Danny Phantom - The Next Chapter

Missing

There was the sound of keyboard keys tapping and Sam said, 'I've just messaged Tucker and Valerie. They might have seen him. Did he not come home at all?'

'No. Well, I don't know. None of us have seen him since last night and usually when he's out late, he'll sleep in, but he's not in the house.'

'Hold on, Tucker has replied. He says he hasn't seen Danny since school... And neither has Valerie.'

Maddie's unease turned to outright fear and she saw it mirrored in Jazz and Jack's faces.

'Okay. Thanks, Sam.'

'Wait, you should try using the Boo-merang. It's locked onto Danny. It'll find him no matter where he is.'

'Okay, we'll try it. Thanks again.'

She quickly hung up and hurried down to the lab, Jazz and Jack hurrying after her.

'He's not at Sam's?' Jazz asked as Maddie rummaged around the many desk drawers in search for the tracking device.

'No. Or Tucker and Valerie's. I'm going to use the Boo-merang.'

'Here,' Jack replied, pulling open the desk drawer nearest him and retrieving the device.

Maddie smiled in thanks and threw the device which circled for a moment as if trying to make up its mind. Then, without warning, it dropped to the ground with a dull clang.

Maddie froze, staring at it in shock.

'What does that mean?' Jazz demanded.

Maddie glanced at Jack and his own fear was now rising.

'It can track him anywhere,' Maddie muttered, 'Even in the Ghost Zone.'

'Unless something is blocking it?' Jack asked and Maddie nodded, not daring to think about the alternatives.

'So there's no way of knowing where he is?' Jazz asked.

'Don't worry, sweetheart,' Maddie assured her, 'We're going to find him. And we all know he can look after himself. We'll do the first step and go to the police.'

But as they made their way back up the stairs, she couldn't help glancing back at Jack, knowing he was thinking the same thing. Danny's ectosignature could change if he had become a full ghost, instead of a half-ghost. But she didn't dare think on that.

-----

'Subject appears to be regaining consciousness.'

'Should we sedate it again?'

'Negative. We need to establish its cognitive abilities.'

Danny groaned as each voice sent a spike of pain drilling into his head. As he slowly returned to himself, he became aware that he was lying on an uncomfortably cold and flat surface, each of his limbs secured down. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the painfully bright light that practically blinded him.

'Wass goin' on?' he slurred.

'Subject is attempting to communicate. Alerting Agent S.'

He blinked rapidly and his vision slowly started to focus. The moment it did, adrenaline dispersed the last of the sedative that was keeping him sluggish and unresponsive. He was in a lab, surrounded by numerous Agents of the Guys in White who all looked as if they were all too eager to start experimenting on him.

'Where am I?' he demanded, struggling against the restraints, 'What's going on?'

'Subject is now fully conscious,' one of the Agents intoned monotonously, typing away on a tablet, 'We should consider administering more sedative.'