Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time

Chapter 14

The last thing Danny thought he would have to deal with on a Thursday afternoon in his new life was Technus. Truthfully, he had hoped that the last time he delt with Technus was, in fact, the last time, he knew it was too much to ask. Flying over the small town, he kept an eye out for any chaos or havoc being conducted. It was quiet, too quiet.

Until the powerline next to him sparked and exploded, creating a blackout in the town of Maddison. Manic laughter filled the air as Technus came out of his hiding place, the phone booth at the end of the street.

"Well done, you killed the power for the whole town." That was a voice that Danny didn't expect to hear. What was Technus, Boxy and Skulker all doing in the same town?

"Oh, damn it! I got too excited. I wanted to scare the kid." Technus cried out in annoyance.

"We're not here to scare the kid." Skulker sighed. He was starting to regret bringing the tech ghost with him.

"Oh, just a little, a little fright is good for a growing boy... Does he still grow? Like you know he's like half dead an all."

"How am I meant to know, Nicolai?"

"Erm, so if you're not here to cause trouble, why are you here?" Danny decided to interject in their conversation. Both of the ghosts turned to the teen almost surprised that he was there.

"When did you get here?" Technus asked.

"Since you blew up the power. So, if you're done causing trouble can you go back to the ghost zone and have this done with?" Danny was ever so hopeful. He didn't want to fight both of them tonight, he was tired and stressed and still extremely wary of the new group of heroes that he was now a part of.

"We need to talk-" Skulker started.

"Are you still working for Vlad?"

"No, I am not, Ember and I got into an argument about that, and I didn't want to risk her breaking up with me," Skulker replied sheepishly.

"You and Ember are dating? When did that happen?"

"Don't ask, it's new. Anyway, we wanted to warn you, but we didn't know how to find you, since you disappeared." It was odd having a normal conversation with Skulker without him claiming to be the best hunter and wanting his pelt.

"Ok? Can we continue this... Chat? In the warehouse?" Danny was unnerved. Was this a new ambush tactic? A way to get him to lower his defences then attack? Thankfully they agreed to the warehouse invitation, and they set on their way.

John and Chas were still setting up the makeshift laptop when that power went out. It stopped them in their track and felt like the plan was about to go up in flames.

"What now?" Chas asked as he put down the pliers on the ground. It was mainly Chas working on the laptop, and John was a borderline technophobe, it wasn't that he hated technology; it was just magic was easier for him to use.

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to know? Casper made this plan sound fool proof, didn't account for a bloody blackout." John flopped down on to the ground and leant up against the wall. He took the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and opened it up intending to smoke away his stress, only to find it empty. He sighed in defeat as he crushed the packet in his hand and threw it to the side.

"Really? Littering?"

"Oh, come off it Zed-" He was going to say more, but Phantom came through the wall closely followed by two slightly intimidating ghosts.

"Erm, this is Skulker and Technus, they said that they need to talk to me." Phantom started. He looked alarmed and it made John sit up straighter before deciding to properly stand up. It would be better if he was ready for any kind of attack from the two ghosts, he didn't want Casper to get ambushed when he could do something about it.

John was definitely not getting fond of the kid.

"Where's Box Ghost?" The largest one asked; John guessed he was Skulker. There was a pause, a silence in the room before he spoke again. "He's in the thermos again, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Phantom replied. "So, what is it you wanted to say."

"We'll cut straight to it, Plasmus knows exactly where you are, knows what school you go to and has hired more than a few people to bring you back. He's becoming unhinged." Skulker took the lead whilst Technus started inspecting the makeshift laptop that had been abandoned.

"Oh great, another reason to constantly look behind me." Danny sighed, "anything else."

"Truthfully, we just wanted to make sure you were still alive. Technus drop the laptop." Everything was drowned out by the manic laughter of Technus.

Danny sighed, he figured something like this would happen. He quickly uncapped the thermos and sucked Technus inside before he could do anything. Skulker sighed.

"I knew I shouldn't have brought him along."

"I figured he would do something like that, but why haven't you tried anything yet?" Phantom questioned. Skulker turned and faced Phantom, his face was suddenly serious.

"I don't want to face Embers wrath." The answer stunned all of them and abruptly the warehouse was filled with Phantom's laughter, then Skulker's laughter, while the rest just stood there confused.

"You better get going, Skulker, unless you want to be sucked up as well."

"Take care ghost child and keep and watch your back." With that Skulker flew off.

"John," Phantom caught the occultist's attention before he threw the Fenton Thermos to him, which he fumbled with before gripping it tightly, "can you send me back from where you summoned me from?"

"I think we can do that, mate." John nodded.

"Thanks, I have one more thing to ask you, I need you to go to Amity Park, to my old place, it has a giant neon sign on top, so you can't miss it. In the basement, there's a portal and a slot for the thermos to go in to release to the Ghost Zone." John was about to protest and call the ghost teen a lazy wazok when Chas elbowed him in the ribs and Zed took the lead.

"We'll find it, don't worry."

"Thank you, oh and you can keep the thermos, I have another. Should make catching and dealing with ghosts a bit easier."

"Thanks, Casper, come 'ere, I want to give you something as well." Phantom floated down until he was in front of John who placed a shard of a mirror into his hand that had that language that Phantom didn't understand inscribed around the edge. Phantom looked up at him with his brows furrowed. "It's sort of like a magical cell phone if you need anything at all don't hesitate." John was definitely not getting attached.

"Thanks, John." And with that Phantom started to fade away from the warehouse. He closed his eyes and opened them back up inside of Mt Justice.