Avant la fin 2

Danny flew faster than he possibly could.

His mind was filled with anger and a desire for vengeance. Much of it was directed at Rich for his cruel words, but enough was directed at the Beast.

However, there was also guilt and shame, mostly directed at himself.

I gotta make this right… He thought, placing most of the blame on himself in his mind.

But right now, he needed to find those monsters and make them pay for what they did.

That's when his phone went off and he answered.

"Yes?" He asks.

"Are you still peeing or something?" Danielle asks on the other side.

"Huh? Oh… n-no…" Danny braked in the air. "Something happening?"

"It's… Henri's wife." Danielle hesitantly answered him.

Danny felt his stomach drop upon hearing that.

"...me?" He asks to be sure since he has a distinctly unpleasant feeling about this.

"Not Phantom. You." She clarified.

Danny's mind raced with questions.

Did she blame him for what happened? Was she aware of his secret and his involvement in this tragedy? Or would she demand payback for what happened? Or would she cry and blame him for the loss of her husband? He didn't know, and it terrified him.

"Umm… tell her I'm… away…" He said as his face, though unseen by her, was filled with guilt as he said that.

"She's not gonna go until she sees you. Plus, what am I gonna say, exactly?" Danielle responded.

"R-Right…" Danny felt a sense of dread at the idea. "I'll be there…"

He hung up and turned around, returning to where everyone else was.

At the mill

All the defeated ghosts lay on the floor, the Beast looking down at them with a scoff.

"What a somewhat amusing distraction you all are…" He mocked them.

"You think we're a distraction?" Frostbite glared up, coughing his words out. "You will pay for this..."

"Vous êtes à peine ce que j'appellerais une menace..." The Beast grumbles as he glares at Frostbite.

"Tu vas payer pour ça, monstre..." Frostbite snarled at him.

"You speak French?" The Beast asked, mildly curious.

"I'm over 1,000 years old. I've learned more languages than most humans do..." Frostbite said matter-of-factly.

"Hmm… fascinating. Well, if you don't mind… I am certain Phantom will come soon… I shall await and finish him as I had been freed to do. Then, my business with that foul-smelling one is over…" The Beast said, shocking Frostbite.

"Wait...what?!" Frostbite exclaimed, only for the Beast to kick him in the face.

Once Frostbite was out cold, the Beast looked at the unconscious dragon with a grin. One that grew with hunger.

The campsite

Above where people were in tents as they were still treated, Danny Phantom was invisible.

What I'd give to be locked up in one of Skulker's cages right now... He thought as he found a spot to transform, still apprehensive about talking to Henri's wife, who was now a widow.

He said nothing as he changed back to his human form

Once he did, he stepped out to find the rest.

There, he saw Alexandra Auclair, speaking with his parents.

"Is she blaming me for what happened?" He asked under his breath as he slowly approached them.

"Madame Auclair, look...our boy won't run away." Maddie said to Alexandra before turning her head to see Danny. "He's here…"

Alexandra had an expressionless look on her face, and it made Danny even more nervous now.

Is she going to hit me? The ghost boy thought, worried about how upset she was right now.

To his surprise, she didn't yell at him. Instead, she hugged him, surprising the ghost boy.

"Thank goodness, you are alright. I would never live with myself if anything happened to you..."Alexandra said in relief.

To say that Danny was surprised was an understatement.

"Why are you so happy to see me? I thought you'd be angry at me. Henri would still be here if he didn't save me..."Danny said, at a loss at what was occurring.

Alexandra had a compassionate look on her face now before she responded.

"My Henri would not want that, especially since he always put people ahead of himself. Besides... I know it's not your fault Danny..." Alexandra said, and Danny suddenly felt some hope.

She's not angry with me? He thought as he felt a wave of relief fill him.

However, it was crushed after she said the following.

"It's all that...Phantom's fault. He didn't save my Henri in time. My second child will never get to know their father...and I'll never forget that…" Alexandra said, trying to sound understanding to Danny and unaware she was speaking to the very person she blamed for her tragedy.

These words felt like a knife to Danny's heart and made him feel even worse than before. His parents saw this and tried to convince her otherwise.

"Madame Auclair...the Beast was way too powerful. Even with all of us and those with powers, You weren't there and you didn't see just how dangerous he was..."Maddie tried to explain.

"That's right, that beastie was something deadly...there is nothing Phantom or any of us could have done to change things..."Jack tried to reason with her.

Alexandra, however, refused to listen to them.

However, she said nothing but the expression on her face was enough proof that she still blamed the ghost boy for what happened to her beloved husband.

"I must go to contact my son. I haven't told him yet. Adieu..." Alexandra said before leaving, her expression never changing.

Once she was gone, Danny looked to the ground.

Part of him felt better that Alexandra didn't blame him. The other part felt worse because, in a way, she did blame him.

Seconds passed and he said nothing.

"Son?" Maddie spoke, but he didn't look up.

"She's right… I should've done something…" He said, his eyes covered by his bangs.

"Danny?" Jack asks.

Danny's fist clenched.

"I should've blasted his head off when he turned human… but… I couldn't…" He said, fighting back the anger, shame, and sorrow he felt now.

"Danny… you didn't have it in you…" Maddie said in a gentle voice.

"I was weak… I should've… should've…" Danny couldn't finish, filled with growing rage as his eyes briefly turned green.

"No!" Maddie went as she suddenly hugged him.

The surprise caused Danny's eyes to turn normal again.

"Mom?" He asks, his anger subsided.

"This… this isn't who you are." She looked her boy in the eye. "Don't let what happened… ruin you. Take you down the kind of path Vlad did…"

Hearing that caused Danny to freeze for a moment as he thought about what his mother just said.

He didn't want to go down the same path as Vlad did, much less one identical to his former future.

He saw the encouraging smiles on his parents' faces. However, that did little to ease the turmoil in him as he pulled back and walked away.

All this did was make him feel worse. Much worse.

Back at the mill

Dorathea shuddered. A searing pain filled her body, even as she changed from her dragon form to changing back to being a ghostly princess.

She managed to push herself up, her hand going to her backside. That appendage was no more, so she would not have any lasting damage, but the pain was still there. Still, she was in no condition to resume the fight.

"The dark magic in him... it's unlike anything I've ever... encountered..." She panted.

The Beast stood near her, his shadow over her. In his clawed hand was about a third of the tail she had in her dragon form.

"Zhank you for zhe tasty snack, jolie fantôme." He said with a wicked smile before kicking her in the face, knocking her and rolling her away.

Frostbite, seeing this, managed to lift his head just enough to send a glare as icy as his arm.

"If it wasn't for the false blood moon... I'd tear you apart by now..." He coughed out.

The Beast scoffed as he started to drag the dismembered tail deeper into the steel mill, intending to heat it.

"Once I have finished this little treat… I shall find my new favorite playmate…" He grinned at the fallen ghosts as he walked away.

Frostbite, on the floor, attempted to push himself up but was struggling to do so.

"W-We...We m-must...…" He says weakly before realizing he and those who have come are no longer combat-capable. "...retreat..."

As almost everyone was back on their feet, all wanted to go home. However, both police and military were still busy working, wanting to ensure there was no further danger.

Danny, meanwhile, was leaning on the side of one ambulance.

What happened with Alexandra had left him in a state of sorrow. It made what Rich said to him earlier make him feel even more awful.

He was so distracted by this that he was startled when Marie appeared before him, having not even been aware of his own ghost sense going off.

"...are you… feeling well?" Marie asks.

"Peachy…" Danny went as soon as the initial startling disappeared.

Marie, seeing his misery, decided to be careful with what she had to say.

"This isn't your fault, Phantom..."Marie said.

"That makes me feel better..."Danny said sarcastically.

"Look...what happened with the Beast was awful...but you're not the only one who is to blame for this tragedy. If I had not opened my big mouth, then maybe this could have been averted..." Marie said with guilt.

Danny said nothing, he didn't argue with her but it didn't make him feel less miserable.

"I still should have been able to do more. I'm supposed to be the good guy. People rely on me and I can't even keep someone from losing his life to save me..." He grumbled, looking distraught.

"Even so…" Marie put a hand on his shoulder. "You did all you could, and there is nothing you or anyone else could have done to change the result. The only one to blame for what happened was the Beast himself…"

"Believe me, when I find that werewolf...I'm gonna make him regret what he did…" Danny said, eyes glowing green in anger.

Marie heard what Danny said and exhaled out her nose, knowing she couldn't talk him out of this.

"If you decide to go after the Beast again, please don't let it be for revenge..."Marie said, her words making Danny angry.

"That monster-"

"I know. I know. He did many horrible, unforgivable things. I know that. But Phantom...the anger and hate in your heart...even if you do slay that beast...all that pain and hate won't go away. Just promise me that when you face him, do not let what he did to Mr. Hernandez make you more violent than need be..." Marie said, trying to reason with him.

"I figured you'd say something like killing is wrong or it's terrible to take a human life…" Danny muttered under his breath.

"He's not human anymore, and he's proud of that." Marie explained. "Besides… he's been dead before."

"That's true…" Danny said, eyes darting to the ground.

"If you truly insist on… doing the deed... then know this. Don't do it out of revenge… don't let hate poison you like it did him. Do it because…" Marie put a hand on his shoulder. "...the world needs you to protect it from evil things like that monster."

Hearing her say this, Danny felt a moment of less misery for now.

"Thanks for the talk…" Danny said with an honest smile.

Marie nodded before looking up to see a few more faces approaching, smiling in approval.

"I'll be leaving you now… take care, homme à femmes." Marie went before turning invisible and leaving.

"...what did she just say?" Danny asks.

"Ladies' man. Basically, that yer popular with girls." Chloe's voice caught his attention.

Turning his head, he saw Star and Chloe, both looking tired but relieved to see him.

"Found you." Star said.

"Girls? What's up?" He asks.

With an awkward glance at each other, Star took the first step.

"I… well… we… wanna say thanks for… y'know…" Star avoided eye contact, almost as if she was afraid of speaking now.

"It's… it's okay." Danny said.

"No, it isn't." Chloe spoke up, using her natural accent. "We've been fixin' to… figure out what to say or do to show some appreciation. But li'l miss Starlight here and I couldn't do nothin'. So… we figure just… sayin' it should at least be a start."

"...huh…" Danny went with a small smile.

"Somethin' wrong?" Chloe asks.

"No. Just…" Danny shrugged. "I kind of… like… how you sound now that you're not talking like some 1940's movie."

Hearing that made Chloe blush a bit. Star felt a bit of envy right now, though she chose to say nothing.

"Anyway…" Star cleared her throat. "I was… wondering…" She paused.

"...about?" Danny asks.

"...well…" Star said but wasn't finished.

"Danny!" Tucker ran towards him, holding his PDA up. He then saw Star and Chloe and attempted to act suave. "Ladies…"

"Not now, Foley." Star snapped, not in the mood to deal with his pickup lines right now.

"Jeez. Doncha know when to read the room?" Chloe said with equal annoyance in her midwestern voice.

"Oh… I forgot about that…" Tucker said, still not liking her real accent.

"You got a problem with accents?" Chloe asks, raising her fist. "I'll give you a problem, alright!"

Tucker pulled back in fear, holding up his PDA.

"I got news about the Beast!" Tucker went.

Hearing that, Danny got between the two, holding an arm out to keep Chloe from slapping Tucker.

"Go on." Danny said, since this was something very important.

"According to this news report, a hairy monster was seen at a steel mill in Dunkirk..." Tucker said, reading what was on his PDA. "All the people working there made a break for it. Based on their description, it sounded like Frostbite and it happened before he showed up to help us."

Danny then recalled Frostbite saying he was going to deal with the Beast in Dunkirk. Now he knew where exactly it was.

"Then that's where I am going too..." Danny said, surprising everyone as he started to walk away.

Upon seeing their son leaving his friends and heading away, Jack and Maddie stood in front of their son, wanting answers.

"Where are you going?" Jack asks.

"I know where the Beast is…" Danny said. "Take a good guess…"

"Danny..." Maddie said.

"Son..." Jack tried, but the ghost boy cut them off.

"Don't try to stop me. I'm going there and I'm not returning until that monster is a rug again..." Danny said as he tried to go.

"And what exactly is your plan to stop this thing?" Maddie questioned him.

"...put him down." Danny said flatly.

"Ignoring that I would rather you not… how?" Maddie questioned.

Before Danny could speak up, Jazz, Danielle and Sam also approached, having heard that.

"You do remember that his healing factor is… better than yours...?" Jazz asks.

"He said it's better…that doesn't mean he's invincible… he has to have a limit." Danny pointed out.

"And you think you can make him reach that limit? Do you think you have the power to even do something like that?" Maddie asks.

Danny wanted to say something, to reject their disbelief that he could even win. But he knew they had a point.

The Beast healed from almost everything he threw and was way more resilient than any of them expected. Even now, he wondered if he could even sever the head, given that even when he didn't hold back, it didn't penetrate the skin far enough. And since the false blood moon was still present, that meant his already ferocious power was amplified to unknown levels.

With a defeated look on his face, Danny lowered his head and slowly walked away, believing defeating the Beast was impossible.

No one knew what to say at that point to make him feel better, believing that he needed space.

As Chloe shook her head, she looked out to the night sky, which was clear and, save for the reddish color of the moon, looked outright normal. A contrast to the horrifically bizarre events of the situation they were facing.

"Guess I don't need my rain jacket no more…" She said with a tired sigh. "I knew I shouldn't o' bought one for that ol' bat."

"What happened to it?" Star, who was close to her, asks.

"She tossed it into a puddle. The water seeping into the inside… it got all soggy from the inside… meaning it was… not as resistant as it used... to be..." Chloe then began to form an idea, one she had to share with Danny. "Wait a minute…"

Elsewhere in Paris

Though many locations were shut down, many remained open due to how they were not close enough to the chaos that ensued.

One was a club where two figures stood outside. They were Rich and his female accomplice, Julia.

"Looks like fun, don't it?" She asks him as they entered, getting their drinks.

"Perhaps so…" Rich responded with a neutral tone. "Music...dancing...atmosphere...it's all to die for..." He said as he held his glass to make cheers.

Julia did the same and clinked glasses before responding.

"My brother says this is where folks like us can party since the cops are too busy dealing with that thing, that wild animal the news mentioned." She said.

"Hmm… yes. A wild animal." Rich said.

This was the cover story that the news had given. They obviously couldn't explain that it was a vicious werewolf brought back to life, even if they themselves didn't know of what transpired to bring this monster back to the land of the living.

"So…" Julia wrapped her arm around Rich. "...ready to party? Hit the dance floor?"

"...this body can use some excitement." He said.

Julia nodded before noticing his other arm was twitching oddly.

"Something wrong?" She asks, pointing to it.

Rich, seeing this, slapped his arm, causing it to stop.

"Apologies… must be jitters…" He said with a flat tone, not helped by how his face was hidden.

Julia seemed uninterested as she pulled him along. As she did, Rich seemed to chuckle, but for why she didn't know or care.

All that mattered was that the two were going to party and spend time together.

With Danny

Still away from everyone, Danny leaned on the wall.

He knew now where the Beast was, but the fact he had no means to hurt the Beast for long, much less destroy him, left him feeling hopeless right now.

Danielle, seeing her brother like this, was the first to approach.

"Bro?" She tugged his shirt to get his attention.

"I messed up..." Danny said

"Huh?" Danielle went

"The Beast is out there... and I don't have any way to stop him. Can't hurt him for long thanks to that stupid healing factor..." Danny said, looking down

Danielle hated seeing him like this, wanting nothing more than to help him.

"None of this is your fault, big brother.." Danielle said earnestly

"But it's still my responsibility. No matter what, I gotta make this right..." Danny said in a dark tone, one made his sister worried about him

"So… what now?" Danielle asks.

Before Danny could speak to her, someone called out to him.

"Danny!" Chloe's voice

Chloe arrives, followed by Star, while Kwan looks lost and confused. Alain strides in confidently behind them.

"Uh… sup?" Danny said uneasily.

"We might have figured out a way to help deal with that lousy beast." Chloe went, getting the ghost boy's attention

"It's her idea…" Star gestured to her.

"I didn't help." Kwan said with a smile.

"...why admit that?" Alain questioned.

"I like to make it clear I'm being humble." Kwan admitted with a shrug.

"...admirable, I suppose..." Alain responds to him.

Before Chloe could talk, Sam, Tucker, and Jazz approached them.

"What's going on?" Jazz asks.

Chloe was about to speak when Danielle did.

"Chloe thinks she has an idea on how to fight the Beast…" She said, much to Chloe's irritation.

"Ugh… Chloe." Sam facepalmed. "Maybe let the people with experience handle this?"

"Actually." Tucker went, cutting Chloe off once more. "We don't have any experience with an unkillable werewolf."

"That's true." Jazz said.

"Even so." Sam went, not seeing Chloe's growing frustration and being cut off. "We still need to do something about that monstrous fleabag. So I don't th-"

"HEY!" Chloe shouted, getting their attention. "Can I at least say what I wanna say here?! If I had my druthers, none of you would be here interrupting me right now, for cryin' out loud!"

Sam wanted to retort, but Jazz held her back.

"Sorry… continue?" Jazz went.

"Okay… so…" Chloe took a breath. "Honestly? This whole superhero, magic werewolf thing makes as much sense to me as government cheese…"

"The government makes cheese?" Kwan and Tucker ask in unison.

"...it means it makes no sense." Chloe grumpily responded before continuing. "Anyway… instead of just looking at this and think tough tomatoes… I remembered something."

"...about?" Danny asks.

"So… I bought this rain jacket and-"

"Ugh, here we go…" Sam groaned. "Another girl and her obsession with fashion, talking abo-"

"Shut it, Sunshine." Chloe snapped, making Sam quiet from being startled.

Tucker snickered at this.

"So… about this jacket?" Danny asks as he questions her logic in comparing this to a werewolf.

"Well… Dubois tossed it in the water and it got soaked inside." Chloe went, noticing the lost expression on Danny's face. "When a rain jacket gets soaked inside… it gets all ruined and wears it down, right?"

"...right?" Danny asks.

"So…" Chloe held up one hand. "My jacket situation…" She held up another hand. "Your werewolf problem…" She put the two hands together. "Eh?"

A long pause.

"...you wanna make him a jacket?" Tucker asks.

"UGH!" Chloe swung her head back and rolled her eyes. "Hit that doggy freak from the inside! I read once that internal damage is worse than external for reasons I don't get…"

Although Danny was lost, Sam seemed to consider it.

"That sounds… like it will totally backfire and get us all hurt or worse from that monster..." Sam said with a displeased look on her face.

"Actually…" Jazz pondered. "Her idea has merit. Internal damage is extremely dangerous since vital organs are a lot more sensitive. Though since he's a werewolf with a healing factor… that might not be as effective. But… if his healing factor gets overloaded with so much to heal at once… maybe that'll slow it down?"

"True..." Danny said as he pondered as well. "I could try freezing his inside... but when I tried to overshadow him, that dark magic in him made me get away. It hurt like crazy..."

"Didn't Tucker here say somethin' about a steel mill?" Chloe asks.

"Yeah, that's where we think he is." Tucker answered.

"Ain't metal start out all... molten-y?" Chloe asks.

"Actually, steel mills usually melt the iron and other stuff in a hot furnace to make the metal all molten-y. And then they start the process of turning it into all kinds of metal stuff..." Star suddenly said something that caught everyone by surprise. "Hey, I don't ignore EVERYTHING in science class..."

"Wait... so..." Danny began to see a chance. "Does... Is there even any of that stuff there?"

"The mill works 24 hours." Chloe explained. "Something I read up on when I had to cram all I could about being here."

"So... there's probably a container of that hot metal juice?" Danielle asks.

As Chloe nodded, Danny's mind got to thinking.

If I could do that... I could burn out his healing factor... almost literally... He thought.

"Anyway, I was thinking that maybe you could use that stuff, maybe get it inside him after you cut him or something? And while that mangy monster is down...well...you do what needs to be done..." Chloe said the last part uneasily.

Danny was silent for a moment before speaking up.

"Chloe..." Danny began.

"Y-Yeah..."Chloe said and to her surprise, he suddenly hugged her.

"YOU'RE A GENIUS!" Danny announced happily and even went as far as to kiss her cheek before letting her go.

Chloe was stunned silent for a moment, before she blushed and held her cheek for a moment.

"Aw, shucks...just helpin' out..." She said, trying not to smile right now.

Both Sam and Star saw this and frowned.

"Seriously..." Sam muttered with irritation, not liking seeing her ex that close to another girl.

"It wasn't THAT good of an idea..." Star muttered, crossing her arms in jealousy.

Tucker and Jazz, seeing their reactions, couldn't help but find it amusing.

"So… the plan is for us to cut him open or something and let that stuff in?" Danielle asks.

"That's… morbid and unnerving, even for my tastes." Sam said.

"But…" Tucker got her attention. "It can work!"

"Right." Jazz nodded before looking at Danny. "So all you need to do, Danny, is t-" He was absent. "...where'd he go?"

Meanwhile

Jack and Maddie were both attempting to find some degree of relief for their current situation as they got some coffee together from one of the vans.

"Y'know what we could do?" Jack suggests.

Maddie rolled her eyes as visibly as possible.

"Please don't say send that monster to the Hollow Earth, Jack. You used to talk on and on about that ridiculous old theory…" She bemoaned.

"It's not ridiculous! My uncle Joe used to talk on and on about it! After all we've seen, you can't seriously think it's a fairy tale or something, Mads." Jack proudly said.

Before Maddie could explain how the Hollow Earth was just a crazy theory like Santa Claus, they saw their son going to an abandoned alley, looking to make sure he wasn't spotted.

"Where is that boy going?" She asks.

Making sure that the coast was clear, Danny morphed before making his way to the steel mill. However, he noticed that Larissa was speaking with her men. He kept his distance but overheard.

"Reports of some creature at a steel refinery in Dunkirk were reported. I want anyone able to stand for longer than a minute to be ready and fill that monster with holes. Understood?" She ordered.

"Lieutenant…" One soldier stepped forward. "I'm sorry, but our men are terrified. They're refusing to face the Beast. Heck, a lot of them are willing to literally shooting themselves in the foot so they could get discharged. And I agree, we can't kill that monster."

Larissa watched as her men laid down their arms and walked in a defeated slump.

Danny, realizing that the army wasn't going to go after the Beast anymore, decided he'd have no one to get in his way once he faced off against the Beast.

He made his way around to morph when his parents walked up to him.

"Mom, Dad." Danny said as his parents looked at him with crossed arms. "What are you doing here?"

"We were going to ask you the same question," Maddie said.

"What were you doing, son?" Jack asked. "And don't lie."

"…I found a way that could stop the Beast for good." Danny said.

"Wait, were you going to face that monster again!?" Maddie exclaimed. "No! That brute nearly killed you!"

"She's right, Danny, just leave that thing to the army," Jack said.

"I heard them, they're too scared to face him," Danny said. "It has to be me."

"No, it doesn't." Maddie said gently as she placed her hands on Danny's shoulders. "You've done so much already, Danny. You've been through so much. Let someone else handle this."

Danny looked at the concerned expression on his parents' faces. But he shook his head and removed her hands on his shoulders.

"The Beast is my fault, it's my responsibility." Danny said, a determined glint in his eyes. "I won't stand by and let someone else get hurt again. I won't."

Jack and Maddie looked at their son before looking at each other. They didn't want him to face the cruel monster again, but seeing the look in his eyes, they nodded, knowing that he needed this to move on.

"Okay, but if it gets too dangerous, you get out of there immediately, okay?" Maddie said.

"And show that mangy mutt not to mess with the Fentons, Son." Jack said with an encouraging grin.

"Thank you, I mean it." Danny said to his parents with a grateful time.

"Now, go, we'll cover you." Maddie said as his parents led him to a secretive place.

As they left, Larissa had turned her head and noticed the group going.

"What are they up to?" She questions under her breath, slowly following them.

"Here, this is a good place." Jack said, pushing Danny to a small opening between two buildings, just big enough for Danny to walk in. He and Maddie then stood in front of the opening before a quick flash of light appeared. Danny Phantom then flew out the opening and in front of his parents.

"I'll be back… I promise…" Danny said to his parents.

"Just be safe, Danny." Maddie said in a worried tone as she and Jack held each other's hand.

As the two nodded and reluctantly left, Danny was about to fly to Dunkirk but Larissa blocked him.

"You're going to Dunkirk, aren't you?" Larissa questioned.

"No, I was going to the nearest haunted nightclub and see if there were some ghosts who wanted to party." Danny responded with a snarky tone.

"And just what do you plan on doing when you get there?" Larissa demanded an answer.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to kill the Beast..." Danny said with hate in his voice.

Unfortunately, Larissa just shook her head and sighed.

"Kid, this isn't your job. I was the one assigned to deal with the Beast and if anyone is gonna stuff that monster, it's gonna be me..." Larissa said.

Danny glared at her as he shook his head.

"No offense… but you can't handle that monster." Danny responded.

Unknown to him, Alexandra was nearby. She had gone to get some alone time and fresh air and passed by but was now eavesdropping on their conversation.

"What are they talking about?" Henri's widow asked under her breath, shocked and confused.

Danny, unaware of who was listening, continued to argue with Larissa.

"You and I both know that out of everyone here, I'm the only one who stands even a slight chance against that monster. Not to mention that he already took out Henri. He died protecting me. This is my responsibility and I gotta make things right before the Beast takes any more innocent lives..." Danny said in a dark, sorrowful tone.

Alexandra heard this, yet still didn't know what they were talking about.

"Henri died protecting him?" She said, her eyes wide. "But… I thought it was that Fenton boy? Was it both of them?"

"We both know that I'm the best shot we got to stop him. Plus, you still got that issue with Razor and trying to find out where he went. This is something I have to do..." Danny said, not backing down from Larissa.

Reluctantly, the lieutenant massaged her temples bitterly and nodded.

"You got an hour. If you aren't back, then me and the rest of my team are heading there and filling that mongrel with lead..." Larissa declared.

"Let's just hope you won't need to come guns blazing..." Danny said as he gave a small smile.

"Just go…" She said with a frown as she crossed her arms.

Danny nodded before he took to the skies, unaware that Alexandra heard the whole thing.

"Henri saved him, he gave his life to save that boy…if that's true, should I be mad at him?" Alexandra said under her breath, feeling conflicted about this.

As Danny went out of sight, Larissa's reaction softened slightly.

"Godspeed, kid…" She spoke under her breath.

Special thanks to TheWhiteTitan and Flower Princess11.

5 more to go.

RonaldM40196867: I did. Yes. Dunno. Wait and see. I guess. No. Wait and see.

Invader Johnny: Rich has his reasons.

Daniel6: Nope, he's gotta do it himself.

ZeroTheOne: Okay.

Tornado man: We shall see.

lucifer black: Sure.

Luffy is king: Likely not work, as that was made for Devereux. Also, they don't exactly like him, so why would they speak up for him?