise and set tomorrow. Or she could risk life, love and limb for the only man who had ever truly mattered in her life.
Strangely, for all that Eddie terrified the very socks off of Sam's feet on a good day; fear wasn't an emotion she was experiencing at the moment. She wasn't scared or even ready to burst into tears, there were no more tears to cry at the moment. No, she was pissed off. You can threaten Sam, her life and her happiness. But mess with her man and prepare for a whoopin'.
Nodding her head slowly, Sam knew that what came tomorrow was set in stone. She wouldn't change it even if she could; this was Danny, and she loved him. How in the world could she leave someone who had risked everything for her ever since they were in high school? Tucker wouldn't, Jazz wouldn't, the Fenton's wouldn't. Even if it weren't for Danny, how could she let them down?
A headache settled deep in Sam's brain, pounding as she rationalized her latest life choice. Lying long ways on the couch, Sam tucked one of the few pillows under her head and closed her eyes, intending to only rest for a minute. There was no way she could sleep with the headache. Not for the first time, she was wrong.
The next thing she knew, it was morning and Jazz was roughly shoving her shoulder in an attempt to rouse her. "Sam! Get up! We have to get ready! Tucker'll be here in ten minutes and then Eddie'll get here in half an hour! Did you sleep down here the whole night?" She asked as Sam drowsily rose from her bed on the couch and rubbed her eyes tiredly.
"I guess," she replied groggily. Then as Jazz's words sank into her head, Sam stared at her in shock, "Half an hour? Dear god!" She shouted, slinging back the blanket she ran, stumbling down the hallway to the bathroom before shutting the door with a resounding SLAM.
Chuckling, Jazz calmly straightened up the room and folded the blanket before putting it back onto the couch. Leave it to Sam to wait until the very last minute to get ready for the day when they're supposed to go out and save her kidnapped boyfriend. The chiming gong of the doorbell sounded through the living room, so Jazz cheerfully went over to peer through the peep hole.
Satisfied, she propped open the door and blocked it with her slightly thickened body, "Mornin' Tuck. Come on in, Sam's in the shower. She just woke up a second ago."
Tucker walked into the apartment grumbling, "I don't believe it. She knew what was happening today and she woke up late?"
Steam curling gently around her towel clad body and a deep purple towel wrapped around her head, Sam marched out of the bathroom, "Hey, not my fault. I fell asleep on the couch, there's no alarm out there."
"Quick shower," Jazz commented with a smile. Her own body and hair were perfectly dressed and coifed; she had been up for a few hours making sure that everything was fine for the day's events.
Sam shrugged and smiled back warmly, "Well, as Tuck so kindly reminded me, something big is going down today and I decided to be quick." Then sticking her tongue out at Tucker, Sam turned on her heel and glided down towards her room.
"Brat," he mumbled under his breath.
Back in her room, Sam took a rare personal second to stare at her closet and the clothes inside. What did one wear when they were going undercover trying to retrieve their boyfriend from a pathetic wannabe despot and a sociopathic playgirl pinup? Definitely not the heels; what good would they be if she needed to run? The tennis shoes instead, definitely.
Grabbing a pair of well loved jeans, her favorite black t-shirt and a light blue button up sweater, Sam quickly got dressed and fluffed out her soaking wet hair. Running her fingers through it carefully, she twisted the strands into two braids to run down her back. Dabbling on a touch of makeup, she examined her reflection. This wasn't a date, it was a mission. This was for Danny. She just hoped that he understood how much she loved him when this was all finished.
Walking into the living room, Sam spread out her arms and gave a little twirl, "So? Guys, how do I look?"
Tucker snorted, "Like Pippi meets a Bond girl." Carefully though, he held out his hand filled with technology and helped Sam when she began to arrange it on her body. Tucking the camera button just inside one of the button holes on her sweater; Sam adjusted her clothing so it felt right.
"I'll take that as a compliment, those Bond girls were hot and they could kick ass," Sam hip checked him with a grim smile plastered on her face. It was almost ten in the morning. Prepare battle stations.
Shooing Jazz and Tucker into the kitchen, Sam sat back on the couch waiting on pins and needles for that doorbell to ring for the second time that morning. She could practically feel every second that passed in the waiting for Eddie to arrive, it was like one death knell after another.
When the doorbell finally did chime, it shocked her so badly that Sam squeaked in surprise, struggling to not fall off of the couch. Desperately, Sam tried to quell the shaking of her hands as she stood up and walked over to the front door.
Pasting on a bright smile, Sam opened the door and greeted her guest brightly, "Hey Eddie, how're you doing this morning?"
Like the perfect gentleman, he held out his arm and grinned toothily up at her, "Wonderful now that the sun has finally come into my life." He squeezed her arm with his free hand and walked towards his car waiting in the parking lot.
Sam's grin never wavered, but inside she could feel her gag reflex fighting to emerge. How in the world had she managed to date this guy in the first place? Sliding into the passenger seat, she strapped herself in with the seatbelt and breathed a deep sigh of relief.
She was silent when he slid into the driver's seat beside her. Unfortunately for her, his car was a little two-seater without a whole lot of leg or arm room. Twisting her legs for more space, Sam fought to breathe calmly in the confined space.
"So," she said in a chipper tone, "where are we going today?"
His golden hazel eyes were steely, but his smile was genuine and warm. "Well, yesterday you said that you wanted to see the main office right? Well, that's where we're heading. And then after that we'll just wing the rest of the day, how does that sound?"
Sam forced herself to nod in complete agreement, "Sure, I've been dying to see where it is we work. Don't you think it's weird that I've been working for your company for a few weeks and I've yet to meet another employee or see where the business is?" she asked as innocently as she could.
He didn't reply, but she could see his smile grow a little wider. Glancing in the side view mirror, Sam could see behind the cars that were immediately behind theirs. And the fourth one down the line was really familiar, so familiar that she could in fact see the large dent that Tucker had accidently knocked into his fender after a ghost incident their senior year in high school. Comforted that she wasn't alone, Sam shivered in the slowly warming atmosphere in the car.
Along they traveled, the only noise between Sam and Eddie was the soft tunes wafting from the radio. It was all that kept her sane in the long ride. Keeping a sharp eye on the surrounding landscape; so far nothing was vastly different from the area around Amityville Park. Yawning, Sam asked Eddie to wake her when they arrived at the office and then drifted off to sleep, wishing she was wrong about everything and this was simply just a bad dream.
Driving the car carefully, Eddie kept an eye on the road before and behind them. He wasn't stupid, he recognized the driver in the dented car farther along behind them. It was the guy he had seen at Sam's the other day, the same Tucker that used to be pasted on Sam's dorm walls back at Fordham. Something was up, but what kind of boyfriend would he be if he didn't allow his girlfriend her chance to surprise him? Reaching over, he gently rested his hand on Sam's shoulder, and continued to drive.
An hour later, Sam still hadn't woken up and they were almost to Vlad's mansion. And the dented car was still following them. His hand still place lightly on her shoulder, Eddie gave Sam a firm shake. He wanted to see her expression when she saw her "office building."
As soon as she opened her eyes, Sam knew that Tucker was right. Vlad was involved in this. As she watched in silence, Eddie drove the car along the windy paved driveway that led directly to the overbearing and desolate entryway into the Masters Mansion. A flickering tendril of unsease curled Sam's toes within her tennis. This was their office building? How stupid did he think she was?
"So this is where we work? I think my benefits package needs to be a bit bigger," she teased.
Glancing over, he graced her with a genial smile, "Amazing isn't it? But actually no, this is my friend's home. While you were sleeping I suddenly remembered that I needed to pick something up. You don't mind do you?" he asked, his eyes worried, as if what she thought was his highest concern.
Sam shook her head, "No. It's alright. Besides, it's just for a minute right?" Surreptitiously, Sam adjusted her sweater so the camera button was pointing out the window, then carefully tucked her hair around her ear so the microphone wasn't completely obvious. She just hoped that Tucker and Jazz caught everything.
Sitting in the car parked just beyond the outer gates, Jazz sat in the passenger seat with her jaw wide open. They had planned, visualized everything…but never the fact that Eddie would walk them straight into Vlad's house. "Tuck, I think we have an issue."
"You think?" he asked sarcastically, gesturing at the mausoleum a couple hundred feet away. They were lucky; Vlad's mansion was practically impenetrable so he never bothered with security guards. But there were the cameras stationed every ten feet. That was something they hadn't factored into their plans.
"This means," Jazz said a little sadly as she watched the nearest camera swivel its lens slowly around the area, "we have to be quick. It might be better if we left, find someplace to stash the car and came back for Sam and Danny later."
Glaring at her, Tucker slammed his hand on the steering wheel, "No! I won't abandon them like that!"Nervously, Jazz kept one eye on the security camera as she replied to his outburst.
"I don't mean abandon them Tucker!" she backtracked hastily, "Just ditch the car and come back on foot, it'll be harder to keep an eye on us if we don't have something that just happens to have an engine and four wheels weighing us down. If those cameras catch us then we'll be nothing more than more hostages for Vlad and Eddie."
Starting the car, Tucker gave a barking laugh, "Hostages? Jazz, from what Sam's told me, the only reason Eddie kept Danny is because he mattered to Sam. Like, mattering to her romantically. We're not that special." Slowly and as quietly as possible, Tucker put the car in reverse and drove off of the Masters property and headed south, trying to find some safe place to stash the car for a little while. Silently, Tucker drove the car along the road seething. He knew that Jazz was right and they could be of no help to Danny and Sam if they were caught, but still the fact that his best friends were stuck in that mad house was driving him crazy.
Maybe they should have called in Valerie for help.
Tucker quickly shook his head, there was no way they could have included her. Hell, he wasn't even planning on telling her the whole truth until after the wedding…with a wince he could only imagine the amount of bruises he'd have after that conversation. A glance to his right, Tucker saw that Jazz was just as conflicted as he was, her face was wrinkled in what could only be a painful grimace. Releasing the steering wheel with one hand, he stretched his right hand across the console and gripped her left one tightly. Together they drove further along the highway in silence hoping that their friends were alright.
Sam tried to suppress the shiver that shot down her spine. No matter how many times she had been dragged to Vlad's mansion, crossing the threshold always managed to creep her out. Peering up through her lashes, Sam gave Eddie a simpering smile as he knocked powerfully on the giant oak door that guarded the entrance to Masters Mansion. The side of his mouth quirking slightly, he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and dragged her barely hesitating body against his.
The door opened and a beautiful turquoise eyed woman peered out with a wide open smile. Sams breath left her in a rush, it was Maddie Fenton! What the hell was she doing in Wisconsin? It took her a minute before she realized that Maddie was floating a good six inches above the floor. Swallowing her shock, Sam smiled as warmly at the projection as she could as Eddie demanded to know where the master of the house was.
Walking into the entryway of the house, Sam kept her eyes peeled for some telltale sign or clue. She knew that Vlad and Eddie wouldn't be stupid enough to keep Danny out in plain sight, but there had to be clues. Danny wouldn't just give up without a violent fight.
She barely felt it when Eddie gently kissed her forehead, and in shock she watched as he left her to walk up the stairs that led to the second floor, his footsteps padded by the lush Persian carpet runner, "Uh, Eddie…?" She was nervous, the last few times she happened to be in this house she'd had Danny with her at the very least.
The quirky smile she had noticed a few minutes ago had now disappeared and an intense expression entered his face. Sam could feel the hairs on the back of her neck practically stand on end, it wasn't a particularly menacing look but what really made her so uneasy was the fact that Sam couldn't identify it. That look made Eddie look like a whole new human being….or something else.
"Don't worry Sam. I'll be right back." A hand on the balustrade, Eddie gestured to his left towards a thick paneled door, "Why don't you go into the library and make yourself comfortable? It'll only take a minute."
Nodding, Sam walked towards the door and didn't watch Eddie as he sauntered up to the second floor. Opening the library door, she popped her head around the corner making sure there was no one else in there. How in the world would she have explained her presence to Vlad if he had seen her? Awkward much. But she lucked out, there was no one in the room. Stepping carefully into the chamber, Sam was astonished to see that Vlad actually had somewhat decent taste for a creepy old guy. Filled with dark oak paneling, thick carpets on the floor, books that positively crawled their way to the ceiling and plush chairs that soaked in the red-orange heat from the giant fireplace. Gingerly, Sam reclined in the leather wingback chair closest to the fire and stared into the flames. Man she hoped Tucker and Jazz were close, just being in this place threw Sam back to her parents home. It was the stuff of nightmares.
The fire flickered rapidly in the grate. A harsh chill flew through the room, the rattle of the breeze deadened by the carpets strewn along the parquet flooring. Frustrated, Sam refused to let Vlad know that he was getting to her, so bundling herself into her fairly thin sweater she fought to keep her body from shivering. The chill had instantaneously transformed into a temperature dropping zephyr that shook the flames until they almost fell apart and died.
If she listened closely, Sam could almost hear someone breathing in the room with her, but she didn't remember hearing the heavy door being opened. Screwing up her courage, Sam spoke loudly into the desolate room, "Vlad if this is the way you treat your guests, it's no wonder the locals avoid coming anywhere near here." Taking shallow breathes, she waited to see if she could still hear the light breathing pattern from somewhere inside the room.
There. Vlad was still in the room. Damn Plasmius, getting his jollies from scaring the hell out of his accomplice's date.
"Eddie? Vlad? Gentleman, this is not funny." Sam growled into the quiet, the fire throwing light tendrils of light on the carpet and walls, but no light reached beyond where she sat.
Throwing herself from the warm confines of the chair, Sam turned her back towards the fire and faced the empty space. No one was there. Not moving, she stood there for a minute; they were just invisible, she wasn't to be fooled. But this was strange, not like Vlad at all. Sure he liked to play with his food before eating it, but this was tantamount to pure torture. She could feel her heart beating a rapid tattoo beneath her breast and hope that her guest couldn't hear it.
The globe over in the corner by one of the two draped windows in the room suddenly began to spin erratically as if on its own accord. Slowly Sam began to try to make her way towards the only way out, the door she had first come through. Before she could even let go of her chair though a low chuckle wafted through the room.
"Vlad?" she asked quietly as goose bumps slowly made their presence known along the expanse of her arms and legs. She wasn't afraid, this was Vlad. She could take him, ghost powers or not.
Behind her the flames died. No more flickering, no whooshing evidence of a breeze; they just went out. Almost at the same time, a few feet in front of her a small green light appeared. Watching with sick fascination, Sam hungrily eyed the light as it leisurely traveling upwards.
"Hello cutie." Sam's eyes grew huge in her head at the sight before her. It was Danny, one of his fingers alight with the small, oddly unmoving green flame. There was something wrong with him though, his smile seemed cold and his eyes weren't the electric green she had loved, nor even his natural bright blue. They were black.
"Danny," she gasped. The single flame clicked out and there was a single, prolonged scream. Then silence.