Sam's fingers twitched towards the phone in Tucker's hand as she pacing madly backwards and forward across her bedroom floor, only to pause ever few minutes with an incomprehensible grumble before she'd begin her wild striding again.
"Chill out, Sam. I'm sure Danny's fine," Tucker said, not looking up from the handheld screen from where he laid on her dark canopy bed, "Darn, his phone's not connecting."
"Well you must be doing something wrong then!" Sam cried out angrily, "Danny wouldn't bail on us unless something terrible happened you know!"
"Hey, I resent that! Look, Sam, you gotta stop worrying. His phone's probably just switched off. You know how he gets when he's in 'hero-mode', he forgets stuff," Tucker replied.
"Well even if he did forget we gotta think of something fast – otherwise Danny's parents are gonna freak, Tucker! He's been gone for almost four days! The space camp his parents think he's at is only supposed to last for six! I don't think this cover is gonna cut it much longer. The only real thing stopping them from noticing that he's missing is the fact that Phantom's being broadcasted all over the news, which is leaving his secret at risk!"
The goth resumed her heavy-footed pacing across her purple carpet, grousing to herself about 'mindless superheroes leaving her behind'. Tucker tapped agitatedly at his PDA, scrolling through the endless files he had duplicated from Danny's phone as he tried to block out Sam's nonsensical mutterings.
Opening another folder icon, Tucker paused as its contents spilled out across the screen, "Hey, Sam? Did you say Danny asked about something called a 'Drau-gur'?"
"Yeah, why?" Sam asked distractedly, nibbling at a worn thumbnail.
"I think you need to see this."
With a huff, Sam collapsed onto the bed next to her friend and leaned over his shoulder, "What?" Tucker twisted the small phone's screen so she could see, watching as her eyes narrowed, "It's a weird stick, so?"
Tucker frowned as he searched his brain, "It's that evil god-guy's staff from that big battle New York earlier this year. That mind-controlling one, remember?"
"Yeah, of course I do. What else is in there?" Sam snatched the phone from the boy's grasp, making him whimper as she slapped away his grappling hand, "What's this? Some sort of ghost database?" she asked, skipping through profiles of spectres – some of which the tech-geek recognised.
"What? I dunno," Tucker replied intelligently, cradling his stung hand, "Maybe SHIELD's trying to suss them out and see if they're a threat? It's kinda their job. They are a defence agency after all."
"But this doesn't look anything like the one we have down in the Fenton lab. These look more like… reference pages. Look," Sam pointed at a blurry picture of an ectopus, "'Strength level: two, Defence level: three, Abilities: flight, intangibility'— Tucker, I don't think they're planning on destroying ghosts."
Tucker hesitated, "What d'you mean?"
Sam didn't reply, racing through files as her eyes flicked across the pixelated pictures. Tucker could almost hear her brain whirring as she attempted to process everything.
"I think," Sam declared slowly, "They're planning on making Danny a weapon."
/ / /
"Can you hear me, Draugur?"
Danny huffed from his spot on top of a row of hills, his once-pristine boots covered in a thick layer of mud that squelched each timed he moved, "Aye, aye, Captain One-Eye." Danny jeered, cupping his hand around the communicator planted in his ear.
Fury ignored the jibe, "What do you see?"
Danny heaved a sigh as he looked around the dull Swedish landscape, "I dunno. Three hills, some weird looking barn houses and an old church."
"No sign of Loki or the Draugar?" Fury pressed.
"Not that I can see— oh, wait! I think that's him!" Danny squinted down towards the spatter of houses where a figure was moving behind one of the short, red-picketed fences.
The director's voice was urgent, "What's he doing?"
"I think he's… chewing grass. Nope, sorry, that's a goat," Danny snickered, "I couldn't tell, they have the same horns."
A frustrated growl echoed in his head, forcing Danny to cover his mouth with his hand in fear of being caught laughing.
"Focus, Phantom."
The halfa continued to silently chuckle, finding the confidence to mock the director now that he was out of the intimidating man's range, "I am focusing, but I've swept everything! There's nothing here that even looks—" A shadow flicked out of the corner of Danny's eye, making him halt mid-sentence, "Hold on a sec." he told Fury – yanking his communicator out, despite the SHIELD commander's sputtering protests – as he stealthily trekked down the steep muddy hill towards a lone house across from the church's graveyard that ran down a slope.
Reaching the base of the mound, Danny slipped through the thin foliage bordering the hills from the gravel lane and glanced around. There was no sign of the shadow. The half-ghost frowned as he dodged between birch and alder trees, growing frustrated as he searched for a hint of Loki or Vlad.
Easily clearing the low fence around the barn house's immaculate garden of snake's head lilies and white campions, Danny crept further in, edging around the shrubbery lining the open yard as he crept closer to the barn house. The wooden building looked uninhabited despite the fresh coat of red paint that covered the timber walls and freshly mowed lawn. Licking his teeth as he neared the still barn, Danny let the chilling feeling of intangibility slide over him as he ducked through the wall.
It was dark on the inside, only slivers of light escaping through the cracks of the shuttered windows and door. Raising a glowing fist Danny shuffled forward, wary of the dark corners and the looming shadows of decrepit farm equipment. His breath shuddered as he swivelled around, his eyes glowing like beacons in their effort to see further in the stifling dark. Danny stood holding his breath and pricked his ears, catching the soft rustle of the trees outside and the bleating goat further down the road.
Heaving a relieved sigh, Danny stuffed the communicator back in his ear, his hand dulling to his body's natural soft glow, stating, "False alarm. Loki and Vlad aren't here."
There was a pause before Fury answered, "Very well, the Avengers will be arriving in less than twelve minutes. Return with them to the Helicarrier – you know the consequences if you don't."
"Whatever." Danny said sullenly as he turned to glide back through the wall.
A burst of pink light sped past his ear, charring the tips of his hair and sending a sharp burst of electric static through the communicator nestled in his eardrum, making it crackle violently. With a yelp of pain, Danny ripped the small device from his ear and flung it across the room.
"What the—?" still moaning softly, Danny pressed his uninjured palm to the side of his head and spun around only to find himself inches away from a gaunt and vampiric face.
"Hello, Daniel." Vlad Plasmius smiled.
Before Danny could even catch his breath, an energy-ball collided with his chest, sending him flying through the darkened interior of the barn house. Hitting the wall with a heavy thud, the halfa slid down, tumbling to the ground with an "Oomph!"
Vlad laughed at him from in the dark, his body outlined by a soft white glow, casting his features into darkness, "Is that all you've got, Daniel? My, with all this publicity you've gotten lately I'd have expected you to lift your game. You wouldn't want to upset your adoring fans now, would you?"
"Fans?" Resting on his knees, Danny boldly asked, "What do you want, Plasmius?"
The older halfa cocked his head amusedly, "Why, I want many things, little badger. Your father's timely death, your dear mother's undivided love, your acceptance of me as you sole father-figure, world domination and so on."
"So the usual?" Danny quipped as he shakily stood.
"Yes, I suppose so." Vlad admitted, content.
"Well what makes you think you're gonna get any of that this time either? I've kicked your butt before, Plasmius, and I don't mind doing it again!"
Vlad tutted reproachfully, "Now, now, my dear boy. You really should learn better manners. I'm not simply here to offer you a deal, Daniel. I'm here to offer you the truth."
Danny shook his head as he powered up his hands, condensed balls of energy hovering in his palms, "I'm gonna give you three seconds to surrender, Plasmius. The Avengers will be here any minute and I'm sure you'd rather deal with me than them."
Vlad sneered, "Oh, don't worry, my boy, these 'Avengers' are hardly worth the air I don't really need to breathe. No, you are much more valuable to us. Besides, what teammates would ever allow their comrade to get hurt so badly?" he gestured at Danny's cast.
"One…" Danny raised a glowing finger, his wrapped hand crackling with energy as it seeped out of his skin.
"Honestly, I don't even understand why you are working for this 'SHIELD', I doubt they're paying you. And you're far from one that sees worth in materialism, otherwise I would have had all the legal rights to you and your sister long ago…"
"Two…" Danny raised another threatening finger.
A spark seemed to glisten in Vlad's eye as he raised a derisive brow, "Ah, I see. You're being held captive. An unchained prisoner – 'fighting for freedom', I believe the saying goes. How melodramatic."
Danny snarled as his hand curled into a fist, "Three—!"
Thick green arms wrapped around Danny's torso as he leapt towards Plasmius, pulling him back into a crushing bear-hug with a squeak. Danny thrashed in the grip as his arms were pinned to his sides, gnashing his teeth at the tree-trunk like appendages.
Plasmius chortled at the struggling Danny trapped in the arms of the hulking ghost, "Very nice work. Your timing is impeccable." he extolled to the giant hunk of muscle.
A grunt was the only response the ghost gave as Danny kicked his legs out, trying to force his way out of its arms as his eyes swivelled in their sockets for a weapon hidden in the darkness. Light streamed in through the charred hole Vlad had earlier blasted through the wall with his ectobeam aimed at Danny, landing on a dangerous-looking hook and chain right above his head. Without thinking, Danny kicked himself off the gargantuan ghost's torso, using the added power to curl his legs up and wrap his ankle around the hook, dragging the winding chain down on top of him and his captor.
The ghost roared in surprise and confusion, dropping the white-haired boy to the ground as it quickly became entangled. Wasting no time, Danny propelled himself at Plasmius, catching the older man around the waist as they tumbled out through the wall into the Swedish landscape.
Landing heavily on top of Vlad on the gravel road, Danny coughed out, "Give up now."
Vlad smirked as he melted into the ground out of Danny's reach, leaving him grasping at small, sharp rocks. Angrily slamming his hand against the ground, Danny stood up, looking around wildly as he launched himself into the open air.
Catching sight of a faint glow in the churchyard, he zoomed forward, landing heavily on top of a stone cross.
"Plasmius!" the halfa cried, "Come out and face me, you coward!"
"I wouldn't call running away cowardice, merely a tactical manoeuvre." A sly voice called out.
Jumping off the gravestone, Danny turned to see Loki smirking at him from across the yard, a long glowing staff by his side. Reaching for his communicator, the halfa swore softly at finding it missing, cursing again when he remembered his phone had long since disappeared as well. Loki strode across the field confidently, carelessly crushing flower and wreath offerings that sat in front of marble slates and stone crosses, his golden boots shredding the gifts to pieces, making Danny grit his teeth at the blatant disrespect.
Loki looked unaffected as he came to a stand-still a few feet away from the riled Danny, "Are you sure he will be of use to us?" the god asked.
"He's inexperienced, but powerful. Perhaps even more than myself." A disembodied voice replied from behind Danny. The half-ghost hurriedly glanced over his shoulder to see Plasmius fizzle into existence. They had him surrounded.
"What do you want?" Danny shuffled around to keep his back safe, raising his hands in preparation to throw a shield out either side.
Plasmius sighed, "Honestly, Daniel, is your memory that bad? We've been over this already."
Danny scoffed, "I doubt the Lord of the Sheep over here wants to marry my mum… Er, right? Because if he does, that's gross." he stuck his tongue out at Loki in disgust.
A soft hum started in the church on top of the slope, making Danny jump as he watched in suspense. A flash flared out from the window-panes, submersing him and the others in a strange, electric-green light.
Twisting back to Loki, Danny demanded, "What's going on?"
The god's lips turned up as he waved his staff in grandeur, "Why, this is the beginning of my reign, Phantom. A time where I will control these weak human creatures, where I will gain both the crown and respect I deserve from Asgard, and where all of the nine realms of Yggdrasil will fear my name."
Vlad cleared his throat brusquely.
"And my companion's of course." Loki added flippantly.
"That doesn't answer my question," Danny growled, "How did you get out of prison? The Blond-and-Brawny said they found blood in your cell."
Loki's laugh cut through Danny like steel, "I always found father's guards far too strident. Beinir's sacrifice was for the good of everyone in the end, since his abilities lacked when it came to ever staying silent."
Danny's mind flashed back to the overly-talkative guard that had held Danny custody during his brief stint in Asgard, "You killed him?"
"No," Vlad spoke up, "I did, to allow Loki escape. The plan would have worked much smoother if I'd succeeded in destroying that insufferable gatekeeper."
"But why are you doing this? Why team up?" Danny shook his head, his arms were starting to grow tired from being held up for so long.
Vlad laughed brazenly at Danny's question, "Daniel, do you really know nothing about strategy? After all the time you've spent with your annoying little friends trailing behind you on your 'ghost hunts', I think you should know how effective teamwork can be. It's simple genius, really; I provide the resources, while the god supplies the knowledge."
A loud boom broke through Vlad's monologue from up the on the climb as the glowing church's doors were blown clean off their hinges, a beastly, hulking shadow stumbling out. Danny staggered back as he tried to realign his defences, uncertain on who was most dangerous with so many enemies.
"My lieges," a familiar, gruff voice called out, "The machine is ready."
The halfa's eyes widened as he watched his friend of the Far Frozen emerge from the depths of the old church, "Frostbite?" Danny blurted out in shock, "You're working for Vlad?"
"It's curious, is it not, how much the truth can change a person when they are confronted with it?" Loki asked amusedly.
"What did you do to him?" the half-ghost hissed as he watched Frostbite stand in the doorway motionless.
Loki simply waved a hand and looked scornfully out towards a row of three hills in the neighbouring meadow, where Danny had first landed, "Were you aware, half-born, that this place is sacred? It was here where the great temple of Gamla Uppsala once stood in dedication to my dear brother and father – of course, that was before I destroyed it," Loki admitted gleefully before tuning sombre again, "Every solstice my father – along with Thor – would ride along the Bifröst to this very spot, where they would bask in the grovelling of the human race. Those three hills were formed as a show of loyalty to them and named the 'Royal Mounds'." the god then sneered, "Of course I was never invited on these journeys – for I was far from considered worthy enough, as I was even looked down upon by the humans when standing in my brother's shadow."
"So this is all because you're petty?" Danny asked, frowning darkly as his hands flickered, "Everything you've done and everyone you've hurt was because of some stupid grudge between you and your brother? Well, playtime's over, buddy!"
"Oh, I rather like to think it has just begun. Plasmius, if you would please?"
"Of course, the Avengers will be arriving soon anyway," Vlad replied, before ordering, "Now, Danielle."
Danny hesitated, "Danielle? Wha—?"
A click echoed through the tense air and Danny looked down to see an oddly familiar belt around his waist, before he cried out as torrents of white-hot electricity rushed through him, making his blood feel like it was on fire. Collapsing to the ground, Danny writhed in the mud as the pain made his muscles contract sucking the energy from them, the tendons in his neck bulging out as his windpipe closed. Struggling to catch his breath, Danny barely felt himself being rolled onto his back as his vision whirled, his throat raw as he desperately screamed out into the cold Swedish air for relief.
Just as suddenly as it came, the pain stopped, leaving Danny panting in the wet dirt as unfocussed pictures played across the inside of his eyelids, making him feel queasy, his hair caked in mud. Cracking open his eyes with effort, he winced at the sight. Plasmius and Loki hovered over him – a green and white belt held tightly in Vlad's grip – as a small teenage girl with a shock of white hair floated behind them.
Vlad leered down at him, proudly presenting the Spectre Deflector, "Remember this, my dear boy? I have to say, I never thought one day that you'd be helping me by giving me back this wretched device."
The weakened halfa watched Dani with a confused expression as she stared blankly down at him while Vlad placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Danny rasped, feeling drained and jumbled, "D-Dani?"
"Just give in, Danny." His clone's eyes sparkled electric blue.
Loki lowered the tip of his glowing staff to Danny's chest as Vlad stared down at him peculiarly, "Maybe now you'll be the son I've always wanted."
"No, wait…" Danny murmured, hopelessly trying to push the sharpened point away from his heart as cobalt light began to bleed into him. He was losing focus – his eyelids becoming heavier; until all he could see was blue.