Chapter 17: The Promise
Skulker raised his hand at Danny and transformed it into a gun. "Stay still pest. I'd like to get this over with as fast as possible." His tone was ice cold. What exactly did Vlad do to him, besides the obvious of course?
Quick, Danny thought. I need to decide on a way to deflect his attack. But Danny's mind wandered and the first real thought that pushed its way to the surface of Danny's mind wasn't a fool proof plan to get away, but instead it was, "Why are you helping Vlad anyway? What use are your ghost powers if all your weapons still work?" At least if he doesn't attack then I can still stall him. If there was anything Danny learned from years of fighting ghosts like Technus or the Box Ghost it was that they loved to boast about themselves.
Skulker simply shrugged, which caught Danny by surprise. "Ghost hunting isn't as easy without being able to go through walls or disappear." He fired a blast from his gun at Danny, but the boy jumped out of the way and it hit Jazz instead, trapping her in a net.
Danny ran toward her, but Jazz yelled for him to stop. "Don't worry about me Danny; try to stop the one with the gun for a hand! And watch out!"
Just as Jazz said the last part another net flew out of Skulker's gun and toward Danny, but he ducked just in time and rolled on the ground.
"Rats, I missed." Skulker huffed. He looked to the Box Ghost. "Would you mind grabbing Jazz's net and carrying it inside?"
"But I'm the Box Ghost, not the net ghost!" The Box Ghost protested.
"Just do as I say!" Skulker yelled. Danny ran at Skulker and tried to push him to the ground, but Skulker pushed back with just as much force.
"Let go of my son!" Jack yelled. He charged toward Danny and Skulker, but Technus stood in the way.
"I need to stop you for I am Technus!" The ghost said.
"Technus? That's a strange name." Jack muttered. "You look more like... Actually, I don't think I've ever seen anyone as strange looking as you."
"He kind of reminds me of Ursula. You know, from Little Mermaid." Maddie said.
"I am Technus, not Ursula!" Technus said. He hit Jack, but Jack punched back. Soon the two were wrestling on the ground.
Ember approached Maddie. "I guess we're going to fight." She sighed. "I really don't like fighting though. It's not lady-like at all."
"Like I care!" Maddie said and she punched Ember in the face.
Ember rubbed the spot where Maddie hit her. "You're going to pay for that!" She said and she tackled Maddie.
Vlad (who had left for a minute prior) stepped out of his mansion with a glass of wine in his hand. "Yes, keep fighting." He said. "Make me proud!"
Skulker fired another net out of his gun. This time he caught Danny. He gave the trapped boy to the newly appointed Net Ghost who was responsible for guarding the nets and making sure that Danny and Jazz didn't try to escape.
Jack had Technus pinned down to the ground. "So why do they call you Technus anyway?" Jack asked.
"Uh... Because I had the power to manipulate technology, duh. I thought it was obvious." Technus replied.
"Neat, I love technology and ghosts!" Jack replied smiling wide. "I think out of all my enemies you're my favorite!"
"Really?" Technus asked. He smiled as well. "You're my favorite enemy too. Unfortunately, I can't keep fighting you like this." Technus flipped Jack over so that now he was the one pinned to the ground. "Fire now Skulker!" Technus yelled and Jack was trapped in the net.
"It looks like it's only me and you." Ember said.
"Seems that way." Maddie replied as she cleverly dodged another one of Ember's punches.
"Why don't you just give up and make it easy on both of us?" Ember asked.
"Be careful not to hit Maddie too hard!" Vlad called from the side lines.
Ember scowled. "I see now, Vlad has a thing for you, doesn't he?" She said in a whisper.
Maddie looked surprised. "Maybe, but that was in college I don't think..."
"He's definitely still smitten." Ember said with a wink. "Trust me, woman's intuition never lies. Why don't you just surrender now? I'm sure Vlad wouldn't torture you as much as your family. Actually, he'd probably be quite nice to you. If you're lucky you could even talk him into giving you ghost powers. Heaven knows I tried."
"I'd never!" Maddie yelled.
"I know, better yet you can run away. Leave this place and don't look back!"
"I'm not deserting my family!" Maddie yelled. She tackled Ember and sent her falling backward onto the ground.
"That's a shame." Ember said, smiling even though she was pinned down. "Skulker, fire the net."
"Whatever you say cutie." Skulker replied. He shot Maddie with the gun and trapped her as well.
~ phantom130 5 (March 2014)