I am terribly sorry for the accidental shuffling of dialogue at the end of the previous chapter. I have now fixed the error.
Disclaimer: The wonderful Danny Phantom is not mine.
Metanoia
Chapter 7
Danny yawned as he brewed himself some fresh coffee, tugging at his boxers as he searched the messy suite for his navy combat trousers. With any luck, he would remember to ask for room service today. He had hardly slept that night, concerned as to what the CIA had to say about his intervention of the Red Hunter's duties at the beginning of the week. Vlad would deliver the verdict to him today, although to be honest, Danny wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
"Good morning, Daniel." Vlad masters greeted from his bureau as he snapped open the communicator with a flick of his wrist. There was no point even checking transmission ID. His apprentice was the only one of his subordinates who dared to interrupt his mid morning tea.
Danny's face soon appeared on his communicator screen, his worry apparent on his features.
"Am I being suspended?" His charge asked.
"Thankfully, no." The spy coordinator sighed. "Caleb Jones seems rather keen for you to complete this mission, although I would urge you to be wary of making such mistakes in the future."
"Sorry." Danny muttered. "I'll just let Val do her job next time."
"A wise choice." His benefactor agreed, massaging his temples. "I would have preferred your infiltration of the Guys in White's headquarters to have been rapid and systematic. Now it seems I will have to establish a case against them to justify your extended visit to Amity Park."
His protégé winced. "Is the paperwork hell?"
Vlad attempted a reassuring smile, although he imagined it probably came across as strained.
"Although I cannot deny that this is far from the easiest alternative, I am glad to know that you have learned your lesson."
He shook his head at the guilty look his apprentice was giving him. "You can make up for it by actually training this week. Now that the Guys in White are aware of your existence, you will need all your acquired skills to infiltrate their premises. Just because you are on a field mission does not give you a valid excuse to slack."
His apprentice gaped at him in mock indignation. "I have been training!"
Vlad smirked. "The security camera in your hotel suite seems to indicate otherwise."
Danny ran a hand through his messy raven hair. "So I'm stupid. I can't keep up with the work we get given in school. It takes up practically all my free time."
His benefactor laughed. "Your intelligence cannot be questioned. You have definitely inherited your mother's intellect. Although you do seem to be taking school life rather seriously."
"I actually quite enjoy being normal." Danny admitted. "It's a welcome break from ghost hunting."
"I never thought I would ever hear you say that." Vlad chuckled. "You were so eager to rid yourself of all normalcy just three years ago."
"I just never realised how much I missed it." Danny shrugged.
"It is just as well." His guardian replied, wary to steer the conversation well away from the accident. "Your cover would not be as convincing otherwise."
His charge grinned. "What can I say? I'm awesome at undercover work."
"That remains to be seen." Vlad replied, cocking an eyebrow. "You have yet to actually perform a single reconnaissance operation."
His subordinate rolled his eyes at him. But there was no malice in the gesture.
"I'm gonna be late for school." Danny informed, as he downed the last of his coffee. Vlad wrinkled his nose. Coffee was a vile substance. "Any further instructions?"
The spy coordinator shook his head. "Take some time off, Daniel. You will need to be in top form to begin the infiltration next week."
His apprentice nodded, of traces of his previous jovial attitude void on his features. "I'll tell you if anything comes up."
Vlad allowed himself a slight smile of approval. "Very well, Agent Phantom. We will be in contact shortly."
The senior spy coordinator snapped his communicator shut and sighed. That boy was more trouble than he was worth. It was already apparent that Daniel was far too emotionally involved in this mission. Although that could not be helped, considering the traumatic experiences in Amity Park he had been forced to undergo.
Vlad had to admit that he had worked his protégé pretty hard the past three years, but his exceptional abilities had to be mastered. If Daniel had absolutely no control over his considerable abilities, the mass destruction that he would unwittingly cause would be extreme. He was the most prodigious agent Vlad had ever recruited, advancing rapidly through the ranks in less than a year. His apprentice was the perfect ghost hunter, save for his recently developed hero complex.
Vlad Masters shook his head. His charge could never ignore a cry for help. His kind disposition was inappropriate for a ghost hunter of his caliber. His benevolent nature was even more unsuitable, now that he had been recruited by the CIA. The higher authorities did not tolerate mistakes.
He scrolled through his list of contacts, debating which of his several dozen lawyers to assign to this case, although it truly would not matter who he chose to give the case to, since it was merely a cover to aid his apprentice's infiltration of the Guys in White Headquarters. But Vlad Masters always put his best foot forward.
The veteran spy reached for his pot of English Breakfast, glad to be able to quell his withdrawal symptoms. He needed tea so badly, his teeth were chattering. The caffeine would be a welcome addition to his system.
He sank back into his soft, black leather armchair, easing a sigh from his lips as he poured himself a cup of tea. He was getting much too old to be involved with reconnaissance work. To be honest, Vlad was perfectly happy to lead a simple life as the CEO of a multi billion dollar company, although it did not look as though he was going to get his way any time soon.
He was leisurely sipping the soothing hot liquid when a short, squat ghost chose the moment to burst into his office, phasing through the bureau wall. It closely followed by a dark haired teenage girl, balanced recklessly on a jet sled. Valerie Gray released the safety on her ecto blasters, firing two successive shots in the frenzied ghost's direction.
The ghost yelped and covered its eyes, turning intangible just in time to narrowly avoid both blasts. His squad member swore, much to Vlad's disfavour.
"You know the company policy, Red Hunter. No jet sleds indoors." The veteran ghost hunter admonished.
"Sorry about that, Mister Masters!" The Red Hunter yelled, leaping off her jet sled and over the veteran ghost hunter in a fluid handspring. "R and D accidentally released this level one!"
"I am the Box Ghost!" The specter cried. "BEWARE!"
It thrust several storage boxes in Vlad's direction, in a sad attempt to unseat him from his desk. Although the Box Ghost's aim appeared to be terrible, it had succeeded in flinging the billionaire's desk into the far corner of the room, scattering his diligently sorted paperwork all over the room.
Vlad pursed his lips. The disruption of his work was definitely adding to his annoyance. All the information he had carefully laid out on his desk was now strewn all over the floor. Not to mention the ghost had spilled his tea.
The billionaire was further disgruntled when the level one commenced some ill conceived battle cry, ostentatious enough to qualify as the 'witty banter' his apprentice insisted on exchanging during engagements, the primary difference between this Box Ghost and his charge undeniably being that Daniel actually tended to win all his fights. He highly doubted the level one before him had even felled a single adversary during its entire existence.
"Fear my corrugated cardboard fury, pathetic human!"
Vlad narrowed his eyes in disapproval. How rude.
"Never insult Mister Masters, ghost scum!" His subordinate yelled, powering up her ecto blasters to a higher energy level.
Vlad decided he had endured the torture of the Box Ghost's insubstantial threats for long enough. The halfa lazily summoned an orb of ecto energy, cradling it in his palm as he prepared subdue the derisory, squat ghost wrecking havoc in his bureau.
"That won't be necessary, Mister Masters." His protégée implored, momentarily ceasing her pursuit of the escaped ghost as she attempted to show her benefactor back to his now overturned desk. The specter, seeing a golden opportunity, fled the room, phasing through a wall on the opposite end of his office.
Vlad shrugged, allowing the sphere of energy to dissipate. "Very well, Valerie. But do inform the incompetent fool who released it that I am most displeased."
Valerie laughed, giving him a thumbs up as she exited the room. "If there's anything left of him by the time I'm done with him."
Vlad shook his head. He was far too lenient to the Red Hunter and Phantom. Although he knew it was highly unprofessional to view them as seventeen year old teenagers, their benefactor could not help but feel that as exceptional as the pair were, they were both still children.
Valerie was without a mother and Daniel had lost both Jack and Maddie. It was not the first time that Vlad had wondered that perhaps it had been the pair's unusual upbringing that had resulted in their extraordinary aptitude for ghost hunting. The captures made between Phantom and the Red Hunter accounted for almost thirty percent of the ghosts acquired by Dalv Enterprises. An impressive feat, considering Vlad employed a squadron of thirty eight.
The Box Ghost was certainly an unusual specimen. Vlad had never seen a level one capable of any form of psychokinesis, whether it was limited to cardboard boxes or not. Perhaps once Valerie had subdued it, he would have Research and Development conduct several experiments to look into the anomaly.
He righted his upturned desk, gathered the papers off the floor and resumed his selection of a team of lawyers. His tea just would have to wait.
Protégés were more trouble than they were worth.
Double Chemistry last thing on a Friday afternoon was never pleasant under any circumstances. It was especially unpleasant for Danny when he could not suppress the rising feeling of guilt for encumbering Vlad with pointless paperwork. He really wanted to ask Val how Vlad was coping, but that would raise unnecessary questions on how he was so well informed about Phantom's case.
He did not doubt that Phantom had gained the Red Hunter's trust. They were both professionals. Valerie was far too efficient a ghost hunter to let her personal dislike for someone disrupt an assignment. However, he could not help but feel that his alias' relationship with Valerie was yet to become stable. Perhaps he would reveal his identity to her after a few more missions together. It was only fair. After all, he was one of the only two people in the world that knew the true identity of the Red Hunter.
Danny felt pretty bad. He was going to the Nasty Burger to celebrate the beginning of the weekend of Tucker and Sam, while his benefactor remained in Dalv Enterprises, sorting out legal matters he had caused.
"You ready for some real food?" Tucker asked, pocketing his PDA. Sam stood beside him, depositing the last of her books into one of her compartments.
"I just have to put dump books into my locker." The ghost hunter grinned, dashing to the other side of the hallway.
Sam wasted no time in redirecting the conversation towards their enigmatic acquaintance.
"Have you looked up Danny yet?" She asked, making sure their friend was out of earshot.
"Not yet." Tucker replied, reluctant to discuss the matter. "I've been busy."
"Too busy to hack into government databases?" The Goth asked, disbelieving. "We're doing this for his own good."
"I don't know, Sam." Tucker faltered. "It really isn't any of our business."
"I'm really worried about him." She insisted. "Promise me you'll do it this evening."
"Are you sure you're not trying to find out something else about him?" He teased, grinning slyly. "Like if he's single?"
"Come on, Tuck. He's Danny Fenton. If I really wanted to know I would've asked him by now." She said, attempting to maintain a facade of indifference. "We have to look out for him, whether he wants us to or not."
"Fine." Her friend sighed, relenting. "I'll run a search on the US Civilian Database tonight."
"Thank you." Her friend smiled gratefully, leaning against the hallway wall as she waited for Tucker to finish emptying his locker.
"But if you like Danny you'd better make a move." Tucker warned, ignoring her earlier refusal to admit her feelings. "He's not going to stay single for long."
He gestured towards the other end of the hallway, where their friend seemed to be deep in a discussion with an attractive blonde junior. Their conversation was impossible to overhear due to the slamming of lockers and the continuous thumping of books by their peers, but Danny actually did seem interested in what she was saying.
Sam felt her heart sink, an unexpected feeling of jealousy bubbling in the pit of her stomach. First Valerie, then Paulina, and now this.
"Hey guys." Valerie Gray quipped as she approached the pair. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing much." Tucker shrugged.
"Sam? What's wrong?" Valerie asked, noticing the glower on her friend's features. She looked as though she was about to hit something.
The ghost hunter's eyes followed Sam's towards her friend on the other side of the hallway, where they rested on Danny's tall form, understanding dawning on her pretty features.
"You like him, don't you?" She grinned.
"What gave you that idea?" Sam denied, for the second time within five minutes.
"What's wrong with liking Danny?" Valerie reasoned. "He's gorgeous."
She smiled slightly when she caught the fleeting look of concern on Sam's face. Samantha Manson certainly was possessive.
"I'm not competition." She laughed, taking Sam's hand to reassure her. "Danny's one of my best friends. I haven't been seeing him for more than a year, and it wasn't really working out."
"Oh. Right." Sam said, refusing to appear relieved.
"Any advice for her?" Tucker interjected, forcing himself into the conversation.
"Not really." The agent frowned. "Just be yourself. Danny likes you anyway." She gave Sam's hand a reassuring squeeze, pretending not to notice the flush blossoming on the Goth's cheeks. "Tell him how you feel, and let me know how it goes."
"How do you know that he likes me?" Sam asked, blushing a deeper shade of scarlet. "Have you actually asked him?"
"Danny can't hide anything from me." Valerie declared. "I can almost always tell what he's thinking."
Tucker shot Sam a significant look, grinning. "Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks you'll make a great couple."
"Oh, and I went to see Mister Masters recently." She added, snapping her fingers as if she had just remembered, handing Tucker a folded piece of paper. He looked at her in confusion.
"The Red Hunter's autograph." She winked.
Tucker was speechless.
"I won't say I think I love you." He finally managed. "I know I love you."
Valerie laughed. "Don't let the Red Hunter catch you saying that."
"Thanks, Val." Sam finally managed, smiling gratefully.
"Yeah." Tucker agreed, still in disbelief. "Thanks."
"No problem." She laughed, disappearing from view in the crowd of students.
"That girl is amazing." Tucker grinned, studying his newly acquired autograph.
Sam laughed, shaking her head. Tucker could sometimes be so exasperating. But her opinion of Valerie Gray had definitely changed for the better. But that didn't mean that she and Danny weren't hiding something.
"Are you done yet, Danny?" Tucker yelled across the hall, earning himself a dirty look from Lancer.
The Goth watched as he excused himself from the conversation with the blonde junior, who seemed fairly disappointed at his departure.
'Better luck next time.' She smirked. It was amazing how uplifting her conversation with Valerie had been.
"What were you two talking to Val about? Danny asked as he approached, genuinely curious. He had never known Valerie to get along with his other two friends.
"Not much." Sam shrugged.
"She gave me the Red Hunter's autograph!" Tucker whooped, excitement shining on his features. "I'm on her radar!"
"Did she?" Danny grinned, trying not to laugh, and Sam distinctly got the feeling that there was yet another secret he was keeping from them, once again raising the question of how well did Danny actually know the Red Hunter? Valerie obviously had some connection with her, since she apparently worked closely with Vlad Masters as his PA.
Sam had to wonder, why did Vlad Masters employ a seventeen year old high school girl when there were probably a multitude of fully qualified adults who would give anything for the chance to work under billionaire as his personal assistant? And was he the same 'Mister Masters' that the Red Hunter and her accomplice had referred to during the attack on Casper High? Sam failed to understand how average, ordinary, endearingly clumsy Danny Fenton had a part to play in this rapidly expanding web of intrigue. Perhaps they could convince him to reveal the cause of his newfound secrecy at the Nasty Burger.
It felt somehow wrong, sending Tucker to investigate one of her best friends behind his back. She could easily empathize with Tucker's displeasure concerning the matter. But Sam could not help but feel that Danny was not completely happy with his new life. He smiled just as much as he used to, but through her intuition Sam had realised that hardly any of his grins were genuine, as though he had to constantly hold himself back to prevent himself revealing his true emotions.
"I can't you guys how much I've missed this place." Danny declared, depositing himself on the cushioned plastic seating with a sigh as he sipped on his coke.
"Don't they have Nasty Burger outlets in Wisconsin?" Tucker asked, appalled.
Danny shrugged. "They probably do, just not where I live. Vlad's house is literally in the middle of nowhere."
"What do you normally do?" The techno geek questioned. "You can't just stay at home all day."
Sam subtly studied him from across the table, eyeing his face for any flicker of concealed emotion, although she had to admit that his looks were distracting. He was handsome from striking features, which Sam realised that she found far more attractive than the conventional teenage good looks of Dash Baxter and his clones. It didn't help that his strong jaw drew Sam's attention to his deliciously kissable lips, while his dark hair contrasted strongly with his magnetic blue eyes.
"Vlad usually takes me on his business trips." Danny explained. "So I'm never really in one place for more than a week."
"That's pretty cool." Said Tucker. "Are you going to Japan any time soon? They've got PDAs there that we're not going to see for another six months."
"I'll keep that in mind the next time I go." Danny grinned, and the Goth could not help but feel that perhaps he really wasn't hiding anything from them. Danny was far too emotionally expressive to hide his feelings from anyone.
"That's a lot of Nasty Sauce." Sam cautioned, as Danny began squirting his second packet of the fiery sauce onto his burger. "After three years away from the Nasty Burger, are you sure you can handle it?" She challenged.
"I like mine hot." He drawled teasingly.
Sam flushed. His tone was light, and hardly suggestive, but she could already imagine herself moaning as he pinned her beneath him, his tongue hot on her--
"Uhh, Sam? Snap out of it." Danny prompted, waving a hand in front of his friend's face.
"H-huh?" She shook her head to rid herself of the images that had formed in her mind. What had gotten into her?
"You okay, Sam?" Danny asked, worry written all over his features. "You kinda spaced out for a moment there. You haven't even touched your tofu melt."
Sam glanced down at her burger, slathered in hot sauce. Suddenly she didn't seem so hungry for tofu.
She folded up her napkin neatly. "I'm not hungry."
"But the reason we came here in the first place is because you said you were starving." Danny protested.
"Yeah, well... now I'm not." She insisted lamely, taking a sip of her lemonade.
Her crush frowned. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"
Tucker tried to disguise his derisive snort as a cough and failed miserably.
"What?" Danny demanded exasperatedly, completely oblivious.
"Nothing." His friend grinned.
Sam was all too painfully aware of the all-knowing glint Tucker had in his eyes. He knew. She subjected him to her frostiest glare, wiping the smirk off his lips as the techno geek's self-preservation instincts kicked in, "Tell Danny and I'll hurt you." written all over her features.
Danny shrugged, not willing to push the matter further if it made Sam feel uncomfortable.
It was then Sam finally accepted the absurd truth. She liked Danny Fenton.
"Right." Tucker said, attempting to steer the conversation away from topics that would be fatal to him. "Anyone up for seconds?"
He was rewarded by icy silence from Sam and a half hearted shrug from Danny.
"Just me then." He grinned, leaving the table.
The rest of their meal, or rather, Tucker's meal, passed in inconsequential conversation. The trio hardly spoke, enjoying each other's company, something they had been denied for more than three years. Amiable banter was exchanged on several occasions, including jibes on Tucker's part on Danny's newfound interest in working out. Sam was finding it increasingly difficult to convince herself that Danny was indeed hiding something from them. Perhaps Tucker was right. Even if he was, it really wasn't any of their business.
"We should probably think about leaving." Tucker said. "I've got a ten thirty curfew."
"What?" Danny asked, disbelieving.
"I'm so behind on my work it's not even funny." The techno geek explained.
"Are you sure you're gonna be safe walking home in the dark?" Danny asked, concerned. "With all the ghosts around this area--"
"I'll be fine." Assured Sam, squeezing his hand, and Danny felt an indescribable urge not to let go. "I've done it a million times before."
"Yeah." Agreed Tucker. "Besides, Sam's so scary, the ghost's are probably more afraid of her than she is of them. Unless, of course, you want to walk her home." He finished grinning, earning himself a glare from Sam.
"Uh, okay then." Danny replied, visibly bemused. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"See you on Monday, Danny." Sam smiled, surreptitiously treading on Tucker's foot.
The pair waved at Danny, who began heading in the opposite direction. Once he was sure he was out of his friends' line of sight, he spun, changing direction as he sprinted towards the trash receptacle at the back of the Nasty Burger. Satisfied that the area was empty, he surveyed the area for the presence of CCTV cameras with practiced ease. Convinced the alley was clear, he braced himself for the transformation.
The air around him seemed to cackle with energy, the blinding white halo of light encircling his waist as he experienced the familiar surging of energy through his veins as his genetic material metamorphosed. He couldn't believe how afraid of his powers he used to be. Although it had taken years of training to finally perfect his abilities, being Phantom was always so indescribably liberating, especially after being denied the use of his abilities for almost a week.
Turning invisible, he took to the air, swiftly teleporting himself back to the driveway of the restaurant. The pair could not have gotten very far on foot. Tucker's house was only a five minute walk from the Nasty Burger, but Sam's mansion was on the other side of the suburbs. Maybe he was being paranoid and overprotective, but there was no being too careful. He would not have been able to forgive himself if either of his friends got hurt when he easily could have protected them. Especially Sam.
He rose into the air, managing to distinguish Sam's dark hair and Tucker's obnoxiously coloured green beret from his high altitude. The sidewalk was almost deserted, apart from his friends and a couple strolling contentedly, probably on a date.
"What the hell was that, Tucker?" Sam demanded angrily.
"What?" Tucker defended.
"You were making it so obvious I liked him, with all those stupid hints you were dropping."
Danny froze in mid air. Sam liked someone? Why had she told Tucker but not him? He shook his head, disgusted with himself. Why would it matter if she did? He had known all along that asking Sam out was an impracticality, not to mention a huge encumbrance to the mission. He would never be able to reciprocate her affections. Professional agents such as himself could not afford to succumb to such frivolous practices. It was best to leave things as they were.
He trailed silently after the pair, barely noticing when Sam and Tucker parted ways.
He could not deny that Danny Fenton was far from prime boyfriend material. It was too much to ask for Sam to be attracted to his human half. He had spent the last three years hiding his true identity behind the facade of Phantom, he had forgotten how Danny Fenton was supposed to act. Valerie was the only person that he had maintained an ordinary friendship with the past three years, and Danny hadn't known her before the accident.
Danny could not banish the thought that perhaps if Danny Fenton had no chance with Sam Manson, Phantom was a different case entirely. He also could not help but wonder that perhaps the reason that the Red Hunter had yet to figure out that Danny Fenton and Phantom were the same person was because he was beginning to develop a multiple personality disorder.
His morose train of thought was roughly interrupted when he exhaled a cloud of icy mist. He flexed his fist as adrenaline began to course through his being, preparing himself for combat. His ghost sense had informed him that the ghosts, although not a particularly large threat, were present in large numbers. Danny closed his eyes, concentrating. There were definitely more than a dozen in the immediate vicinity.
The ghost hunter smirked. He could handle them. There was, however, the minor issue of Sam. Civilian witnesses were never a good thing. Phantom could easily subdue the ghosts without revealing himself to the Goth. He was more than adept at the basic skills he had learned as Vlad's apprentice, capable of maintaining invisibility for hours on end. But someone as smart as Sam would be suspicious if ghosts began assaulting thin air. He was sure she would keep his appearance to herself. Claiming to have witnessed the second appearance of 'Invisio-Bill' would definitely result in media attention. And Danny knew better than anyone else how Sam hated public recognition for anything she did. Danny shook his head, frustrated with his own lack of dedication to his mission. Even if it had been forced on him, it was imperative to complete every operation assigned to him to the highest standard. Revealing himself to a civilian, even one he trusted implicitly, would be beyond stupid.
He could not let the knowledge that Sam liked someone else drive him to make reckless decisions. However, the damage had undeniably been done. The Guys in White were already aware of his existence, thanks to the media. As it was, they were probably running extensive background checks on him. While he did not doubt the reliability of Vlad's preemptive measures, the local ghost hunters had probably already managed to learn a fair amount about Phantom.
Perhaps he could create the impression that he was benign. If the Guys in White could be convinced that he was on their side, they would be less suspicious of the Red Hunter's mysterious new ally. In a way, Danny reasoned, he was furthering the progression of the mission. Either way, his primary concern was protecting Sam. He'd never be able to forgive himself if she got hurt. Reaching a decision, he materialised in front of the Goth. She jumped slightly, surprised by his presence.
"A large number of ghosts are heading this way." He stated calmly. "I suggest you run."
The animalistic howls from behind him indicated that it was too late. A pack of thirteen wolves rounded the corner, their spectral eyes glowing red in the eerie light. The ghosts approached the pair, their carnal growls displaying a savageness Danny had seen far too often in paranormal beasts.
"Stay close to me." He cautioned, as twin energy blasts began charging at his fists, accepting the ghosts' feral challenge.
Sam watched as the ghost hunter favoured the lupine specters with a smirk, sinking into the familiar combat stance Sam had seen him use just days before. The wolves growled, their hackles raised, and Sam failed to suppress a dull shudder at the gruesome sight of the beasts' massive canines. While she, like many others in Amity Park had been assaulted by ghosts before, she had never personally seen an attack of this magnitude.
The pack divided themselves into two, circling the pair from both sides as they attempted to drive the humans into a corner.
Sam could feel the specters' foul breath on her face as they circled her, the rancid odour enough to make her gag. She refused to be intimidated, retrieving a disused signpost from the side of the street and hurling it at the ghosts. It narrowly missed the beasts as they scattered to dodge the unexpected attack, falling on the pavement with a dull metallic clang. The wolves they retreated, backing away with uniform snarls. The Phantom raised his eyebrows. Perhaps she did not require protection after all.
He flung two blasts of ectoplasmic energy at the wolves, hitting one squarely on the back. It yelped, and Danny could faintly detect the unpleasant odour of burning hair as its fur singed. The beasts roared in challenge, dismissing the slighter female for the larger threat before them. Danny was not unduly worried. He had fought far more powerful ghosts than the wolves encircling him, and in far greater numbers. The engagement would not take more than a couple of minutes.
He released an explosion of ice unto the wolves, stopping half of them in their tracks. The newly acquired ability was fast becoming one of his favourite offensive attacks. If it worked against Vlad, it would surely fell these low level paranormal beings.
Although the wolves could not hope to compare with the dragon she had seen the white haired boy fighting, Sam could not fail to be impressed by the skill and ease with which he felled the ghosts. He had immobilised half the pack in a single attack, and Sam had a feeling the other six were not going to last much longer against the ghost hunter.
Two of the wolves that leaped at him, only to be subdued with a series of ectoplasmic charged punches in rapid succession. The white haired boy eyed the remaining wolves with an expression could not be described as anything but amusement, stepping over the immobile the beasts as they slumped on the concrete sidewalk. It was then that Sam noticed the fundamental difference between the Red Hunter and her accomplice. The Red Hunter was always serious, dedicated, focused. To the ghost hunter before her, much of it was a game.
He briefly glanced towards Sam's direction, ensuring her safety before extending his palm towards the remaining wolves, encapsulating them within a surging shield of energy. The beasts snarled, raking their razor sharp claws against the energy field in an attempt to break free. With his left hand, the ghost hunter reached for the thermos-like device attached to his white hazmat belt, freeing it in a fluid motion. Pressing a discrete red button on the side of the device, he activated its containment function. With a yelp, all thirteen wolves were drawn into a glowing vortex of blue light in all manner of awkward positions.
Although Sam had anticipated the brightness, having witnessed the Red Hunter capture the dragon specter did not prepare her for the magnitude of the capture up close. She stumbled as she felt the containment device exert an unfamiliar pulling force on all surrounding subjects, finding herself unwittingly drawn towards the weapon.
She shook her head at herself, disgusted. She had managed to survive the onslaught of more than a dozen wolf specters, yet she had lost her balance at the sight of a harmless bright light. The ghost hunter probably thought she was an idiot.
"Can't keep out of trouble, can you?" He quipped, offering her a hand.
Sam ignored it, helping herself to her feet. Did the jerk think she was incapable of standing up on her own?
He raised his hands in mock surrender. "I know you're not the damsel in distress type, but I was just checking if you were hurt."
"Like you know anything about me." She retorted, agitated.
"Hey," He said, backing off immediately. "I was just trying to be polite."
"How polite can you be when you haven't even introduced yourself?"
"I could say the same for you." He parried, kicking up an eyebrow.
Sam scowled. His ego seriously needed to be deflated. His esoteric green eyes met the pale lavender of hers, and she was forced to acknowledge that Paulina had not been exaggerating when she had insisted on their irresistible shade of green.
"Red calls me Phantom." He grinned, breaking the silence.
She studied his features. It was the first time she had ever seen him face to face, but Sam not deny the uncanny feeling of familiarity she felt towards the ghost hunter, although she was certain that she had never seen him before the fight with the dragon. There was an aspect of his grin that although she could not place, Sam found herself trusting him instinctively.
"Sam Manson." She replied. There was no harm in him just knowing her name.
"Let's get you out of here before anything else tries to attack you." The Phantom laughed. "Let me guess. Manson Estate?" He deadpanned, offering her his hand.
"You'd have to be an idiot not to figure that out." She jibed, rolling her eyes as she took his hand.
She failed to mask her surprise as he scooped her into his arms, easily supporting her weight beneath his strong arms.
To Sam's immense disorientation, next second was a complete blur to her. One moment she was in the middle of a secluded driveway in the middle of the suburbs, the next she was levitating above her mansion, clinging tightly to Phantom as he supported her. She knew the experience should have shocked her, but she felt undeniably safe in his arms. Being carried by Phantom was perhaps just as pleasant as the incident in which Danny had cushioned her fall, although the Phantom's personality could not hope to compare with Danny's.
She was genuinely surprised at how large the grounds of her home appeared from the air. Not the first time in her life, she felt embarrassed by her wealth, and she hoped that the Phantom was not judging her on the flamboyance of her parents.
"That's twice I've saved you now." He grinned, gently setting her down on the balcony of her room.
"I didn't need to be saved." She corrected, folding her arms. "I could've handled the wolf things. It's not the first time I've been attacked."
"I'll have you know," He replied, smirking. "that I usually require payment."
"What kind of payment?" She asked warily, as his smirk widened.
How had Phantom manage to find out her parents' wealth? She had been stupid enough to believe that he was helping her just because he liked playing the hero, that he liked her enough to keep saving her. She had obviously made a fatal error in her judgement.
Then why was she still attracted even though he was obviously just a greedy bastard?
It was not until she saw the glint of mischief in his eyes did she realize he wanted that kind of payment, the beginnings of a blush forming on her features.
Sam could not help but notice how the pale sliver of moonlight in the ebony sky illuminated his striking features, making Phantom seem otherworldly, enhancing the charismatic mystery surrounding him. His exotic green eyes seemed to possess an ethereal glow that fascinated Sam, despite the fact she knew it was probably a trick of the light.
She suddenly realised that their faces were close. Very close. She could feel the Phantom's strangely frosty breath on her lips as his strong hands grasped her lower waist, drawing her towards him until she found herself pressed completely against him. She marveled at how her soft curves molded into his muscled form, two halves of a complementary whole.
'Are you just going to let some random guy you just met kiss you?' Her voice of reason questioned, as the hand on her waist traveled lower down her back.
His gloved hands fingered the back of her skirt as he gazed at her softly, as if asking for permission. The soft brush of the fabric against the back of her thighs was enough to send wild shivers of anticipation down Sam's spine.
Still, Sam resisted succumbing to a mere impulse, refusing to ruin her chances with Danny in a single moment of irrationality. She licked her lips, wetting them as she stared into the ghost hunter's magnetic green eyes. Did she want him? If not, now was surely the moment to dissent. She was sure he would respect her decision, before a fundamental line was breached. It was now or never.
The Phantom lowered his head, brushing his lips softly against hers. Slowly, sensually. The carnal sensations he evoked deep within her at such simple contact caught Sam completely by surprise as her already palpitating heartbeat sped up, an unfamiliar, heady feeling dominating her consciousness.
And then it was too late to tell him to stop.
She parted her lips, impatient with his teasing as she wordlessly urged him to quicken the tempo, clutching at the dark material of his stealth suit.
She was far from disappointed disappointed when he finally captured her lips with his own. His tongue sought the interior of her lips, subduing the last of her mental objections as her eyes fluttered shut. Her hot, hungry mouth made stark contrast with the chill of his as their tongues intertwined. He started a rhythm, maintaining the provocatively slow pace she had no choice but to follow, hardly recognising the moan of frustration that disrupted the quiet night air as her own.
Sam could feel the Phantom's smirk through their kiss as he quickened the pace, complying with her protests as she moaned unabashedly from his ministrations, thrusting her tongue against his until she finally broke away, gasping for breath.
Did Phantom just not need to breathe? She was suddenly aware of the lack of responsiveness from her legs, and she willed them not to give way as she clutched wildly at his stealth suit, leaning against him for support.
"Am I too much for you?" He grinned, instantly reminding Sam how much she despised his arrogance.
'He isn't even out of breath.' Sam realised, indignant. 'That's not humanly possible.'
"You wish." She retorted, shooting him a challenging look.
She was suddenly struck by how different his kisses felt from Gregor's. They had never been as carnal, as involved. Gregor's kisses were almost always demanding, overzealous to an extent, and they lacked the effortless sensuality Phantom's kisses possessed. She had thought her ex-boyfriend had been a good kisser, but he paled in comparison with Phantom.
"I have somewhere I need to be." He said gently, attempting to release her taut grip on his hazmat stealth suit.
"Oh. Right." She stammered, willing her brain to revert from its previously blank state.
"I'll see you around." He grinned. "Sam, was it?"
"Yeah." She replied, attempting to sound indifferent. Even to her own ears she failed miserably.
"I've saved you twice. You still owe me a kiss." He deadpanned, though Sam could see he was struggling not to laugh.
"In your dreams." She smirked, playing along as he dematerialised, illuminated by a bright flash of light.
Once she was sure he was gone, Sam Manson sunk onto her balcony floor and finally succumbed to the heady euphoria that had been threatening to overcome her the entire encounter, raising a hand to her burning cheeks. She had just kissed Phantom. She surprised herself by letting a contented sigh escape her lips. When was the last time she had let herself get this affected by a boy?
Her good mood was not dampened when the slow ringing of her phone pierced the night air. She flipped open the phone, checking caller ID as she accepted the call. She wasn't surprised to realise that the call was from Tucker.
"Sam?" Tucker asked on the other line.
"Yeah Tuck?" Sam asked, giggling. She still felt slightly giddy from her encounter with Phantom moments earlier.
"Are you giggling?" Her best friend asked, incredulous. Sam Manson never giggled.
"Don't be ridiculous." She denied, "Giggling's stupid." all traces of her previous good mood completely gone.
Tucker frowned. There was something Sam wasn't telling him. He never before heard the Goth sound so...chirpy.
"Right. Anyway, you were on to something Sam. " Her best friend said. "There's more to Danny than we used to know."
"What did you find?" She asked, absently twirling a lock of raven hair between her fingertips.
Tucker took a deep breath, as though steadying himself before replying. "I tried looking for Danny in the US Civilian Database, to see what he's been up to the last three years."
"And?" Sam prompted, impatient to know what had her best friend on edge.
"And according to that, and any other database I tried to look him up on, Daniel Fenton does not exist."
Author's Notes: The plot thickens! I am sorry about the long wait between updates, but I have been indescribably busy the past fortnight, and I hope my wonderful readers forgive me. I hope this eventful, Phantom x Sam chapter makes up for the previous one, as well as the fortnight I made you wait for this update:(
What do you think of the pace at which Danny and Sam are moving. Too fast? Too slow? Also, should I include some Tucker x Valerie in this fic, or will that be too irrelevant to the plot?
Also, I think it is time that I acknowledged all the wonderful people that have favourited me. I am truly honoured that you think me worthy of alerts! Many thanks to: Maffeoel, Pterodactyl, Angel Frog CharmedNightSkye, Ember518, Evil Long Penname Having Individual End, Icefire101, KILLERGRIM23, Laughing Hyena, Ryuumahou, Sasia93, Wushu, lunerfox, rmedinap24192, twilightgal, Black January, Kuro Tori, Straying Life, lightanddarklove, Yuleen75, phantom-willow217, soaring-bright-flame, vlad snuffles, twilightgal and my beta the wonderful BlueMyst19, who revels in the exact same form of dry humour that spurs me on:) I do hope you are having a lovely holiday.
Thank you so much. I cannot believe how many of you are interested in my fic!
Also, Thank you to my reviewers: BlueMyst19, kia, katiesparks, cariadiorarua, lightanddarklove, CharmedNightSkye, vladimir's disease and raven luvah., for their invaluable constructive criticism and encouragement. I am sorry I made you wait! I know being busy isn't a terribly good excuse, but thanks for sticking with me:)
Finally, thank you to Pterodactyl, who has included me in my first ever C2 community! I cannot tell you how honoured and excited I am to be part of it.
Please do tell me how you found the chapter:)
Hugs and Kisses,
Twisted Creampuff