The Rising King

Chapter IV: The New Chaperone

Third person POV(and let it stay this way)

"Everyone alright?" Sam called for the moaning group of people. In response she received even louder moans.

"I broke my nail!" A shout was heard.

And Sam even knew who was just fine as of right now. "Well, since you have the strength to complain, then everything is alright."

"What was that?" Valerie asked, getting back on her feet.

"We crash landed," Tucker explained bluntly, "In the middle of nowhere, mind you."

"The engines don't blow up easily, kids," Maddie butted in, taking a pistol in her hand. "Something shot us down and is probably near."

"Everyone! Sit here while Jack Fenton deals with that piece of ectoplasmic slime! Banzai!"

With that Jack lunged out of the transport, looking around anxiously, but seeing nothing. The rest soon followed. Jazz, on the other hand, preferred to stay inside. Besides, the door was locked behind them, so that left her no choice. Even the windows were now covered by a sheet of metal. She damned Danny for not warning her of how the descent was going to happen.

As they exited, Sam and Tucker looked at each other.

"This landing was..."

"Surprisingly soft for a plunge without engines," Sam finished.

"Well, we did activate the safety measures," Maddy shrugged.

"I am afraid that for that I will be the one to take the credit."

Silence. Followed by slowly turning around and staring right atop of the machine. There, laying on the roof, was the one who they had never expected to see again, the one with whom the most unpleasant memories of all were connected. Phantom in the flesh, or rather ectoplasm, was right in front of them, radiating the same smug energy as always, multiplied by ten. Dressed in his usual jumpsuit, he created a strange feeling within all, albeit for different reasons. Nobody even shot at him, that's how far the shock went.

"What a marvellous surprise! I haven't had visitors for so long!" Danny said loudly and jumped down, then opening his arms wide.

That was when a torrent of blasts was unleashed right into the spot where he was, even abstracting the view for a few seconds. Valerie didn't even have the time to process what was happening while they all shot and left the scorched marks on an already lifeless ground.

"Did we kill it?" Jack asked.

"I think you still are a lousy shooter, Jack," a whisper came into his ear and the giant of a man jumped aside out of surprise.

Phantom laughed, floating in the air and grabbing his stomach. Sam approached him, shaking and trembling, but the pistol was now pointed right into the teen's chin. That was when Danny quieted down, smiling at her, piercing the girl with the green eyes. And underneath the mischief she saw it. The hatred burning right under his mask and ready to get out.

"You were supposed...to be dead!" Sam yelled.

"I am quite hard to kill, Sammy," Danny whispered, "You of all people would know it, correct?"

The girl almost dropped the gun altogether, as the adrenaline pumped into her veins was making it so hard. He knew her buttons.

"Go on, shoot your only chance of getting out of this place. I will laugh from oblivion at how you all will be torn apart."

"What do you mean, ghost?" Maddie spat, still aiming at his head.

"Simple, really," Danny moved Sam's weapon away from him with only one finger. He hadn't expected her to be so weak, "You don't know your way around here. I am well aware about these two's...limited knowledge of directions. They don't know where Vlad's portal is, do they?" Phantom smirked and crossed his hands, "Thus, your only hope is floating right in front of you."