Deadly Evasions
I had this idea two days ago. Thought it'd somewhat fit with Halloween. Hope you like it. ...Not sure how often I'll update it yet, though, since I still have my other fic. (Oh, also, it's mostly based on the DP episodes "The Ultimate Enemy" and "Life Lessons", and less noticeably related to the short story "The Most Dangerous Game". I had the idea while reading Lightning Streak's oneshots (I love their stories). I'd had the thought, 'I wish the author had a fic in which Dan had amnesia', and then I decided to just write one myself.)
Chapter One: Return to the Island
Skulker hadn't even needed to ask Technus to increase the magnification of the suit's binoculars. The two of them were beginning to work together easier—to anticipate each other's needs.
Red text displayed on one side of the binoculars' screen, telling the estimated energy of the two far off combatants, as well as scan results listing known disabled weapons and abilities. Skulker mostly ignored the constant stream of information. Instead, he watched as Phantom ripped an attached gun from the huntress's suit, the ragged edges sparking.
Phantom dodged a powerful kick and grabbed the girl's neck with a glowing hand, a grin on his face.
The girl was weakening. The stats showed ecto-energy shocking through her body, as well as her oxygen levels dipping dangerously. The lenses automatically zoomed in on the movement of a slowly rising hand—she pushed a button on her belt and another weapon appeared.
A flashing alert in the corner of the screen announced the recording of the new weapon for their records.
The gun released a blast of sharp energy at point-blank range, and Phantom was thrust back, hitting the ground. The girl fell to the opposite side.
Skulker checked over the data. It showed them both low on energy, and most of the huntress's known weapons offline. "What luck," he said, amused. "Our enemies have almost finished each other."
"Not quite," Technus returned. "However, today's battle could be advantageous. It's unusual for both of them to be this weakened."
"Indeed," he said with a nod, then tilted his head in thought. "What do you think? Should we extend them an invitation?"
Technus laughed. "I have been wanting to test the island's upgrades."
Skulker grinned. "And if they work, it will be the end of two thorns in our sides." He grew thoughtful. "And provide some rather nice pelts."
Phantom was exhausted. His battle with Valerie had been closer than usual.
"New weapon, huh?" he said breathlessly. Some kind of electricity-based weapon that seemed to shock the energy right out of him.
However—and he grinned at the thought—he had almost killed her this time. He'd felt her giving in to unconsciousness just as she activated her new toy. He'd still won. He was the one still awake. He could rest a few minutes and bask in his victory, before finishing her.
His smile disappeared with the uncomfortable sensation of mist pushing through his nose. His red eyes darted around, looking for the new presence.
Why did it have to be now? He wasn't yet recovered. However, it wouldn't do to appear weak. He pushed himself to his feet and straightened his shoulders. Standing made him slightly dizzy, and he furrowed his eyebrows, surprised her toy had affected him to that extent. He made himself smile even as he narrowed his eyes. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." He lit a fist with green energy, grin widening. "Didn't you know? It's rude to scavenge for remains at another's battle."
"Oh, but that's how we get our best technology," came the familiar sound of Technus' voice.
Phantom shot a ghost ray in that direction.
"Activate the Phantom Palm Pummeler, now," Skulker's voice ordered.
"I was just getting around to it!" Technus said.
Phantom relaxed knowing he was in the presence of a familiar enemy, and decided to taunt the still invisible cyborg. He allowed an incredulous amusement to enter his voice. "When will you learn? That weapon has no effect on me."
"Even when you're already weakened?" Skulker asked. Skulktech appeared before Phantom, palm raised.
Phantom only had time to open his mouth in surprise. Bright blue light knocked him off his feet and he slammed into the ground—again—with a groan. Did he have to land on the same spot that was sore from five minutes ago?
The blue beam continued to push against him. He squinted through the light, glaring at the vague form of Skulktech. Phantom gathered his energy into one hand and pushed, growling in effort. His attack broke through, overpowering the beam and taking out the Palm Pummeler, as well as a chunk of Skulktech's hand. Phantom leapt to his feet and flashed toward the cyborg.
Skulktech released several metal arms from his back. Phantom dodged one metal claw, but a second grabbed his arm, followed by another, and then a fourth arm coiled around him like a giant snake. He struggled in the grip.
"Perhaps the Palm Pummeler still doesn't work," Technus mused, "but the energy you used up breaking through it made you easier to capture."
Phantom glared at the cyborg, but said calmly, "You know you can't end me. The moment you loosen your hold, I will shred your suit and the two of you within it."
Both faces gulped in unease, but the emotion passed quickly. "We shall see," Skulker said.
Skulktech reached into a compartment in his suit and pulled out a pair of glowing handcuffs.
Phantom was surprised when, rather than handcuff him, the cyborg knelt and put one cuff on the unconscious Valerie. Skulktech then touched the Red Huntress's utility belt, and the machinery sizzled, sparking and releasing smoke. The girl moaned. Skulktech pulled her arm toward Phantom, dragging her body in a semi-circle across the ground.
Phantom sneered as Skulktech now reached for his wrist, which was held at his side by the metal tentacles circling his arms. "You repeating yourself, now?" he asked. He concentrated on building energy in his hand, but it was barely enough to sting Skulktech as the cuff locked in place.
"I prefer to call it Round Two." Skulker returned.
"You're mistaken if you believe me the same person you'd hunted before."
The Phantom of back then was pathetic, plagued by human emotions. His current self did not have such weaknesses. He felt nothing, nothing but glee as he cut down those around him, and he was stronger for it.
Skulker studied him. "It doesn't matter—your hide is much more valuable now, as is that of the huntress." Skulktech's boosters activated, lifting all of them into the air. "You would be mistaken to believe the island is the same, either."
"Indeed," Technus added, "with my technology, the island has been transformed into a literal deathtrap."
Phantom raised an eyebrow. "So you're letting the island do your work for you? What happened to being a mighty hunter?"
Skulker glared at him. "You're not the only one whose methods have changed. Whether by my own hands or not, I will obtain your pelt."
It was at that moment that Valerie groaned again and raised her head. "Ugh... What—?" Her eyes widened and she flailed about in the air, her movements tugging on Phantom's attached arm: the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground currently racing by beneath them.
"Refrain from doing that," Phantom growled at her, "Or your death will be slower once I'm alone with you." He wasn't going to say 'more painful'—he would make it painful either way.
"What? We're handcuffed together?"
The situation was almost familiar: the Valerie of ten years ago had also gone into a fit on first waking up. And also did her best to dislocate his shoulder.
"Skulktech!" Valerie hissed. She pushed a button on her belt, and it sparked.
Phantom's eyes widened and he clenched his teeth as the shock traveled through the handcuffs. He and Valerie both twitched, though the metal arms around Phantom remained firm, perhaps somehow insulated. "Do not do that!"
"What, you think I wanted to shock myself?" she shot back. She continued to herself, "He must have shorted out my tech. Does anything work?" Her finger reached for another button.
"Do not dare touch that again!" Phantom snarled at her.
It was close to half an hour before she and Phantom were set down on the island. Although her watch still worked, she hadn't been able to hit the right button to request help. Phantom, on the other hand, had seemed content to wait, only throwing her the occasional glare during her maneuvering.
They landed in a grassy spot on the creepy island, surrounded by trees.
The moment the ghost—the metal one, that is—retracted his extra arms, Phantom lunged, dragging Valerie through the air with him. She cried out at the sudden pain in her already overworked shoulder and wrist.
Skulktech disappeared, however; going invisible and probably fleeing to somewhere safe. Phantom stood where the ghost had been and glared into thin air.
Valerie frowned and rubbed her shoulder joint, hoping to massage away the sting and numbness. She turned toward the direction they'd arrived from. "The coast is this way. It shouldn't take too long if we can fly."
"I'm not going to the coast."
Valerie turned to face the dark voice and saw an equally dark expression.
"I'm going to find Skulktech and destroy him."
Valerie flung her hands into the air—or at least the one Phantom didn't weigh down. "Are you crazy? Don't you remember last time this happened? There's going to be traps everywhere. I'm sure I'll find something elsewhere that can break this lock. I'm leaving." She started forward, but a tug on her wrist yanked her back.
"Oh, but you're not going anywhere, Valerie," Phantom almost purred. "Don't you remember our fight? I was the victor, and now I'll be taking my spoils."
Phantom stepped toward her, an almost lechery expression on his face, and she instinctively backed up, keeping him at arm's reach. What did that mean; what was he planning? A new kind of concern wrapped around her.
"You can't get away from me, Valerie. I'll finish killing you here and now—taking much pleasure in your pain—and then go after Skulktech."
At least he was still only talking about killing. Funny the things she found relief in nowadays. "Isn't there something you're forgetting, Phantom? If you kill me, you'll be lugging dead weight all around the island."
He frowned for a moment, but then his smile returned. "Not if I cut you in pieces. All that's really needed is to snap off your hand—but that wouldn't be as much fun."
"You're sick." She didn't know why it still surprised her. He was a ghost, after all, and she hadn't met a sane ghost yet.
He laughed. "Your words mean nothing to me. How many times do I need to tell you? I don't feeling anything for others. I don't have any humanity left in me."
What should she do now? She needed to survive this. And, with her suit fried, she also needed Phantom's powers to get off the island. What would convince him of the same? "You need me to get off this island, Phantom. I know Skulktech must've done something to you, as well."
"I told you—I don't want off this island. And..." he paused, raising one hand. A green flame formed in his palm. "Skulktech can't hope to suppress my powers. Even now, they're already returning."
"What if he programmed something into these handcuffs?" she asked, drawing at straws. "What if there's some kind of kill switch the moment one of us dies? What if getting me out of the handcuffs hurts you as well?"
Phantom looked unamused. "I'm willing to take that risk."
"But..." She took another step back to maintain space between them, trying to think of something else she could say. This wasn't good. She was powerless without her suit, and of no use to Phantom; while Phantom had all the answers to her problems. His portal ability might be able to get them off the island without even going anywhere, and if not, then his speed, his ecto-blasts, his flight—any of his powers could help. What did she have that he didn't?
She gasped, then; a sudden realization coming to her. "I can track Skulktech!" she announced with a breathlessness.
Phantom paused at the words. "I thought your suit was shorted out," he said skeptically.
She had to be careful now. If she didn't phrase things just right, he'd think it easier to just kill her. "That doesn't mean it can't be fixed," she said. "If his Technus side helped build the traps on this island, then there's bound to be plenty I could use to repair my tracker."
Phantom's expression turned thoughtful.
This was working. "Without my tracker, Skulktech could hide anywhere on this island and you'd never know. It could take you weeks to find him."
Phantom hummed. "So all I need to do is find a trap," he mused. He glanced at the trees around them before picking what seemed to be a random direction.
"Hey, wait!" Valerie protested. "You can't just—!" She was pulled right off her feet, sputtering as her face dove into the ground. Phantom dragged her along in the dirt after him, the ghost not slowing at all.
She struggled to pick herself up, all while trying to keep debris out of her eyes and nose, but the constant movement was making it impossible.
What was he thinking? He couldn't just go marching in looking to spring a trap! Who knew what kind of things Skulktech had hidden in these trees?
Although... with the way Valerie was dragged across the ground, she'd probably be the one to trigger a trap. ...Maybe that's what he was wanting.
Valerie shielded her face with her free hand and squinted her eyes against the dirt and twigs that slid past her fingers, hoping to catch some glimpse of what was up ahead. She mostly just saw the heels of Phantom's boots crunching through dead leaves. But then she saw a glowing thread. A tripwire. "Phantom!" she called.
Phantom stumbled over the line, but quickly shot a blast of green energy toward some kind of machine that rose from the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut as it blew to pieces with a boom.
"There," Phantom said. She opened her eyes to see him smiling smugly and gesturing toward the scattered pieces, like he'd done her some favor.
She thinned her lips, eyes narrowing in anger, and sat up. She eyed the smoking, blackened pieces, and reached out to pick one up. She dropped it. It was hot. She waved jerkily at the smoking pieces around them. "You think this helped, Phantom? All this is cooked!"
He raised his upper lip at her, showing off a pointed canine tooth. His red eyes glowed brighter. "You said you needed parts—I got you parts."
"They need to be working parts!"
He growled and slowly approached her, reminding her of a lion or some other predator. "Maybe you should have been more specific," he hissed, inches from her face.
She fought the impulse to lean back, instead keeping her eyes locked with his. "Well, I am now."
Phantom turned and stepped away from her, her handcuffed arm lifting back into the air. She used her other hand to push herself to her feet before Phantom could start dragging her again.
"Fine," Phantom said as he walked. "When we come across one that is salvageable, you will fix your tracker."
Valerie wondered if he was being realistic, or just planning on blowing up several more traps to release his anger. She supposed either way was fine with her. As long as Phantom didn't know how to use her ghost tracker, she'd at least be kept alive until they found Skulktech, and hopefully by then she'd have a plan to get herself home. If all went right, she would be able to fix the rest of her suit while working on the tracker. Phantom destroyed most of her weapons in their earlier fight, but she still had a few left as long as they were fixable—including her newest one, which must've had some effect on Phantom, since he hadn't finished her off back then.
Phantom pushed through the trees—and made Valerie dodge swinging branches—until one such branch clicked, and he instantly stopped. A hidden panel lifted to reveal six green-tipped missiles, the launcher embedded right inside of the tree. The ghost spun around, green energy already in his hand.
Valerie's eyes widened. "Wait, don't attack that!" she cried out. But it was too late, the green energy already leaving his fist.
Dropping to her knees, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to cover her face with her free hand. As expected, the missiles detonated in the blast—a bright flash, visible even from behind her eyelids and hand. But, before she could feel the shockwave, a strong yank on her wrist had her flying back.
Soaring through the air, she felt weightless. The feeling could've lasted one second or several minutes, she couldn't tell. And then a strong yank in the opposite direction stopped her flight, and she was pulled back forward to sprawl face-first in the dirt.
And everything was calm. Almost strangely so.
She pushed herself to her knees as, at the back of her mind, she tried to work through what'd just happened. Her mind was too overworked to connect the little threads into something meaningful, leaving her feeling dazed.
She'd been in an explosion—had seen the bright light, had been blown back—but was alright.
She looked up, toward the forest canopy. Tiny pieces of burning debris fell from the sky like a gentle rain, pinging against the ground around her, as well as bouncing off of her and leaving little singed marks.
Her ears picked this moment to start ringing.
A few hundred feet away was a patch of blackened trees—the one in the center actually on fire—and a starburst of black soot radiating out along the ground, speckled with flame. Obviously the blast site. She was surprised they'd traveled that far. Looking to her side, she saw Phantom lying against the trunk of a large tree. He appeared unconscious, his eyes closed and mouth ajar. Some patches of his flaming hair was missing, exposing his sea-green scalp—which was somewhat disturbing. 'Creepy bald guy' wasn't a good look for him.
"He must've taken the brunt of the blast," she mused. Although she was unable to work out the exact series of events, she thought it made sense; his face was a mere foot from the glowing green tips of the missiles when he'd swung at them, and he probably hadn't had time to react.
Looking at his still form, she realized she was lucky she wasn't dead.
For a few minutes, she stood there wondering what she should do now. Because of the handcuffs, she couldn't leave the area without Phantom. His dead weight was much too heavy for her to budge. In fact, as far as walking went, she could only circle the tree.
The pieces of debris that'd landed within her reach were barely large enough to pick up, let alone figure out what they used to be. It was obvious there wouldn't be anything useful from this trap, either.
Her injuries slowly made themselves known, the numbness of adrenaline fading away. Her face stung in a few places and her knees were a little achy, but other than that it was just her arm. Each of its joints throbbed angrily.
She slowly rotated her shoulder, and flexed her elbow and wrist. Her wrist felt raw, even under her leather glove, and her elbow had gotten twisted wrong during the explosion. Nothing was dislocated, though, just a bit sore from all the tugging she'd had to endure. She still had a good range of motion in the limb—at least for now. If Phantom kept jerking her around, the injury could end up more serious. Of course, with him, he could probably pull the arm clear off if he got annoyed enough.
She sighed and sat down at the base of the tree to wait for him to wake up. Maybe some rest would do her good. So she sat there, scanning the trees occasionally for any sign of movement, and poking at the handcuffs to see if she could find a way to pick the lock.
It was only a few minutes into her rest when she noticed Phantom's flaming hair beginning to grow back. Or perhaps the correct word was 'rekindle'. She assumed it was a sign his energy was returning. However, it took almost another half-hour for him to take a deep breath and snap open his red eyes.
He glanced around, looking disoriented for several seconds before his gaze settled. Then his eyes widened and he leaned forward. "Where's the flour sack?" He flinched then, seeming surprised by something.
"Flour sack?" Valerie dared to ask. What was he talking about? It was a stupid missile launcher that hit them.
"Look, I know it's important to you, so that's why— What is wrong with my voice?!"
Valerie raised an eyebrow. Besides it sounding like he was purposely trying to push his voice higher than it should go? She pushed off from the tree and stood up. "What are you on about? In case you hadn't noticed, I've been here waiting for you to wake up. I still need parts if you want me to fix my ghost tracker." The longer they stayed put, the longer they would be sitting ducks.
Phantom was staring at her with a gaping mouth, his eyes roaming across her body. "...Valerie?"
She glared at him. Now even dead guys were checking her out. He probably hadn't even heard a word she'd just said. "Don't get any ideas, spook. This is strictly business. I'd never be interested in some ghost who thinks it's fun to ruin everyone's lives."
Phantom sighed, looking irritated. "Can't you ever let this go? For the last time—he isn't, and never was, my dog. I'm sorry you think your life was ruined, but it wasn't my fault. Not every ghost is evil!"
"What? What are you..." Flour sacks, dogs... was he talking about ten years ago? She studied his red eyes, looking for any sign of the sadistic killer she'd come to know.
The glare itself was nothing new, but his eyes seemed somehow clearer, the look just not the same, and the cruel smile was gone.
He had hit his head pretty hard. Her mind replayed all the movies she'd seen over the years, dread pooling within her. "You're not Phantom, are you?" she breathed. She needed Phantom. He was her way off the island.
"Of course I'm Phantom," he immediately said—then looked down at his unhandcuffed arm as though he had to make sure. He gave a startled yell and another flinch. "Why is... What?" he asked, staring at his black glove as though something wasn't right about it. He twisted about, looking himself over. Hesitantly, he pinched his cape and lifted it up, the action strangely similar to the time Valerie'd found some random guy's muscle shirt mixed in with her laundry.
Phantom dropped the cape and looked up at her with panicked eyes. "Valerie, what's going on?"
She rolled her eyes and sighed. If this was real, she wasn't sure if she was better or worse off. "What's the last thing you remember?"
He deadpanned, "Skulker taking us to his island and handcuffing us together?" He raised an eyebrow and lifted their joined hands, showing off the glowing handcuffs.
"Yes, fine, that did just happen. What happened before that?"
Phantom shot her a questioning look. Then his eyes unfocused as he thought back. "...We were fighting at your apartment building. I tried to explain—Skulker stole the flour sack, and he framed me for it. But then he knocked us out and brought us here."
She grimaced. "That was when I was in high school. The flour sack was for a class project. I was fourteen."
He turned his gaze back to her. "Aren't you four—" His eyes roamed over her body again, making her feel self-conscious. He slowly mused, "No. You're not." He looked down at his own muscled arms, pulling Valerie's hand toward him as well. "...and I'm not."
She snorted. "I doubt you were really fourteen back then, either. Ghosts don't age the same as humans."
He opened his mouth, looking like he was about to argue with her, but then snapped it shut.
"C'mon, we should probably start moving," Valerie said. "I don't know what all Skulktech has in this place now."
"Skulker," Phantom said.
"Yeah, and Technus," she said absently, scanning their surroundings. Still nothing moving out there.
"Wait, they're working together?"
She watched as Phantom got to his feet, looking a little unsteady. He gazed down at himself again with a confused expression.
Was it possible for ghosts to get concussions?
She answered, "Have been for over a year now."
"...Oh." He looked away, seeming troubled.
A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey... So, we're on Skulktech's island and handcuffed together, right? What do you think we should do?" She studied the ghost's expression. Would he still insist on going after Skulktech?
His eyes drifted in her direction, but he still seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment. Then he shook his head. "Valerie, I know you don't like me—and the feeling's mutual—but I really think we need to work together to get out of here."
A smile slowly crept across her face. "You know what? That might actually be a good idea."
"...Really?" Phantom looked at her oddly. "Is this some kind of trick?"
Yes.
She waved her free hand. "Hey, it's been ten years. I think we've both grown up enough to work together, don't you?"
He stared off into space, knitting his eyebrows as a worried expression seeped across his features, mumbling, "Ten years?"
"Hey." She snapped her fingers and his eyes came back to her. "We need to focus here."
"Right," he said and frowned. He scanned the surrounding forest. "So, which way are we supposed to be going?"
Valerie started to point out the way back to the nearest coast, when she realized she wasn't sure which direction that was anymore. Phantom had gotten her mixed up while dragging her around looking for traps earlier. She started to glare at him, but he didn't even remember doing that now. She sighed. "I guess we should just keep walking this direction," she said, gesturing opposite of the explosion. "I need to salvage some parts from one of these traps, anyhow. Unless..." Her eyes widened. She now had a completely willing Phantom on her hands. "Can you make a portal to the human world?"
He looked at her in confusion. "Huh?" Then panic. "I don't know how to build something like that!" Then back to confusion as he tilted his head to one side. "Do I?" Then he started to pace in a semi-circle around her, that franticness returning. "Even if I did, where would we find everything we need? A ghost portal is a huge machine, and you need stuff like an ecto-filtrator and... and other stuff! Is that why you were talking about salvaging parts—to build a portal?"
Valerie snapped out of her awed trance—she'd never seen Phantom shift between emotions like that before—and held up a hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not that type of portal. One that you can make with your hand. With ghost powers." She waved her hand in demonstration, as though opening an invisible portal in midair.
"...I can do that?" Phantom asked skeptically.
She sighed. "Apparently not. C'mon." She tugged a few times on the handcuffs until he started to follow her.
Author's Note:
Alternate chapter title: "Incapable of Feeling" (thought I should title it something to do with the island, instead).
That part about the first trap reminds me of Beauty and the Beast. I think it's because of the expression I'd imagined on Phantom's face after he blows up the trap.
I don't know yet if this will turn into a romantic pairing or not.