Arc 2 : Questions of Royal Interest

"You are being sent to investigate the raise in ghost activity in Bialya."

Danny hovers in ghost form in front of Batman with the rest of the Team. This would be his first mission with them and he was kind of nervous. As the new guy, he would probably be the first to mess up.

"We don't have as much information as we would like -"

Danny knew that no plan survives first contact with the enemy, but he doesn't want to get kicked off the Team.

"- which is why you will be splitting into two teams."

He took a deep breathe. You can do this, Danny. They're not going to kick you out just for a small mistake on your first mission. You're a ghost, for goodness' sake! You're meant for covert tasks.

"Team A will be helping the worst of the effected areas on the outside Bialya's borders. It well consist of Superboy, Aqualad, Rocket, Zatanna,and Kid Flash."

He supposed he should just be glad that Sam, Tuck, and Jazz were willing to put up with holding down the fort while he was gone. Again.

"Team B is to gather information from Queen Bee's palace. See if she knows anything. Team B will consist of Robin, Miss Martian, Artemis, and Phantom."

Danny turns attention back to the Dark Knight at the name of his alter ego. Right, still being being briefed. He really needs to focus.

"Get going."

Danny follows his teammates from the main cave into the hanger bay and up the ramp of Megan's – er, Miss Martian's, Bio-Ship. It's dark gray-blue inside, but for a bit of dark red at the ship controls and small stripes of glowing blue.

The seats form and Danny sits in the back, not really sure where else to go. He has to take Drako Kanalo*, his sword, from his back so he didn't end up sitting on it.

No one speaks during the journey, simply remaining silent in the tense atmosphere. Not like Danny could blame them. Though, he couldn't help but wonder if it always so high-strung before a mission. He hoped not. It was kinda unnerving.

As they fly over the border, Team A jumps out into the desert, already spotting some people in need of assistance. Team B, on the other hand, is left to continue onward.

It takes another half hour to reach their destination. When they do, the Bio-Ship flies them over the palace, allowing them to drop down on an unguarded part of the roof.

Danny follows after his teammates, helping to keep a lookout for the soldiers as they make their way through the corridors. They make it to a security room, (Danny's not sure what their called. Camera room? Guard room? Nap room where guards pretend to watch security cameras?) and Artemis knocks out the soldiers on duty with a gas arrow.

Robin immediately plugs in his glove computer and begins the hacking process.

Danny stands at the door, keeping watch.

After a few tense minutes, the Boy Wonder unplugs the wire and stands, nodding and motioning for them to follow him.

They do, Danny and Miss Martian in the air and Artemis on the ground, until they reach a indoor hanger, where they sneak onto the rafters for a better look.

The hanger is filled with boxes and planes of all types, and is dimly lit. Or, it would be, if it wasn't crawling with ghosts.

Yes, ghosts of all kinds, blue-skinned, green-skinned, animal, humanoid, and everything in between, bustling about and loading cargo onto a helicopter with the help of human workers.

Danny can't help but to feel vaguely horrified at the sight of them all as his ghost sense goes off belatedly. What in the Ancients' name were they doing here?

"Guys," Danny whispers, "what do we do?"

Robin looks at him after a moment, brow furrowed. Suddenly, he turns to exchange wide-eyed looks with the girls.

Danny... thinks he's missing something. "Guys?"

Down below, the hanger door slides open loudly, drawing the teens' gazes to it, and those entering.

The first is a pretty brown skinned lady, with dark hair and gray eyes. Queen Bee, who looks just like the picture Danny had seen of her. But that's not who had his attention.

No, that would be her companion.

A blue-skinned ghost floats in behind her. He has black hair which defies gravity by curving upward in the shape of two horns, and is wearing white outfit with black and red trimmings, cape billowing from his shoulders. His eyes glow a pure, bloody red.

"Plasmius." Danny hisses. What was the Fruitloop doing here?

"How much longer before the shipment is loaded?" Queen Bee calls out.

One of her men comes over with a clipboard and answers her. "At least another hour, Your Majesty."

She sneers at that. "And why is that?"

"The spooks are slowing us down."

"So what you are saying is -" she circles around to Plasmius' other side and loops her hand onto his elbow, causing Danny to sneer "- you can not work with the assistance our generous ally has provided us?"

"Well, uh, no, Your Majesty, of course not. We just -"

"Your Majesty!"

Another soldier comes running in. He stops in front of his queen and salutes.

"Get back to work." she tells the one with the clipboard, then turns to the goon that was still saluting. "Well?"

He lowers his hand. "My Queen, the Border Patrol has caught five of the Justice League Sidekicks."

~! #$%^&*()_+

(AN)

And there we go. A little cliffhanger to keep you in suspense until next week.

Ethan Demas : No, actually. Danny did not time travel again. It's the monastery from the first time around, the one we see in the series. Also, thank you for pointing that out. I was going to mention Sam, Tuck, and Jazz last chapter, but... Anyways, they're mentioned here, so it should be fine.

Guest : That's answered in the second chapter. The GiW found out Danny's secret.

kyuuo : (giggle quietly) We'll see.

guest : Time line is mentioned in chapter 2's AN.

*Drako Kanalo – Dragon Channel in Esperanto. I figured Danny would have a name for his sword, and it would probably be in Esperanto.

Thank you, everyone who reviewed, and, of course, read my story. Please keep sending in suggestions, they've helped a lot.

Oh, can anyone figure out what's wrong between the Team and Danny?