Chapter Three – Christmas, A Scientist, and A Ghost? Or, I Am The Very Model of A Modern Major General.
A/N If anything I write is wrong, do not hesitate to correct me. Updates may become less frequent during the next three weeks due to GCSEs, after that should be smooth sailing for a while. Disclaimer: I own everything as follows, zero, nada, zilch, zip, nothing, nil, nix, null, zite.
3rd December
The plane touched down eleven hours later at the small airfield near Amity Park late in the afternoon, the airfield was very old, outdated, and falling into disrepair. There was one terminal building, a control tower, two or three small airplanes, one moving staircase, and a chain-link fence. The weather was cold and overcast, as was expected for
"I hate long haul flights," said Quartermain stepping down from the plane.
"You slept the entire flight Quartermain," replied Mina as she emerged from the cabin.
"Best way to deal with jet lag, so where is out hotel in the most haunted city in the world?"
"Downtown, two 'blocks' down from the high school," Mina said walking across the airfield.
Amity Park seemed like a nice place to live, there were a few skyscrapers (some were being repaired), and rows of terraced and brownstone houses, a bustling shopping centre and a high school, the image of a nice city was spoiled by all the tourist tat that was growing up, selling just about anything to do with ghosts. That, and the burn marks, craters and glowing bits on some of the buildings.
"We are here," Mina said indicating the large white hotel before them, which billed itself as 'Casper's Haunted Palace'.
"I thought Casper was a good ghost," said Quartermain looking at the marble clad building, "but it looks nice."
"The name may be a bit pretentious, but it is allegedly the best in the city Mr Quartermain, come along", Mina walked into the cavernous atrium of the hotel, there was more marble cladding on the walls, a plush red carpet, a fountain was the centre-piece of the room, finally there was a long highly polished hardwood desk.
"Impressive," muttered Quartermain looking around.
"Indeed", said Mina walking up to the desk, "hello, I have reservations for two rooms under the name of Harker."
"Yes, here are your keys, leave your bags, they will be brought along shortly", the receptionist said as she handed Mina the keys.
"Come along Quartermain", Mina said heading for the lift, "we're on the third floor."
The lift was large, for a lift, wood panelled with a double line of brass buttons and a mirror on the back.
"So, are we going to look for the ghost boy?"
"Yes, but we are not going to recruit him, I have someone else in mind," said Mina looking over at him.
"Oh, who is that?" Quartermain asked looking confused, as he cannot remember another ghost who could help.
"The ghost-girl," says Mina.
"I do not remember a ghost girl that can help us."
"She has only been seen a couple of times, but unlike the ghost boy she is not needed here to send the ghosts back into the ghost zone."
"We will start looking tomorrow, then" said Quartermain heading to his rooms.
Quartermain's rooms were very similar to at Oaken's, there was a main room with two side rooms, the bathroom could have been the same one, the main room and bedroom had black and white walls, the ceiling was white and the carpet was black, the sofa was white with black stripes (or vice-versa), the coffee table was black plastic. The bed had black covers and white cushions, the bedside table was white, and the colour scheme made it obvious that the hotel was trying to look like it was using the little city's own hero's colour scheme.
"Humph, pretentious," said Quartermain looking around the room at the colour scheme, after inspecting his room for anything suspicious (after all one can never be too careful, especially in America) Quartermain went down to the restaurant to eat a light dinner in the restaurant before going to bed to sleep off his jet lag.
The next day was cold again, but sunny judging by the standing water it had rained overnight.
"How do we draw ghost boy out of hiding," asked Quartermain over a breakfast of toast and eggs.
"We wait for a ghost attack, and get there first," said Mina, "this may take a couple of days though, so now is a good time for you to learn the virtue of patience".
"I hate waiting," growled Quartermain.
"You hate just about everything," retorted Mina.
Quartermain returned a hurt look, "I am offended my old friend."
Mina started laughing.
Two weeks later an attack finally occurred just around the corner at a toy store, and as per Mina's plan, they were first there.
"BEHOLD, FOR I AM THE MIGHTY BOX GHOST, MASTER OF EVERY CONTAINER BE IT CARDBOARD, PLASTIC OR WOOD."
"This is a ghost?" Asked Quartermain looking rather unamused by the pathetic blue warehouse worker floating in front of them, the 'Mighty Box Ghost' was a short, rather rotund ghost man, with a brown eyes, and a large nose, he wore a blue beanie hat, blue dungarees, bluish-white gloves, and an bluish-white shirt.
"Well, this is a weak one, but you and any other living being still cannot harm it, it will just turn intangible", Mina said turning to the pitiful box ghost, "but that does not mean that the dead cannot touch it."
With that, Mina turned to the box ghost, "surrender Mr Box Ghost, and I will no harm you".
"Hahaha, pitiful human cower before the power of containers at the hands of the BOX GHOST", with that the box ghost made a throwing motion towards Mina, "go my boxes attack".
Several of the large boxes levitated up, and flew at Mina, who dissolved into bats reforming on the other side of the room, "I am not a human, Mr Box Ghost, I am a vampire, and I am perfectly capable of beating you". Mina lunged at the Box Ghost grabbing hold of his collar with both hands, despite his attempts to go intangible, "see".
"Oh, FedEx," 'cursed' the Box Ghost.
"Alright, who is it, if it's the Box Ghost so help me…" says a white haired teen as he flies through the wall, coming up short upon seeing the two of them. It must have been a strange sight to see, even for the ghost boy, a man in a suit with a rifle slung over his back and a woman in a dress holding the Box Ghost by his collar. "Hello there, how are you doing that?"
"What?" Asks Mina feinting innocence.
"Holding the Box Ghost, he may be a weak ghost but, he is still a ghost, you should not be able to touch him."
"Hey! I have feelings too you know!" Shouted the Box Ghost looking very unhappy at the statement.
"Shut up Box Ghost, in response to your query Mr Phantom, I am a vampire, whilst it is true that the living cannot harm a ghost, but as a vampire I am considered theoretically dead, so I am capable of touching ghosts."
"Wait, a vampire, I thought that vampires only exist in the world of cheap B movies, and really bad teenage movies, and sparkled, don't vampires sparkle? The movies clearly show sparkly vampires."
"No, Mr Phantom those movies have ruined the terrifying image of vampires everywhere, and also do not ghosts only exist in cheap B movies?"
"Touché", responded Phantom, "so, what do you want, and why have you captured the box ghost"?
"What we want is to know the location of the ghost girl, and how to contact her", responded Mina as she handed the box ghost over to Phantom.
"Why would I tell you that, how do I know that you will not harm her"? Phantom asked putting the box ghost in the Thermos, but not before, he could yell one final, "BEWARE!"
"Man I hate that ghost", muttered Phantom.
"You do not, but lets us logic, why would I, a powerful vampire, wish to harm a ghost girl"?
"Well in movies…" Began Phantom.
"Ignore movies they portray us in a very negative light, as only mindless murderers, which is not true, I have not killed anyone since the Second World War", Mina interrupted.
"So that means they got the unageing bit right", muttered Phantom.
"Yes, they did, now tell me where is she? We mean her no harm", repeated Mina.
"I don't know, ok, you'll have to ask the stopwatch", admitted Phantom.
"Who"?
"Clockwork, the ghost of time".
"How would I get to the ghost of time"?
"Through a ghost portal, and then onwards to his lair known as Clockwork's Tower", explained Phantom.
"Where would I find a ghost portal"? Asked Mina fed up with this taking so long.
"There are two that I know of, one owned by Vlad Masters in Wisconsin, but it is unlikely that he will let you use it, he is a total fruitloop, so I would avoid it if I was you. The other portal is here in Amity Park, over there", Phantom, pointed at one of the houses with what appeared to be a spacecraft on the roof, "in the Fentonworks, the people who built it, the Fentons, are ghost hunters".
"Thank you, you have been most helpful", with that Mina started walking down the street towards the 'Fentonworks' as the ghost boy had called them.
The Fentonworks appeared to be a normal two-storey house, except for the precariously perched metal monstrosity on top, however the spaceship like thing got past the notorious US zoning laws was beyond Mina, there was satellite dishes, antennae, a rather useless looking fixed gun of some kind.
"What kind of certifiable lunatic built this"? Pondered Quartermain, "I suppose it does not matter, as long as the ghost boy's information is correct".
"Indeed", said Mina as she walked up and knocked, the door was answered by a girl who was about eighteen years old, she had very orange hair and light blue eyes, "hello, my name is Mina Harker, can I please talk to your parents," Mina politely asked.
"Ok, I'll call them", the girl walked off going down a staircase into the cellar, the room that had been onto was huge, and everything was painted dark purple, except for the floor in the entrance area which had turquoise tiles, to the right was a the living room, which had a purple sofa, a blue table and a stand lamp, everything about it was 'modern art'.
"GHOSTS!" Yelled a very loud voice before a large man in an orange jumpsuit carrying what appeared to be a waffle iron came charging up the stairs, he had black hair that was greying a bit at the sides and sky blue eyes. He was followed by a small woman in a blue jumpsuit, which hid her hair, but her eyes were visible, they were purple, and she was carrying a high tech looking baseball bat.
"Where are the ghosts"? He asked, looking around aiming the waffle iron at everything.
"There are no ghosts Dad", the girl who answered the door said walking up the stairs, "you did not let me finish, these people", she indicated Mina and Quartermain who were still standing in the doorway, "are here to speech to you".
"Is it about ghosts"? Mr Fenton asked.
"Mr Fenton…" began Mina.
"Please call me Jack", Jack cut in.
"Very well Jack, my name is Mina Harker, I represent the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I wish to use your ghost portal, and any form of transportation that you have that works within the Ghost Zone and would allow Mr Quartermain and myself to navigate it".
"Say what now"? Asked Jack scratching his head, "Jazz translate", he said pointing at the orange haired girl who had gotten them out of the cellar.
"Huh", Jazz face-palmed, "this want to use the portal and the Fenton-speeder", Jazz 'translated'.
"Exactly, we are willing to help fund your research into the supernatural for the next six months in return, Jack".
"Ok then, come on family, lets prep the Fenton-speeder", with that his wife, and him run back down into the cellar.
"Sorry about Dad, he is over-enthusiastic, and a bit eccentric, but he is a good scientist, sometimes".
"Do not worry Miss Fenton; I am use to my share of eccentricity in the League", responds Mina, "I take it then that I am allowed in".
"Of course, why wouldn't you"? Asked Jazz tilting her head slightly.
"It is always polite to ask an invitation before entering a house", Mina replied, "shall we follow Mr Fenton then Quartermain".
"Hang on, I have some question, one, why do you want to go to the ghost zone? Surely there is nothing to interest you there", inquired the girl.
"We are looking for someone".
"Ok, two, what is the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"?
"An organisation of the British government, and that is all I am able or willing to tell you", responds Mina sharply.
"Three, your name is Quartermain, does that mean you are related to explorer Allen Quartermain"? Continued the continuously questioning by Jazz.
"My, you are a curious one aren't you", commented Mina, walking past Jazz ruffling her hair, which caused Jazz to glare at her, Mina oblivious to this started walking down the cellar stairs to the laboratory.
"Well, I suppose you could say that", Quartermain answered to Jazz' question following Mina down the stairs.
"What kind of answer was that"? Jazz asked the empty room.
The laboratory in the cellar was not as big as the room above, but still huge, the walls were lined with metal, and with machines that hummed, buzzed, and occasionally sparked or popped.
"Ta da, the Fenton speeder", shouted Jack presenting the car floating in front of them, "and that", he said pointing at an octagonal metal shape in the wall with yellow, and black striped door, "the ghost zone", with that he pressed a button on a remote, and the doors slide back to reveal a green swirling portal.
"Very well, how does this Fenton speeder work"? Asked Mina, as she said this, a boy walked down the stairs, we wore a white t-shirt with red stripes around the hem, collar, and the ends of the sleeves, blue jeans, and white trainers. He had blue eyes and spiky black hair.
"Ah, Danny can take you".
"What"? The boy asked shocked by the idea of taking the two in the speeder.
"Danny can take you on the Fenton speeder, he knows how to pilot and needs practise".
"But, Dad", Danny complained, "do I have to"?
"Yes Danny, once I have made a hasty decision I cannot be swayed".
"Fine", the teen climbed into the pilot's seat in the speeder, Mina climbed into the passenger's seat, whilst Quartermain climbed into the back, when everyone had buckled up they entered the Ghost Zone.
There was a bright flash, and they were in an infinite looking dark green space, with no floor or ceiling, in the distance there was light green patches floating around as well. Floating around in the green void was a huge number of different kinds of purple doors, from rough-hewn wood, to futuristic doors that looked to be from the set of Star Trek.
"Where do these doors lead"? Queried Mina.
"Ghost's lairs, one door per lair, one lair per ghost, there are some ghosts whose lair is not behind a door, I forgot to ask. Where are we going"?
"I believe to a ghost called 'Clockwork'", answered Mina.
"Ok, then this way", Danny steers the ship to the left.
A long while later they arrived at a tall, medieval tower made of clock parts including a grandfather clock for the main part of the tower, with cogs on the outside of the tower.
"Here we are Clockwork's tower home of the mysterious Clockwork, the ghost of time, who cannot give a straight answer".
"Sounds like you have a grudge".
"No, I just hate riddles", he said pulling the Fenton speeder up next to the door to Clockwork's tower, as soon as the speeder stopped Mina, and Quartermain got out, and walked into the tower.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, you know kid in the ghost zone", Danny muttered, following along.
The interior was a large stone room with television screens and clocks, in the centre of the room was a chair containing the purple-cloaked form of clockwork, the ghost of time looking at one of the screens with his back to them. "Ah, Mina Harker, as the ghost of time I know everything I knew you would arrive now, I also knew what you were looking for, so I went ahead, and brought her here", without looking away from the screen he gestures at door, which vanishes, revealing a short girl, who looked like a female version of Danny Fenton. She was wearing a red beanie hat, a blue hooded jumper, red shorts, and blue and white trainers. "May I present Danielle Phantom, the ghost girl".
"Thank you Clockwork, well that was easy", Mina said turning to Danielle Phantom, "Danielle, I take it that Clockwork explained to you what we are facing, and what you will be doing".
"Yep", she said popping the 'p', "call be Dani, with an I, shall we go, please ".
"Yes, let us go back to the Speeder".
"Just a minute, I would like to speak to Daniel alone before you leave", said Clockwork.
"Very well, we will wait in the Speeder", Mina said leaving the room, with Quartermain following along, "come along Dani," Mina said over her shoulder, with that Dani leaves as well.
About half an hour later Danny re-joined them at the Speeder, "can we leave now Mr Fenton", asked Mina.
"Yeah", Danny strapped himself in, and piloted back to the ghost portal.
When they arrived back at the location of the portal Mina got slightly worried, "how will they know to open the portal for us"?
"The Fenton speeder has a tracking device when it gets near to the portal they will know to open the doors, hopefully if they haven't blown themselves up, again".
"Very well, how much further"?
"Ten minutes maybe".
"When we arrive you should turn invisible and intangible Dani, and exit through the wall at the earliest point possible so that his parents do not catch you".
Yeah, that would be a good idea, I'll meet you outside the high school afterwards Mrs Harker", with that two white rings appeared around her waist sliding over her body, changing her clothes into a black jumpsuit with white gloves, and boots* her eyes became green, and her hair became white.
Ten minutes later, they arrived back at the portal, which opened when they got near, Dani turned invisible as they entered the portal, they flew straight through, stopping in the laboratory, "thank you for taking us Mr Fenton", Mina said to Danny as the portal closed. Dani exited through the wall of the lab, before the Fentons could scan for ghosts.
"Did, you find what you were looking for"? Mrs Fenton asked looking at Mina rather suspiciously, "I forgot to ask what you were looking for".
"We were looking for someone, and now we are close to them, we should be able to find them soon", replied Mina, sidestepping the question.
"Well, that's good", Mrs Fenton said suddenly smiling.
"We must be on our way now, Mr and Mrs Fenton", Mina said walking to the door, "come along Quartermain, we have an early start tomorrow, we have to go to California".
"Very well Mrs Harker", replied Quartermain following her out the door.
They found Dani floating outside Caspar High, "what took ya"? The girl asked floating in front of Mina.
"Miss Phantom stop your floating right now before some-one sees you, we do not want to have to deal with that".
"Fine", Dani landed on the pavement, and changed back, "so where are we going"?
"We are going to the hotel to pick up our stuff and then we are going on to the airfield, then onwards to California, Miss Phantom", Mina said walking in the direction of the hotel.
"What are we going to do in California"? Asked Dani scratching her head.
"Looking for a scientist, if the government will let him go", replied Mina, go wait for us at the airfield, we should be along shortly", Dani concentrated, "walk Dani, remember, low-profile".
"Fine", Dani pouted before walking off to the airfield.
Two hours later the three of them were assembled inside the private jet, "well, off we go, to the deserts of California".
The airplane landed in front of a large rock formation, "well here we are", said Mina getting out of the plane.
"A rock, we came all the way to this, a frickin' rock", exclaims Dani looking at the rock.
"Quartermain hand me the loudspeaker please", Quartermain dutifully complied, "ALRIGH MAJOR GENERAL WARREN MONGER** OPEN UP WE KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE".
"Oh great she's gone mad, SHE'S SHOUTING AT A ROCK, A FRICKIN' ROCK", Dani shout pointing at Mina, then the rock.
"ALRIGH CIVIE, CLEAR YOURSELF FROM MA AYERFIERLD OR WE WIWL SHOO YA", drawled the reply from hidden speakers.
Mina face-palmed, "it had to be a southerner, could it not have been a logical person", turning on the loudspeaker, "WE ARE FROM THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, WE ARE HERE TO TALK TO YOU".
"WHEEL, WHYR DIN'T YA SAR SO", drawled the southern major-general through the speakers, with that a door opened in the side of the mountain, and the plane taxied in with Mina walking behind, the room was a very large metal hanger, with rows of planes, tanks, and other vehicles, as well as the major-general himself.
"I yam …" the major general began.
"I know who you are Major-General Warren Monger of Area fifty-something", Mina cut Warren off.
"I preefur ta b caled Monger", muttered Monger.
"Noted", said Mina as Quartermain and Dani climbed off the plane.
"Origh theyn ya must b Meener Hairker, ya must Arllen Quartaman, aynd oo ayre ya"? the Major-General stopped at Dani, "oo is she"?
"Dani Phantom, she is the latest addition to the League, anyway, the reason for my visit is to relieve area fifty-something of Doctor Herbert Cockroach, as we need him to join the League", explained the vampire.
"Thayrt is ta single most preposerous thingk I heard al day".
"Monger, we will take the Doctor, you may wish to read these files", Mina handed the files she had been handing to just about everyone else to the Major-General, she then mutters to Quartermain, "if he is the very model of the modern major-general, America is doomed".
"Indeed," was Quartermain's reply.
"Hmm, these repors changje everyting, I rill tark ya to hym righ now", the major-general turned around, and began quick-marching down corridor to their left.
After walking past a room containing a reptile man in a pool, a giant blue gelatinous gloop, which was eating a fridge, a Godzilla sized moth sitting staring into space, and a very tall women with white hair, sitting with her back to them, they arrived at a door labelled with just about every different warning sticker that has ever existed.
"Docroach, ya in air", Monger drawled whilst pounding on the door, "ya ge-in relocaed".
The door slid open, and smoke comes billowing out, followed by a man in a lab coat with a cockroach head, with big bulbous eyes, two antennae, and a moustache, who stumbles out, coughing
"cough cough, too much pineapple, and not enough tea leaves", he mused to himself.
"That man has a cockroach head, how? What? When? Why?" Questioned Dani looking at the doctor's head".
"Doctor, Ay tol ya, no explosions ear-n unven-ed rooms'.
"In response to your question Dani the doctor here was attempting to make himself as indestructible as a cockroach, it worked, but with side effects".
"I can see that", Dani muttered.
"That was me cooking a trifle, it may have gone slightly crazy, and tried to kill me", Cockroach replied, "and who are these people"?
"We, Herbert are from the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, we are here to take you to England, where you will join us as the science officer", said Mina looking the doctor up and down.
"I take it I get no say in this", Cockroach asked.
"No", shouted the Major General.
"Very well, let's go, I take it you have some form of vessel to take us back to the UK".
"Of course, come along", Monger led them back to the airplane.
Back at the airplane, Mina leaned over to the pilot, "Home, we are going home to England".
A/N Finished recruitment drive, yes, now I need to work out what peoples' reactions to each other will be.
*I changed Dan's look, mainly to make it easier to describe, because I spent two hours trying to describe it and to keep redrafting, so I changed her look, because I want to finish this, so I made her look like Danny.
**I know Monger is a general, but otherwise I do not get to make the Gilbert and Sullivan jokes. (Pirates of Penzance in case you were wondering). In case anyone is wondering the MvA is the movie, not the Pixar and nickelodeon TV series