I got sick in Texas. -coughs- Why doesn't that surprise me?

Thanks for those gracious reviews Hordak's Pupil, mystery writer5775, Plushiemon, princess moon shadow, Miriam1

10. Fire of Hate

The bachelor half ghost grinned at the hero, cracking his fingers. "Still trying to look for your little friends, are we?"

"We already figured out you're hiding them in Colorado, Plasmius," the boy told him, his eyes now focused on the man, an edge of anger in his tone. "We can go there and save them, you know."

The caped-clad villain merely chuckled slightly. "Can you now? I'm out of your jurisdiction, though, Daniel. Anyway you look at the playing field, I have already won. There's no need for you to do anything now except to follow my orders and allow me to do as I please with Ryan and Sam and Tucker..."

Phantom narrowed his eyes. "What would you know about any of these crime lab border lines and crap like that?"

Plasmius shrugged. "I'm manipulative and can get my way through any means, Daniel. Even if it means I have to cheat and go out on a limb to make a deal with someone."

The boy fired a ghost ray in his enemy's direction, who easily dodged the blast. Growling, his hand glowed a bright green, his eyes flaming. "Why don't we just get to the part where you tell me what the heck you're going to do to them and I kick your butt? It's the latter that I always look forward to most."

"How about not?" his foe replied silkily, putting up a magenta shield. "How about we get to the part where I soundly kick your butt?"

Phantom gritted his teeth. This wasn't going very well. It wasn't like Horatio had some insane ability and secret that he knew about Plasmius that he didn't. He charged up another ghost ray, firing it right at the shield. Magenta absorbed emerald as his power intensified until... crack. The shield broke, and Plasmius was sent flying backwards ten feet. The boy proceeded to fly forward and launch an ice attack in his direction. Shards pummeled the bachelor in the chest.

A monstrous snowball came out of his hands and was hurtled towards the man, hitting him and freezing over the vampire-looking ghost. Phantom glared at him. "Now tell me... what do you plan on doing with them?!"

A red aura shined around the block of ice, and suddenly, the ice shattered, and the billionaire half ghost was floating in mid-air, hands glowing and in a battle stance. He licked his lips, throwing his hands out viciously. Ectoplasmic daggers flew in the boy's direction, Plasmius' eyes flaming. "I have no right to tell you about what I plan on doing with your little friends, Daniel. No matter what you do to me, there is no chance of me telling you my secret to gaining victory over you and Horatio!"

Phantom blinked. How did H know Vlad?

"You've been trying to distract me all this time from Plasmius, haven't you?" Horatio growled lowly, taking a step towards Stetler.

The brunette simply rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "He offered me a deal, Horatio. I couldn't just pass up the fact that I could snag your job from right under your nose!"

"I should seriously consider breaking your nose right about now," the redhead replied angrily, his hand balling up into a fist.

The shattering of glass caused their heads to whip in the direction of the noise. Horatio's nine millimeter glock was in his hand faster than you could say "pina colada," and he made his way to the source of the noise. The DNA Lab had in the window, a light breeze blowing inside the stuffy room. Outside, Phantom and Plasmius were engaged in battle. Phantom shot ice rays at his foe, succeeding at one point to freezing him. He seemed to be threatening the older male half-ghost, who broke free from his prison and began to attack in a similar fashion. Horatio merely stood there, both awed and worried about the ongoing feud between them.

That is, until Rick snapped him out of his gaze. "You've got to stop this, Horatio!"

Horatio kept his weapon level as he opened the door to the lab and made his way towards the broken window. As he continued his careful journey towards the fight, he heard Plasmius shouting, "I have no right to tell you about what I plan on doing with your little friends, Daniel. No matter what you do to me, there is no chance of me telling you my secret to gaining victory over you and Horatio!"

Horatio took this opportunity to fire a shot towards the two combatants. Phantom let out a small yelp as he raced towards the building. "Easy! I'm not used to being fired at with a real gun!"

Plasmius laughed. "Poor Daniel. So defenseless from the real world, are we?"

"Nobody asked you!" he shouted angrily, proceeding to land a fist into Plasmius' stomach and knocking the wind out of him.

Horatio merely stood there, the gun still out. "Plasmius," he uttered finally, hate dripping from his tone.

The bachelor clutched his stomach, eyes flashing dangerously. "You've known all along."

"Actually, no I haven't. I just figured it out today," Horatio admitted, poised to fire at any threatening movement by the billionaire. "Although, I have to say- those couple of days you decided to hang around Florida State University was just enough for me to realize that you were bitter and alone. And given the fact that Jack Fenton left a voicemail for me that one night..."

Phantom turned to Horatio, eyes widening with shock. "You knew my dad?"

The redhead shook his head. "No, I didn't. He called me one night to tell Vlad he was missing Taco Night at a local restaurant."

"Yep. That's Dad for you," he mumbled.

"But that's beyond the point," Horatio continued. "Plasmius, what've you done with my CSI?"

The black-haired ghost chuckled wryly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you, Horatio. That would only make your chances slimmer of finding him alive when I'm through with him."

Horatio nodded, pretending to accept this. However, his insides boiled like the humidity. "Okay, then. What've you done with Stetler to make a deal with him?"

"Oh, so you've discovered that part of my plan!" Plasmius sounded delighted. "Well, that just makes my life a whole lot easier for you and me! Stetler here wanted to make sure that he could get a promotion in the lab, so I promised him that he'd get it as long as he kept you busy and not learn about my little thing with Ryan. And so far, he's kept up his end of the deal, so I may as well keep up mine. If you're lucky, you'll be sergeant of Internal Affairs tomorrow, Horatio!"

The man's heart rate skyrocketed. This wasn't happening. This couldn't have been happening.

Phantom, however, clearly looked baffled. "I don't get it."

The man snorted. "Of course you don't, dear boy. It's politics and job promotions. You wouldn't understand."

Finally having enough, Phantom turned to Plasmius, eyes blazing. "I'm going to ask you one more time, Vlad- what are you doing with them?!"

"It's none of your business," he snapped in reply.

Horatio stood there, gun blazing. "You didn't."

Plasmius smirked. "I did."

Phantom floated there, turning his head from Horatio to Plasmius like one would be watching a tennis match. "What the hell am I missing here?"

"Simple. Horatio isn't going to be lieutenant tomorrow... if all goes well with paperwork and such," Plasmius stated simply. "He's going to be the Internal Affairs sergeant. Stetler is going to be taking the position of lieutenant of the lab."

The boy nearly fell over in the air. Horatio's eyes had narrowed to slits. How could this have happened?

Only one answer screamed out in Phantom's mind.

Overshadowing.

The teen merely crossed his arms. "Being the cheating business man you are, you overshadowed someone, and now Stetler's going to have his way."

"Yes, in a sense."

Horatio's finger was on the trigger. "I should shoot you right now, Plasmius."

The man gestured with a finger beckoning. "Ah. But why don't you, Horatio? Is it your martyrdom that is not allowing you to kill the one that stole Ryan from your lab?"

His eyes hardened, and for a moment, Phantom could've sworn he saw a hint of Plasmius in that murderous gaze. Horatio looked as if he could have killed Plasmius. Swallowing, Phantom turned invisible, going through the broken window and making his way towards the lounge of the lab. He turned visible and slumped into the chair, morphing. A gasp was heard, and Danny turned around in his seat.

Natalia Boa Vista stood there, coffee overflowing out of her cup. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"Danny?"

And I leave you there with that terrible cliffhanger yet again. Now Natalia knows, Horatio knows... and I have yet to spill what is going on with Sam, Tucker, and Ryan. Well, that's next chapter, my friends. And perhaps we'll learn a little more about the confrontation between H and Vlad. Thanks for reading.