Cujo sat on the kitchen floor, panting and wagging his tail in anticipation as he watched Jack finish carving up the ham he took out of the oven.
"Here you go, Cujo!" exclaimed Jack as he put a few slices of ham in Cujo's food bowl.
"Arf!" replied the little green fuzzball before he started chowing down.
With Cujo fed, Jack took the rest of his ham and sat next to his wife, who was currently talking with Kitty and Desiree about what's currently going on in the Ghost Zone.
"So it actually storms in the Ghost Zone?" asked Maddie, fascinated by this revelation.
"Oh yeah, but not with rain and lightning like in the Living Realm," replied Kitty. She then frowned. "Although I'd prefer that over what's going on right now."
"What do you mean?" questioned Maddie, worried that another threat might be coming.
"The storm that's happening in the Ghost Zone right now isn't like previous storms we've had. It feels different, like it's…angry, if that makes any sense. It also seems to be coming from the direction of Clockwork's Tower for some reason," explained the biker chick.
"Clockwork? From what Danny's told us, he's the Keeper of Time. Do you think he made this "storm" because something ticked him off?" questioned Jack, his own scientific curiosity coming through.
"It is quite doubtful," spoke Desiree. "I have seen Clockwork angry before and this is not how he handles things. No, the cause of this is someone else."
"Yeah, well, whoever is causing it better knock it off!" called out Johnny from the living room where he was playing video games with Tucker and Sam. "We almost got trashed on the way over here because of that storm!"
Kitty just rolled her eyes at that.
"Just one more question," started Jack. "The "storm" won't affect the Living Realm, will it?"
"Not at all," replied Desiree. "Granted, had the Portal remained open, remnants of the storm could come through, but it wouldn't be enough to harm anything beyond your lab."
"Good thing we closed the Portal for the day then," said Jazz, having been listening in. "With all the equipment down there, who knows what really could have happened if some of the storm came through."
Maddie and Jack had to nod in agreement on that one.
Tucker's phone then went off, signaling a message from Danny.
"Where do you guys think he went this time?" questioned the tech geek with a smirk.
"I put my bets on Philadelphia this time," said Kitty. "That seems like a place Danny would visit."
"I still think he had to have gone to somewhere in South America or Africa," added Valerie. "If he really is going on a world tour, then he has to go to each continent at least once."
"Just as long as he didn't go somewhere similar to Amsterdam or Bangkok, I'll be happy," said Sam with a slight growl as she glared at Tucker's phone, waiting to see what it said.
The rest of the teens rolled their eyes at Sam's possessiveness as Tucker opened up the message from Danny.
Hey, Tuck! My next stop felt like I went back in time with all of the ruins around.
The photos that Danny sent consisted of the Varvakeion Athena at the National Archaeological Museum, the Arch of Hadrian, the Propylaia, the Theatre of Dionysus, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, and the Parthenon.
"Hey, Sam, didn't you bet on Athens before?" asked Tucker, turning to the Goth.
"Yes, and I'm mad that I didn't bet on it again," replied Sam with a slight scowl. Although she was glad that Danny went somewhere where he couldn't be tempted by other women.
This poor naïve girl.
"Did anyone win this time?" questioned Valerie, giving a quick glance towards Jazz, who was still on probation and could place any bets.
"Nope! No one betted on Athens this time," stated Kitty, shrugging it off.
"Well I'm sure one of you kids will win next time!" exclaimed Jack with a grin, being optimistic.
They just wished Danny would make things easier for them and stay consistent on where he goes.
INTERLUDE END
-:-
What (or who) could possibly have been the cause of the "storm" in the Ghost Zone? Hmm, quite the mystery.