Danny Phantom - The Next Chapter

The Battle of Washington DC, Part 2: Valerie

Valerie gripped the wall of the jet as it abruptly veered to the side, her skills with her board letting her stay on her feet as the others stumbled and fell. She was vaguely aware of Dani phasing away through the wall, Vlad disappearing a moment later, and she just hoped the latter was going to stay and fight with them. It would be just like him to turn tail and run in the middle of the chaos.

'Everyone, positions!' Maddie ordered as the jet stabilised.

The group sprang into action to their respective vehicles. Valerie wasn't sure how they'd managed it but the Fenton RV had been crammed into the back of the Ops Centre and Jack was clambering into the driver's seat. Tucker was strapping himself in to one of the computer stations and readying his drones that sat like an army around him, with even more stored in the back of the jet. Sam hurried to one of the Fenton ATVs and switched it on, activating it's flight capabilities. Outside the window, the Spectre Speeder broke away from the jet as Jazz began to engage with the half-ghosts outside. Everyone was in their places and Valerie looked to the front of the jet where Danny had been flying outside just moments before. Now, there was no sight of him and she silently prayed that he'd be okay.

'You better not get into any trouble while I'm gone!' she called to Tucker and he looked back at her with a smirk.

'And you'd better stay in one piece!' he replied, 'I can put the suit back together, but I can't do the same for you.'

Valerie gave him a full smile as the back doors of the jet began to open. She hadn't been expecting it, but Tucker's enthusiasm for technology had surprisingly been a point of connection between them. When she had first met him, it had seemed nerdy and definitely uncool. But ever since she had taken up ghost fighting and later learned Danny's identity, his technological knowledge of her weaponry and systems had won her over. Not for the first time, she wondered if it might evolve into something more and she was sure she had caught Tucker looking at her with an expression she often saw on Danny and Sam's faces when they were with each other. She might even want it to, but first, they had to get through the mess that was waiting for them outside.

She activated her battlesuit and board as the jet doors fully opened, filling the interior with a screaming howl.

'Banzai!' Jack shouted and drove the RV right out into the air, followed closely by Sam in the ATV. Valerie didn't hesitate, racing out into the sky and the madness that was unfolding around them.

He first instinct was to fire on anything that glowed and she had to forcefully remind herself that some of the ghosts were on her side, at least for the moment. She swerved and dodged through ghost rays and various weapon fire, her HUD warning her of any incoming projectiles and adjusting her course accordingly.

Around her, the yeti from the Far Frozen were racing to the ground; Danny's orders were to protect any humans and keep the half ghosts away from civilians and they were taking their roles entirely seriously.

The ground was rushing up to meet her and Valerie swerved at the last second, leaving a trail of dust and debris behind her as she grazed along its surface towards the nearest cluster of what looked to be the National Guard.

'Regular guns won't work, fellas!' she called as she skimmed by and a panel opened in the back of her board. Numerous magazines were ejected and she glanced back to see some of them quickly loading them. Now, their bullets glowed with ghostly energy and she smirked. One of her more ingenious ideas that Tucker had latched onto and helped make a reality. While neither of them were fond of lethal force, they had make sure the other humans weren't going to just get themselves killed.

Ahead of her, an armoured vehicle was swerving between idling cars, soldiers firing up at a swarm of half ghosts that were raining ecto balls down on them. Valerie turned up the speed and moved to intercept them, activating her electricity blast as she got within range. The bolts arced outwards, spitting and hissing as they connected with three of the half ghosts who hadn't even noticed her approach. They screamed and dropped to the ground, reverting to their human forms and lying still, but there was no time to check to see if they were still breathing. The others seemed not to care about their fallen comrades, so intent were they on attacking the soldiers.