Author Note: remember to please review!

~CWA

Chapter 8- Party Crashers:

Danny:

I explained to Tommy and them that I had to go get ready for the party at my house. They understood and while they headed to the haunted house, I headed to home. Luckily, I had a ghost scanner in the lab I could use to, hopefully, track the ghost.

I froze in my steps when I saw Evan. He was on the ground, looking up in terror. It was odd since zombies shouldn't show expression, in their faces, body, or voice, but I suppose it scared him enough that he did that. What made me stop, however, was what he was looking at. The giant green beast that was larger than a horse and a car was there. It's paws were on Evan's chest, looking at him with red eyes and growling. It had a black collar with spikes and large dripping fangs. It was a monstrous thing...but I knew it…it was my dog.

"Cujo," I ordered, "let him go!"
"Danny," Evan shook and I was surprised to hear fear in that monotone voice, "You know it?"
"It's my dog," I sighed.

Cujo got up from Evan and attacked me. Well, he knocked my down and I let him lick me.
"Cujo, get down."

Cujo got off of me so I could stand up and he changed from that monster beast back to the sweet, cute, little puppy. He jumped into my arms and yipped happily.

"I have no idea how you found me," I said as I petted him, "But I am glad you did. Missed you boy."
He licked my face again. I looked over at Evan. I set down Cujo and I helped Evan up.
"How," he asked.

"Cujo is a ghost. A ghost of a guard dog and he is my pet…in a way. He tends to follow me around."
Cujo whimpered and I sighed,
"Fine, you can stay here."

Cujo yipped happily and ran through the door to the house- luckily he was intangible. Evan looked at me,
"You talk…to him…like a real…person?"

I shrugged,
"He's like a real person- he may be a dog, and a ghost dog, but he is aware and understand English- and Esperanto actually."

Evan gave me a black look- but that was normal for a zombie. I shrugged,

"Why weren't you at the game?"
"Too many…people…and by….the news….good thing….I didn't…"
He made a hollow sound that I assumed was a laugh.

"Well," I said, "there's a party at the haunted house, wanna go?"
Evan shrugged stiffly,
"…sure….will there….be girls?"

I laughed, he might have been dead- but he was still a teenager boy.

"You go ahead to the party, it'll take you a bit to get there, but I can get there really quick. I have to go the lab- tell the others I will be there soon."
Evan nodded stiffly and then slowly walked away towards the forest. I walked into the house, but I didn't bother locking the door since I knew Cujo was walking behind me. I headed down to the lab. I needed to check something.

My lab was one the coolest parts of the house. It hidden- there was a switch in the wall (only available by going intangible into the wall) that would reveal a hidden door in the opposite wall. I pressed the button and as I did so the fireplace turned to reveal the door. I walked through the door and went into my lab.

I loved my lab. It had steal walls, floors, a portal, gadgets, Skulker, a table with my blueprints, computers, and wait…SKULKER…I got into a fighting stance and charged my hands with ectoblasts. Skulker glared and raised his hand in defense.
"Relax, whelp, I am not here to fight you."
"But," I growled, "You are usually hired by Vlad and I can't have my location- or the fact I am still alive- known to him."
I shot an ectoblast at him, but he dodged,
"I am not here to fight, but I still will!"
His missiles were raised, but before he shot them, he was stopped.
"Will you shut up and calm down, both of you!"
I turned and saw Ember. Skulker's missiles lowered but he still glared at me. Ember rolled her eyes,
"None of us are still employed by Vlad, dipstick. He gave up on all things ghosts after your so-called death."
"But," I said relaxing slightly, "How did you even find me?"
Ember shrugged,
"A note by someone called Charles Ate- or something-"
"Aetas?"
"Whatever, saying your location."
"Uhh…why," I asked confused, I mean why would Clockwork reveal my location?"

"Probably so we could warn you."
"Warn," I said slowly, "about what? And why no fighting?"

Ember sighed and rolled her eyes,
"The dolts, Guys In White, actually did something productive- for them anyway."
Skulker brought up a 3D print of a blueprint,
"They made a successful unit that can capture ghosts. They're capturing every ecto-signature they can find."
"Including mine," I said crossing my arms, "And that still doesn't explain why I'm not kicking your butts right now."

Ember glared at me as her flared,
"Look, dipstick, no one in the Zone's been fighting- for once, we're actually trying to work together."
"Why?"
"They don't have the Zone to release the ghosts- not only that," Skulker explained, "but they would experiment on every ghost they catch."
"We may not be your friends," Ember said with her arms crossed, "but we are all still ghosts- and ghosts stick together in times like this. No one wants any ghost experimented on."
"Uh," I said, pointing at Skulker, "So apparently wanting my pelt on your wall doesn't count?"
"I'm a ghost," Skulker said blandly, "not only is it okay as it is my very being to do things like that- but since I am a ghost it is just ghost rivalry. Humans doing it, however, is a bad no-no."
"Okay," I said slowly, "thanks for the warning."
Ember nodded and her and Skulker started to leave. She turned back to me,

"If you can dipstick- stop them….but don't get captured."
"Planned on it."
***

I arrived at the haunted house for the party. I was hoping that later, the Guys In White would fine me, so I wouldn't have to find them. I will take them down, but right now- my friends needed me. Tommy, I thought, would probably be a bit freaked.

I looked around at the haunted house- they did a nice job decorating. There were people everywhere- zombies and the living. There were streamers. There was a table with food and drinks- for the living obviously.

I finally was able to spot Tommy and Phoebe. The two of them looked pretty…close…I walked away from them stiffly- it was best to give them some privacy. Seeing them walk towards the forest together, it looked like they would get that privacy too. I spotted Margi and Karen talking- I didn't want to interrupt them, so I headed to where I spotted Adam sulking.

It didn't take a genius to figure out why he was sulking either. Everyone knew he did like Phoebe, well everyone but Phoebe. Phoebe, it seemed, did like Adam, but apparently liked Tommy even more.

"Hey," I said as I walked up.

"Hey," he said glumly.

I resisted the urge to sigh knowing that I wouldn't get him to talk much. I stood next time as I scoped the scene again. I spotted Evan partying, well partying as much as a zombie could. He saw me and waved slowly and stiffly. I waved back slowly, I still had an appearance to upkeep.

I heard a small yelp from the forest and I stood up straighter. I knew that yelp came from Cujo- I hoped he was okay. Suddenly, a white van drove into the yard. Everyone stopped to watch it. Three big men (two white and one African America) in white suits jumped out. I recognized them…shit.

"Attention," the African American agent said, "high levels of ectoplasm have been recorded here, as ordered by the Guys In White foundation, all of you are to stay here, and not get in our way of capture."