Chapter Sixty-Nine: Flight
"Danny?" Dani flew up to Danny, who was sitting on the roof looking a bit surly. "Danny, what's wrong?"
He glanced at her. "Plasmius took Dan to that club." He huffed. "I just lost connection."
"Connection?" She blinked.
He nodded. "We had a mind-link at the time of my death and it's been constant ever since." He tapped his head. "So, his thoughts, what he's doing, I know all of it until he muddles his mind with…" He groaned and buried his head in his knees.
She nodded, then sat next to him. "So…remind me how you died?"
"I didn't tell you, did I?" He looked at her. "My father…he…" He looked away. "He and the Guys in White were having some kind of dispute. We were out ghost-hunting at the time, and I got caught up in it. So—"
"Why are you split from Phantom, then?" She asked.
He bit his lip. 'Wrong lie.' He thought. "…I was getting to that. I changed into Phantom to protect him, and they captured me. Then they forced dad to work with him and split me and Phantom, putting us through all kinds of tests before I died from lack of proper medical attention and Phantom…broke out after I died. He only stayed because of me…"
She gently rubbed his shoulder. "Danny…I'm sorry…"
"Nothing to be sorry for." He gave a sad smile. "You couldn't have prevented it."
She frowned and hugged him. "Don't matter. I wish I could've, and that's why I'm sorry I couldn't."
He blinked and smiled, returning the hug. "Thanks."
She pulled back and smiled. "Right, so…what club were you talking about?"
"Desiree's Spirits." Dan huffed. "I went there to talk to Plasmius once…never wanna go back again."
"What happened?" She asked.
"It's a place for adults." Danny explained. "Drinking, exotic dancing, you name it they got it." He stood up. "Wanna go flying?"
She stood up and smiled. "Sure!"
They took to flight, high above the estate. "Hey, Danny?" She asked as she flew close to him. "Why does your hair turn white and Dan's hair turn red when you put the bracelets on?"
"Because the bracelets are supposed to hide our identities." Danny explained. "When I was a shadow ghost, my hair kept changing to white when I put on a cloak that blocked my powers, so we just stuck with it to be consistent when the second bracelet was made. Dan dyes his hair and mine is bleached, but it's only the human forms."
Dani nodded. "I was just wondering." She glanced at his bandages. "Are you hurt?"
"…I was, when I was alive. I keep the bandages on because it's just a part of who I am. If I take them off, they'll sooner or later re-appear on my arms." He looked at her. "Why all the questions?"
"Because I'm curious?" She gasped and darted around a kite. "Phew, that was close."
"Pretty high kite." Danny remarked as he also dodged it. "Did I ever tell you about how we met Dark?"
"Nope." She turned to him. "Tell me?"
"Well, it was a little while before I met you." Danny said, nodding. "I was studying for a career assessment test, when I was attacked by this ghost from the future. We fought, I won, and she went back to her own time. I ended up accidentally stealing the answers to the test, and…" He continued on, telling her about how he was nearly killed by Clockwork, how he fought and lost against Dark – Dan Phantom of the future – how he ended up in the Ghost Zone of the future, got the contact from his sister to check with Plasmius for answers, found out about Dark's origin – "Though apparently I filled in the blanks wrong, because his Danny is here and dating him." He said, shrugging. Dani made an "ew" face. – and finally finished with going back to his own time, defeating Dark, trapping him in a thermos and leaving Dark with Clockwork while his family lived on instead of dying like Dark planned.
"But if he was in the thermos…why is he teaching us now?" Dani asked.
"Because Phantom let him out." Danny sighed. "Apparently he's not hell-bent on destroying the past anymore, though…he and Phantom have some kind of…agreement. I think he's only helping him because Phantom wants to take revenge on d—the Guys in White."
"And you haven't told Vlad or Plasmius because…?" She frowned.
"Plasmius knows." He said softly. "He knows…aw, damn. I feel so bad lying to you."
"What is it?" Dani asked.
"What I told you about my dad having a feud I got caught up in? That's a lie. My father was the one responsible for my death. He ripped Phantom out of me, tortured us, cut us open, studied us, and had us do all kinds of tests. He called me a monster, and said I was no longer his son, that I was just a ghost! He displayed a cruelty I have never seen on him, ever! And this was after he found out about me being Danny Phantom, told me he accepted me, and tricked me into going on a trip with him!" Green tears slipped from his eyes. "I made Phantom promise not to kill anyone. And not to tell Vlad or Plasmius, but Plasmius knows because he can read minds, but he hasn't told Vlad yet and he wants Phantom to take his revenge just like Dark does and it's slowly but surely destroying my twin brother!" Danny cried, bringing his hands to his head. "And I can't do anything about it, because they won't listen to me! They won't listen!"
"Danny…" Dani was stunned by everything she had just been told. His own father caused his death? Tortured him? Cut him open? Called him a monster? How…how could he… "….Brother?"
He nodded. "Phantom…Phantom and I were supposed to be born as twins. But, when I was born, he never hatched. He just stayed a part of me, a dead brother that hung around in my body until he made contact with the Ghost Zone and came to life."
She blinked. "…What?"
"That's why I'm a halfa. Was a halfa. Same with Vlad and Plasmius." Danny sighed. "Which makes Dark and Daniel's relationship even MORE 'ew'."
"Yeah, that's pretty high on the 'ew' scale." Dani nodded. "So…anything else I should know that will keep me up at night?"
Danny smiled a bit. "Sorry, you asked."
"Yeah, wow. And I thought I had family issues." She nodded. "Can I just…go over there and scream?" She pointed off to the distance.
"Take your time." He nodded. She flew off and a bit later he heard her let out a shriek of terror, confusion, rage, and sorrow. Then she came back and nodded. "Thanks."
"No problem." He nodded. "Hey, how far have we flown?"
"I dunno, but we better get back home before Plasmius comes after us." She said nervously.
"He's drunk and getting lucky. He's not coming after us." Danny replied.
"Can we say that THAT is an 'ew', too?" She made a face.
"Yep. Definite 'ew'." Danny nodded.
Dani nodded, then gasped. "Behind you, Danny!"
He looked behind him and saw one of the Guys in White's helicopters. They had their net poised to fire, among other weapons.
"Run." He breathed, grabbing her hand and flying off.
"We got runners!" They heard one of the men say, and then the helicopter was giving chase.
The net came out and just barely missed them. Danny moved Dani to the front of him and held her close. He would NOT let her be hurt!
"Danny, we can take 'em!" Dani said.
"At this altitude, we would kill them if we disabled the helicopter!" Danny shook his head. "We're just going to run!"
"Hey, that ghost looks familiar." One of the men said.
Danny's eyes flashed green and he pushed Dani to the side, blasting at the helicopter. Those men…he knew them! They had been there for the strength tests! Dani fired at the helicopter as well, and then he heard her let out a cry of surprise and fear as she was caught hold of.
'The Wraith Wrangler!' Danny thought, recognizing it. Oh, of all the times to lose connection with Dan! He flew over and started to pry at the rope. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here." He assured her.
"Got him!" He heard a voice say, and then he was grappled and electrocuted, his screams high and loud.
"Danny!" Dani screamed.
Danny slumped in their hold, not even resisting as he was pulled in, Dani soon after. 'Phantom…help….Guys in White…' Danny thought as he lost consciousness.
"I knew it, it IS him!" A voice said as he blacked out.
Danny didn't know how long he was out, but woke to bright lights in his face. Groaning, he sat up and looked around. He seemed to be in a room, a ghost shield glowing brightly to keep him in. Gasping, he looked around for Dani and saw her lying on the floor with a Fenton Spector Deflector around her waist. "Dani? Dani!" He ran over and knelt next to her. "Dani…"
"D-Danny?" She breathed.
"Are you alright?" Danny asked.
"Mm…kind of. You?"
"Hurts." Danny admitted.
Dani slowly sat up, looking around. "Where…where are we?" She asked, looking at him.
"…Guys in White." Danny replied, looking towards where they could see men in white suits looking down at them.
Dani clung to him, looking up fearfully. Noticing her glove, she frowned. "Danny? Why am I still in ghost form?" She asked softly.
"Shh!" He hissed, then spoke quieter. "For the love of God, Dani, don't ever let them see your human form. Ever. You're in ghost form because your ghost powers have been blocked by that belt you're wearing and you can't change back."
"Belt?" She looked down at it. "How do I remove it?"
"You need a key, usually." He sighed. "That's a Fenton tool. Same with the other ones. They must've raided the old lab and taken all the tools my dad left there."
"What do you mean 'usually'?" She asked quietly.
"I put one on Dark and he just ripped it off." He said, sighing. "We're not nearly that strong."
She curled up close to him, sniffling. "Danny? Are we going to be stuck here?"
Stuck? In a lab? Not again! Danny gently moved her off him and stood up. "You recognize me, don't you?!" He called.
"Yes, Daniel Fenton." One of the men said.
"Why have you brought us here?" Danny asked. "Haven't you done enough to me?!"
"We mistook her for your counterpart. She greatly resembles him, after all." The man said calmly.
"Does…does my dad know I'm here?" Danny asked.
"No, and he's not going to." The man replied.
'Thank goodness.' He thought. "What will you do to us?"
"Jack Fenton's research on Phantom and you was incomplete." The man replied. "We're going to do further studies on you. As for your friend…" He sighed. "Well, perhaps she'll make for an interesting study as well. Time will tell."
Danny was silent before he spoke again. "…Dr. Wilson. Is he here?"
"Yes, he is. Your father handing our name out as the scapegoat nearly cost Dr. Wilson his life, so he's staying here permanently." The man replied. "Would you like us to send him in?"
Danny nodded. "Yes, please."
The man nodded and left his view.
Dani slowly stood up. "Who's Dr. Wilson?" She asked quietly.
"He's the one who treated my wounds when I was in this place before." Danny replied. "He actually has compassion, and was the one who forced my father to take me to the hospital when I needed to go."
A door opened up in the previously-empty wall and Dr. Wilson stepped in. "Danny." He breathed, the door closing behind him as he approached them. "Oh, Danny…I'm so sorry. I wish I could've…"
"You did all you could." Danny said softly, then leaned in close to whisper. "I need you to help me. Contact Vlad Masters at this number." He whispered a set of numbers, then said "Got that? Do I need to repeat it?"
"No, I have them." Dr. Wilson said quietly, then smiled a bit. "Why do you trust me?"
"Because you care." Danny replied quietly. "You cared about Phantom, about me. So, I trust you to help us escape this place."
Dr. Wilson nodded, then threw his arms around the ghost teen. "I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I told him to take you sooner…"
Danny shook his head, then pulled away and gestured to Dani. "Dani, come here. This is Dr. Wilson."
She walked closer and nodded stiffly. "Hi."
Dr. Wilson looked her up and down, then gave Danny a quizzical look. Danny just smiled and pointed to the D on her chest.
"Alright, time's up." The man said from above. "Dr. Wilson, please step out. We'll be bringing out Daniel Fenton to do some tests in just a moment."
"Understood." Dr. Wilson walked out, giving Danny a look of encouragement.
Danny smiled back, nodding.