Chapter 3

"Hey, thanks for joining me," Danny said into the Fenton Fone as he flew above town.

"Dude, this is like a break for me," Tucker's voice said, the teen riding on his old scooter down below. "Who knew I'd miss patrol nights."

Danny glanced down at his best friend, seeing him driving down Washington towards the next neighborhood. "Kinda hate we're already getting to that point," Danny said. "I figured we'd be at least twenty."

"Hey, at least I'll be in town," Tucker reminded. "It'll be really weird for Sam to be leaving almost every weekend."

"It's a part of growing up, little brother," Jazz's voice said, startling Danny slightly.

"Jazz, when did you join!?" Danny asked, returning his eyes back to the world below him.

"Just a moment ago," Jazz admitted. "Mom wanted to remind you she wanted you home by ten."

"But it's not a school night," Tucker defended for his friend. "And I'm the one that has work tomorrow."

"She said that went for you too, Tucker," Jazz said with a snicker.

"Kinda figured that," Tucker grumbled.

"Thanks Jazz. I'll let you know if a ghost shows up," Danny said, hoping to hint that he wanted to talk to Tucker without her.

"Sure," Jazz said. "Ghost Getter 1 signing off."

Danny rolled his eyes as Tucker let out a laugh. He flew a moment in silence before opening his mouth only to be cut off.

"Hey man, Valerie was talking to me while you were in Ohio," Tucker said. "Said something about you looking at getting a job."

"She already-" Danny let out a sigh, not surprised she went over his head. "I was going to ask myself."

"But she's right," Tucker pointed out. "There's no way you could keep up with this, school, a job, and the government's things."

"Love how everyone else has so little belief in me," Danny retorted.

"Dude, when the ghosts get bad, you're a zombie," Tucker said. "So I got talking to some higher ups, you know, the people who know and all. I went ahead and pled your case and got a few things worked out. I'm waiting for the final paperwork to come in, but as of yesterday Danny Phantom is a business with an EIN number and everything."

"An EIN number?"

"Bank junk really, that way we wouldn't have to worry about a bank knowing your secret and the government can be happy about having something to tax," Tucker quickly explained. "Both Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton would have to be on the account, the senator wants me on the account, I guess as being accountable or something, and to be on the safe side I figured your mom as well. With how much the Fenton's have been supporting Phantom now, I thought it would make sense if Danny Fenton became your human liaison between them and you."

"I'm lost, just tell me what I'll need to do," Danny said, shaking his head.

"Right now, nothing," Tucker said with a laugh. "I'm waiting for the IRS to send the paperwork. But hopefully before the end of summer, Danny Phantom will be on the city payroll as a ghost hunting company."

"Thanks," Danny offered. He looked over the horizon as he let out a sigh, a part of him wishing he could've gotten a normal job.

"I kinda figured you'd be a little more happy," Tucker said.

"I am, really," Danny tried, not sure how to word it without sounding ungrateful. "I guess I just wasn't… I'm not normal and I guess I never realized how getting a job for me would be different as well."

"Dude, none of us are normal anymore," Tucker said, the hint of a smile in his voice. "Because of you I'm mayor, Sam's got a whole business of her own now, Valerie's working on going into the military."

"She is?"

"Yeah, she said she's looking at getting into the ROTC program at school," Tucker informed. "Fits her, don't'cha think?"

Danny thought back to the twenty-four year old Valerie they had run into during the whole mess with the CAT, the military haircut good on her. "Yeah, it does."

"Oh, hang on, Mom's calling," Tucker said as Danny could just make out the sound of his ringtone. Danny looked down, finding Tucker driving his scooter with one hand as the other flicked open the phone. Putting it to his ear he said, "Hey Mom."

Danny flew silently, listening to half of the conversation as he kept an eye on the neighborhood he flew over.

"Aw, come on Mom," Tucker whined. "I'm out with Danny patrol-" He was cut off by the voice Danny couldn't hear. A moment passed in silence, Danny noticing someone out in their back yard grilling while kids played in the late twilight. Tucker let out a sigh, getting Danny to tune back into the half of the conversation he could hear.

"Alright Mom, I'm on my way," Tucker said before hanging up the call. "Come on, I'm mayor of this town. Why does it matter if my room's a mess as long as I keep this town clean, right?"

"When are you home to mess it up?" Danny asked with a laugh.

"That's half the problem," Tucker admitted. "I'm home long enough to toss a jacket here and a book bag there, but not enough to put them where they belong." He let out another sigh as he turned around on the street below Danny. "Sorry man, I've gotta go home. You want me to call Sam and get her out here?"

"Naw, I'll be fine," Danny threw off, giving his best friend one last glance before focusing back on the neighborhood he flew over. "It's almost ten anyway, so I need to start heading back myself. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, when are you done with your shrink?"

"Four."

"Bring a snack."

"Will do," Danny said with a laugh. "Night."

Danny kept the device in his ear in case someone might need to call on him as he made a large sweeping turn in the sky, loving the feel of wind through his hair. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and flew blind a moment. Without opening his eyes, he flew around a radio tower he knew to be there, and continued to fly as a peace fell over him. He dropped his arms to his sides and let himself relax in a way only flying ever could.

His eyes shot open at his cold ghost sense forcing its way up, interrupting his peace. "Oh come on," Danny grumbled, slowing down as he turned towards where he felt the ghost. Down below, perched atop a house's chimney were three vultures, all wearing fezzes. "You!"

The three birds looked up only to spread out their wings and jump into the air.

"You know you're not welcomed here!" Danny called out, creating an ectoblast in his hand. He threw it towards the house, missing the three birds as they dodged upwards.

"Not vanted 'ere, not vanted in de ghost zone," the one wearing sunglasses said as Danny gave chase to the three. The bird looked over its shoulder and asked, "Vhere else are ve to go?"

"Have you tried Ohio?" Danny asked, throwing another blast of ecto-energy at them to keep them moving. "Here, I'll make sure you're going in the right direction even!"

"Great, an escort," the vulture with an Adams apple retorted.

"Well, if you hadn't aligned yourself with Vlad," Danny pointed out. "How is your old boss? Oh, that's right, exiled in space."

"Ve've got a new boss, now," the third said only to get hit in the head by his partners' elbows.

"Shut it," the one with an Adams apple ordered.

"A new boss?" Danny asked, worried and intrigued at the same time. He put on a burst of speed, getting so he flew above the three vultures and asked, "Who's that?"

"Like ve vould tell you," the one with sunglasses said, looking up at Danny.

"Fine, okay," Danny said, slowing back down to fly behind the three. "We're almost at the end of town anyway."

"Oh really, you don't want to know?" a new voice said from above Danny, a crack in the voice showing his age.

Danny turned to look towards the male voice only to see stars as an explosion wracked his brain. He closed his eyes, gravity taking over as he tried to fight, tried to catch hold of the light headedness that came with flying, but waves of pain prevented him. The last think he remembered was his ghost powers being pulled out of his control and something making contact with his back.

AN: Anyone else like the trio of vultures? Just wish they had canonical names… describing them as a way to identify them is very cumbersome.