I apologize for any spelling/grammatical mistakes. If you see them point them out to me.
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Technus floated uncertainly before the portal. It had been several weeks since he and the child had fought. He had repaired himself and upgraded several programs within his system, since the fight. At the moment, Technus was attempting to figure out how to avoid the child's notice and yet still be able to collect data upon the child. Technus did not know the all the details behind the child's radar. The child often relied upon his radar to forewarn him of ghostly presences. Unfortunately Technus was a ghostly being. He figured that if he could phase himself within the circuits of the child's computer network the electrical impulses would cloak his presence from the child. He could then safely study the child. Bracing himself one final time he plunged through the ghost portal.
When his feet hit the solid floor of Fenton's lab, he quickly took in his surroundings. The room had been cleaned and repaired since his scuffle with the child. But to Technus' amusement there were no new additions to the lab. Perhaps he had overestimated the child's intelligence. There still were no sensors or alarms near the ghost portal. The child's sole warning was his internal radar.
Technus strode over to the computer and stood before it. Placing his hand upon the USB port, he sent a gentle pulse of energy into the computer. When the pulse returned to him he took note of all the security features and the general format of the computer. Now he began to format a file. This file would match the format of the computer and would allow him access to the entire house's network, without alerting any of its' security. Bit by bit Technus worked his way into the computer.
Safely within the computer, Technus began to go over the stored files within it. Technus was more than slightly impressed with the data and schematics stored here. The humans here were quite adept apparently at creating devices that could cause ghosts harm or general discomfort. Technus began to fabricate copies of this data. He would later go over them in detail, looking for flaws and ways to defend himself from these malevolent contraptions.
Once he completed his scan of the computer he began to seep into the network. There were three more computers within the household. Two were located on the second floor and another on the top floor. Picking one of the second floor computers randomly he began to scan it. This computer, Technus decided, was not as interesting as the computer in the lab but still held useful data. This computer contained data on the human psyche and several essays on different topics. Technus completed his scan and turned his attention to the other computer. This computer was filled with many useless programs. According to his memory banks, humans called these programs 'games'. Aside from the games it did have one useful file. This file contained information on several ghosts and the single other hybrid. Any data that Technus could get on the older halfa, he welcomed warmly. Technus then proceeded to the final computer. Technus' investigation of the computer on the top floor proved it to only be a back up for the computer in the lab.
To Technus' delight, he would not have to install any cameras. The humans had already outfitted their home with surveillance cameras. With these cameras he could safely observe the child. Though Technus was grateful for the abundance of cameras… weren't these humans slightly overly paranoid? A few cameras he could understand, but to even place a camera within the families food cooling and storage unit? Technus had never claimed that humans weren't confusing creatures.
There was only one possible error in Technus' plan. There was the possibility that the child could still sense his presence within the system. Technus had done all that he could to hide himself. All that was left, was to wait for the child to arrive.
Speaking of the child and his humans, where were they? Didn't humans spend most of their time in their dwellings? While Technus' synchronization and scan only took minutes. The prolonged absence of the humans was making him nervous. There was nothing else Technus could do until the child arrived. All that was left to do was to wait…
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At last! From the outdoor camera Technus spied the human's automobile pulling into the driveway. From it emerged three figures, two females and one male. One was an average sized female clothed in a tight blue full body suit. From the manner of her clothing Technus could tell that she was in ideal shape for a human. The other female was slightly shorter and had much longer hair than the first female. The male was the one he had been waiting for, the child. The child was in his powerless human state. Technus could see that when he was earth bound, the child was shorter than the other two females. The child possessed jet black hair where the other two had an auburn hue. The only trait the three seemed to share was icy blue eyes.
All three of them began to march towards the entrance of the house. Soon it would be revealed if Technus' plan would work or not. The child and the shorter of the two female humans seemed to be carrying some sort of satchel upon their backs. While the blue clad female carried nothing but a dozen keys of metal all connected to one ring. The child and the shorter female seemed to be energetically discussing something. When they reached the door the blue clad female shuffled through her keys till she found one. At this time they were within Technus' hearing range.
"But Danny! You should go to the dance this Saturday. Come on you need a break." The shorter one of the females eyed the child worriedly.
"Jazz… I can't go to the dance! I have too many 'extra curricular activities' to do! Besides Sam said… Sam and Tucker said they don't want to go." The child shifted from foot as he waited for the blue clad female to open the door, but she chose this moment to speak up.
"Danny I agree with Jazz. You have been working so hard! Every night you come home looking like you just ran a marathon and sometimes worse! Please, Danny, for me, this would make me very happy." The blue clad paused with her hand on the door and shot the child some sort of look.
"Mom!… fine I'll try, no promises." The child murmured back to what Technus assumed was his mother.
"Thank you Danny… Alright, in, both of you." The mother moved to the side to allow the child and Jazz entry to the house. As Jazz passed the mother, they both exchanged smiles of victory. Technus throughout the exchange had kept his eyes on the child and there was no sign of his radar going off yet. As the three of them passed the door way the child froze. He wrapped his arms about himself and seemed to shiver, but nothing came out of his mouth. The child scanned his surrounding with suspicious eyes. His mother noticed and asked.
"Danny is there something wrong?" At this point Jazz had noticed what Danny was doing. She followed his example and began to scan the area. Slowly Danny replied.
"No… I don't think so. Does the ectofliter need to be replaced mom?" The mother regarded the child and replied.
"No honey, not for another five or six weeks." The child nodded to his mother and looked to Jazz.
"Jazz can you come help me on some of my homework?" The child sent a meaningful look to Jazz. Jazz caught the meaning.
"Mom, Danny and I are going down stairs to work. Okay?"
"Alright sweetie, just don't touch anything down in the lab." With that the mother turned on her heel and made her way to the kitchen. Jazz and the child both made a beeline to the lab. Technus transferred himself to the camera in the lab.
The child took the satchel like object off his back and dumped it at the foot the stairs. Jazz did the same, except in a more gentle fashion, then turned to her brother.
"Danny, what happened up there?" The child kept his eyes fixed on the ghost portal and responded.
"I don't know Jazz. You know the feeling you get when you touch icy cold hands? That's what it felt like. Not the full blown chill that comes with my ghost sense but something else. I don't know what this means." Jazz's face took on a thoughtful look and they both looked at the ghost portal. After a few moments, Jazz spoke up.
"Do you think it was a ghost that came out, sensed you, then went back in?"
"No, once a ghost decides to come out their minds are made up, and I don't know any ghosts that change their minds." The child responded somberly. Jazz looked at the child and narrowed her eyes.
"Danny have you been hiding anything from me? I know you are going through puberty and a lot of things are awkward for you right now, but if it deals with your powers, you have to tell me!" The child's eyes widened to a size that Technus, until recently, believed no human could achieve. Then again, the child was a hybrid. The child fixed Jazz with his stunned stare and turned an interesting shade of red.
"J-Jazz!" Under the child's gaze Jazz reddened a little and looked away.
"I am your sister Danny. I'm only trying to look out for you." Jazz huffed. After a moment the child seemed to recollect himself.
"No Jazz, it's nothing like that. At least I don't think so." The child seemed very interested in his shoes at this point. Technus was puzzled, what was this 'puberty'? Why did it have the power to rattle the child so? Technus' train of thought was interrupted by Jazz.
"Okay Danny, it looks like all we can do is sit tight and keep our eyes pealed. Hopefully it's your powers changing and not a ghost. You better go check on Tucker and Sam."
"Right." The child assumed some sort of action pose and shifted to ghost form. Without a word to his sister he flew off. Technus watched Jazz as she fixed the ghost portal with a worried gaze. Then with a tired sigh she picked up her satchel like object and left the lab.
Technus was ecstatic. His plan so far was a stunning success. The child had not been able to find him! What he needed to do now was to add sensors to all the existing cameras. That way he would also be able to get readouts on the child as well. It was only a matter of time now… and time was on his side.
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I was told that tend to use the same words too often and it made the story a difficult read. So I went back and reread the first chapter with this in mind… and found it to be completely true. I hope this chapter turns out better. Thank you for the advice Invader Johnny.