The New Recruit
Main Characters: Danny, Vlad, Valerie, Sam
Genre: mystery/drama
Danny yawned as he gazed through the crystalline windows of his cubicle at the city beyond before he turned his gaze to the paperwork he had been sifting through barely paying attention to it. This was the part of the job that he hated the most; the paperwork. He had been warned sometime after he first joined the Department of Spiritual Investigation and Defense that he wouldn't escape paperwork just because he was primarily a field agent but he still hated it.
Sighing, he lifted up his mug of coffee and was about to take a sip when he shivered and a cool blue mist escaped his lips. He put the mug down before narrowing his eyes. It better not be the Box Ghost, he thought reaching into his drawer for the thermos; the department made it mandatory for everyone who worked for them to carry one of the thermoses with them at all times.
"I am the Box Ghost!" A shout sounded and Danny wanted so much to bang his head against his desk as he stood up. He didn't even have to shift into his ghost form to catch the Box Ghost; even if he couldn't remember anything from his past, the Box Ghost had made enough appearances and called Danny by name often enough that he figured he met the ghost before he came to work for the department. Plus, he was one of the weaker ghosts; his level was 2.45 and seemed to be steadily dropping.
"I've got him!" Tucker Foley, the resident techno-geek of Danny's team, shouted aiming the thermos at the Box Ghost before a beam of blue-white light shot from it. It enveloped the startled Box Ghost and he was able to get out one last "beware!" before he disappeared into the thermos.
Danny put his thermos back on his desk and ran a hand through his black hair. "I think that puts you in the lead for how many times you've caught the Box Ghost the last week," he said with a smile.
Tucker chuckled capping the thermos before putting it on his desk. "Yeah but where else am I gonna get to use this? When we're on the field, I'm always in the van making sure all our tech works," he said.
"You do know that Technus likes targeting you all the time, right?" Sam Manson, Danny's second in command, reminded him.
"Yeah, when we run into him, that's the only time I actually get to use the ghost tech the department insists we all carry," Tucker grumbled. "I mean, come on, even Jazz gets to be on the field more than I do."
"Only when I have to do negotiations," Jazz Fenton, the "negotiator" of Danny's teams as the other members affectionately called her, said from her cubicle. "When I don't, I'm usually stuck in the van with you."
"At least I get some company most of the time," Tucker said.
Danny chuckled. He liked his team; they were very effective in dealing with rogue ghosts or negotiating with ghosts who leave the Ghost Zone or who are unsure whether to follow the new laws set up for them or not. Of course, every member had their quirks but Danny loved them anyway.
"Anyone up for lunch?" Sam asked. "Since it's my turn to decide, I know this new vegan place that opened up down the road."
"Please tell me they sell meat there," Tucker pleaded.
"Nope, it's mostly vegan food."
Tucker groaned.
Danny chuckled. "I could use some lunch," he said.
"Don't you have some paperwork to finish, Danny?" Jazz asked raising an eyebrow.
"I'll finish it when I get back."
"I think Tucker's laziness is rubbing off on you."
"I am not lazy," Tucker objected.
"Sure you aren't," the orange haired young woman said as she walked out of her cubicle. "If Sam's buying, who's driving?"
Danny was about to respond when the door to the large room opened and Kendall, the Head of the Department's aide, walked into the room. "Danny, Mr. Masters wants to talk to you," he said.
Danny wondered what the Department Head wanted with him. "I'll meet you guys at the restaurant," he said to his team.
"Do you know where it is?" Sam asked.
"I've driven past it before so yeah I do."
"All right, we'll see you there."
\/\/\/\/\/
Danny rode the clear elevator to the top floor of the building, which was only three floors above him, in silence thinking about the meeting. He hadn't had a meeting with the Department Head since his last evaluation six months ago, at least not one while he was working anyway.
He and the Department Head, Vlad Masters, had a somewhat complicated relationship. In one way, Danny saw Vlad as a surrogate father since he couldn't remember his own while, on the other hand, Danny did not agree with some of the decisions Vlad has made. The latter often got him into arguments with Vlad and the only reason why he wasn't fired was because Vlad cared for him too much and because Danny was the best field agent in the Department despite his age.
Danny's secret helped him with that; he was half-ghost so that gave him some advantages that others didn't have. Of course, he didn't use his powers while he was working all the time and whenever he did, he made sure no one saw him. The last thing he wanted was for that secret to come out because, though there was peace between humans and ghosts, half-ghosts were still a concept that many were not ready to accept.
Vlad understood that only because he was half-ghost too.
The elevator came to a stop and Danny stepped out of it before heading down the short hallway to Vlad's office. He knocked on the door before stepping into the room when he heard a "come in" from inside.
The office had bookshelves lining all the walls except for the floor-to-ceiling windows opposite the door and the floor was covered in gray plush carpet. In the center of the office was a mahogany desk arranged neatly. Behind it sat the Head of the Department of Spiritual Investigation and Defense—Vlad Masters—who was a tall, slender man with premature silver hair and midnight blue eyes dressed in a business suit.
He stood up as Danny entered. "Hello Daniel," he greeted him. "I trust you are well."
"Just tired," Danny said. "So what's this about, Vlad?"
"Please, take a seat."
Danny sat down in the plush armchair in front of the desk and Vlad sat down as well.
"I was looking through a lot of recruitment applications that were recommended to me recently," Vlad began. "One of them caught my eye. I've already interviewed her and I think she would do well as part of your team."
Danny's eyebrow shot up. "I already have a pretty full team, Vlad," he said. He hesitated then added, "And I don't think they're ready for someone to fill Star's position, especially not Tucker."
"I know that you and your team are still reeling from Star's death, Daniel," Vlad said with an uncharacteristic gentleness in his voice and with a sympathetic look in his eyes; only with Danny did Vlad ever show that he wasn't the emotionless man who never got over losing his first and only love that everyone saw him as. Granted, they didn't know about Vlad losing the only woman he loved; that was a secret only Danny knew.
"All I'm asking is that you give her a chance," Vlad said. "She can stay here on a temporary basis if you wish, perhaps six months, and if you haven't adjusted to having her on your team then we can transfer her to another. She has much to offer, Daniel, and I really believe she can flourish with your team."
Danny hesitated. "I'll meet with her," he said finally.
Vlad, knowing that was probably the best he was going to get, nodded. "I had a feeling you would at least meet with her so I invited her here to meet with you. She is due to arrive any minute now. Her name's Valerie Gray by the way. Here's her application and her file along with recommendations from other departments and bureaus."
Danny took the file and began flipping through it noticing that Miss. Gray had studied the paranormal as well as criminology in college and worked for both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency but only for six months each. He also read that she had asked to be transferred to the Department of Spiritual Investigation and Defense.
There was a knock on the door and, when Vlad called for the person to come in, it opened and Danny looked up from the file as a dark-skinned woman with wavy black hair stepped into the room; she was dressed in dark gray slacks with a dark gray jacket over a white shirt. Her green eyes were filled with a mix of determination and wariness.
"Mr. Masters," she greeted Vlad.
"Ms. Gray, hello, you are right on-time. Please, take a seat."
The woman took a seat as Danny rested the opened file on his lap.
"Ms. Gray, I'd like you to introduce you to Danny, the leader of the team I spoke to you about," Vlad said.
"Hello Danny," Ms. Gray said holding out a hand though her brow furrowed, probably wondering why Vlad hadn't introduced Danny by his last name as he did everyone else. The only reason he didn't was because Danny didn't know his last name; in fact, he didn't even know what his real name was. Vlad, who had been the one to find him soon after he woke up in some random park somewhere in New York, had given him that name, well he gave him the name Daniel but Danny preferred the nickname that his team called im by.
"Hello, Ms, Gray," Danny greeted her as he took her hand and shook it. "Vlad says he spoke to you about my time. What exactly has he said?"
"He said that your team is the best one when it comes to both negotiation and effectively dealing with ghosts across the country," Ms. Gray replied. "When I asked to transfer here, I was just hoping to get on a team but I never expected Mr. Masters to recommend your team."
"Your resume and the recommendations that Daniel hasn't gotten to yet clearly suggest that you belong on the best team. I really believe you can flourish on Daniel's team," Vlad said.
"I thank you for having such confidence in me, Mr. Masters," Ms. Gray said.
"While your resume clearly says that you would do well on Daniel's team, it is for him to decide," Vlad said.
Danny had been looking through the file as Vlad said that but didn't say anything for a long moment. Finally, he sighed and closed the file. "It's going to be hard since it's only been three months since we lost one of our members but I'm willing to give you a chance for at least the trial period of six months. But I want to talk it over with my team before I make an actual decision."
"I understand," Ms. Gray said.
"I'm meeting my team at the Azure Garden if you wish to come with," Danny said.
"I'd like to meet your team, Danny," Ms. Gray said.
Danny nodded before standing up and looking at Vlad. "Want me to bring you anything?"
"No thank you, Daniel," Vlad said as Ms. Gray stood up. "Enjoy your lunch."
Danny nodded before he and Ms. Gray left the office.
\/\/\/\/\/
The Azure Garden was a small restaurant on the corner. It was done in gentle earth tones with landscape paintings adoring the walls and large windows partially open to allow in the warm, spring breeze. Danny found Sam, Tucker and Jazz seated at a circular booth at the other end of the café and headed toward it with Valerie—she insisted he call him that if she was going to be on a first name basis with him—just behind him.
"Hey Danny, who's this?" Jazz asked.
"This is Valerie…" Danny broke off when he noticed the glare Sam was giving Valerie. "Sam? Why are you glaring at her?"
Sam's lips thinned. "No reason," she said shortly.
Danny raised an eyebrow as he slide into the booth beside and Valerie, after a moment of hesitation, sat down next to him. "Sam…"
"Why is she here anyway?" Sam asked before Danny could finish his question.
"She's a new recruit and Vlad thinks she'll do well on our team," Danny admitted.
"We haven't had a fifth person on our team since Star…" Jazz broke off before looking at Tucker who lowered his head, unshed tears in his eyes.
"I know," Danny said softly. He missed Star too. She was a great field agent and she took her duties very seriously; she also loved Tucker so much that she took the ectoblast that was meant for him. Unfortunately, the ectoblast had been powerful enough to kill her.
"It's only on a trial basis," he added. "But Valerie does have an impressive resume."
"You should've talked with us first before you decided, Danny," Sam said shortly throwing another glare at Valerie.
"I haven't exactly decided," Danny said. "I told Vlad that I wanted to talk this over with you before I decide and Valerie decided to come with to meet you."
"Accepting her when we know little about her? Sounds like when Sam first joined the team," Tucker commented with a small smile wiping the unshed tears from his eyes. "We gave Sam a chance so I think we should give Valerie one too."
"I agree," Jazz said.
Sam was still glaring at Valerie who seemed not to understand why Sam resented her so much. "Fine," she growled.
"Sam, will you at least try to get along with her?" Danny asked.
"I agreed to give her a chance, Danny. You're lucky you got that."
"Why do you hate her so much?"
"I don't hate her."
"It sure seems like you do."
Sam looked away but said nothing. There was obviously something in Sam's past that dealt with Valerie Gray but it was equally as obvious that Sam did not want to talk about it. Danny respected her wishes. "All right, I'll let Vlad know later. Right now, I'm hungry."
As if on cue, the waitress came forward to take their orders. About ten minute later, she came out with their food and the rest of lunch passed by in silence.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: that was basically the first chapter of yet another story idea I've thought of though it's an unedited version (spell check can only do so much).
Darth: are you going to post it?
Blaze: I'm going to type it but I'm not going to post it until I see what people think of this oneshot as well as if they want to read what happen next. Plus, I want to finish Fate's Wings (which I'm almost done with. I just need to finish the epilogue) and decide what to do with Nightfall, since I'm having serious writer's block for that story
Darth: ah okay
Blaze: so I hope that you enjoyed this oneshot. Reviews, as always, are much appreciated.