DP: Betrayal & Corruption (Unrevised Version)

While Jazz and her parents plan out to rescue Danny, at the castle-like mansion in Wisconsin, a gaping hole opened from an eruption, revealing a shadow silhouette with red eyes and a yellow outline black cloak. Snickering at what he held, he shot in the air, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and a vexed man in a tattered black suit and signed silver hair.

"Give that back, you obnoxious miscreant!" Vlad shouted in anger, raising his fist at the silhouette.

It cackled like a crazy man, hiding what he was holding and said, "Now, now, don't be a burden. Your work is actually helping mine out."

"If you think that my work helps you, you got another thing coming, hoodlum!" Vlad shouted as two black rings formed at his torso, changing his human form to ghost form, Plasmius and levitating us to the figure's level.

The shadow snickered. "I doubt that you could easily defeat me in your ghost-form, twit. Heck, no one that I can think of can!" After that, he laughed, making Vlad's blood red eyes glow in anger.

As furious with the offensive ghost, he couldn't attack it right away without knowing what strength it dwells with. He didn't want to attack now and get destroyed at the end. Whatever it's hiding behind its cloak surely couldn't be good. Not knowing what the creature is capable of, he slightly wanted to identify what it's plan is to be with his work, especially what the thing it's holding was.

"As much as I want to pummel you, at least say what you're planning to do with my work."

The creature smirked, narrowing its red eyes at the man. "Being as generous, I'm simply borrowing your concoction for my own personal use. No doubt about it will make use, but it will get the job done. I might say, I'm very pleased that with an intelligent mind like yours, you could be an exceptional use in my boss's other experiments. Could be excellent!"

Its taunting ability never ceased to amaze the billionaire, though he didn't show the expression, he was only thinking about destroying the decelant black appearance before him. Gripping his gloved hands, he growled, flying straight to the shadow with glowing pink fists. Unfortunately, the figure formed a hole in itself, missing the hit and merged itself whole.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your temper is quite elaborate. How about showing me your true hatred!"

Vlad, still emitting hated, took another shot at the silhouette, but this time, closer to get actual hits on it. "How... about... not!" he shouted each time he threw a punch at it.

All the creature can do was to dodge his attacks and smirk, letting out a chuckling laughter.

Having enough annoyance with it, he shot the thing with anything he can throw at. Those didn't work as he wished. The shadow grew bored with the half-ghost, exampling it with a yawn and said, "My, my, you're wasting your precious time and energy. None of those pathetic powers of yours hardly made a dent! Why don't you scurry along and go back to what you were doing!" He gestured Vlad to go away.

"Not going to! Now, give that back!"

Grabbing the item with both hands, he pulled it with all force. The thing struggled, not letting go of what he needed for his boss's plan. Once the other ghost was distracted, its black tail slipped under them and wrapped itself to his leg.

"I be warned, if I were you. I'm a master of trickery!" The black figure pulled Vlad down with sheer force, now holding onto the item with a grin. The billionaire hit rock-bottom, creating a crater around him. He was never out-matched by anyone, except by his nephew, in this kind of situation. He groaned as he got up, holding his head and shot a glare at the villain.

It smirked with narrowed eyes and chuckled a little. Flinging his tail in a flash, Plasmius dodged by doing a barrel role and shot a plasma-ray, which the other darted to the left and uproot a tendril from his back. Once it grabbed the half-ghost, he flung him straight to the ground, leaving another crater in the ground.

"I'm not done with you yet!" he yelled, yet his voice cracked from being hit.

"I think you are, for now. I've done enough to ya than most of my other enemies. I'll take my leave." After he turned around, he warned, "Be on your watch, ghost. Another one, even by my standards, will come after you. You'll know him in the time being, but with more malice and hatred."

Floating to meet the figure, he asked with a raised eyebrow, "Another, you say? Tell me who?"

He sighed, hooking his hand on his neck, looking down at the ground. How should he say it was the phantom boy? Surely, if being explained, the billionaire will come after him and possibly ruin the experiment. Punishment for telling is severe. No, he doesn't need to say it was him, definitely not without riddling the other first.

Not doubting the answer, he spoke in a serious tone, "In time, Vlad. Once you see, think twice of what you say. Otherwise, you're in deep trouble, along with the rest." With that, he vanished in a cloud of black smoke, along with the item he took.

Confusion brought to him. Planting his feet, he changed from ghost to human. He looked up at the blue, cloudy sky, pondering what the silhouette riddled him. Who is 'him'? What did he mean by another? Should he try to find out what he explained? Many of these dumbfounded answers lingered.

The sound of stone and wood cracked under his feet as he entered back in the massacred room. Everything that wasn't nailed to the walls or floor were littered. A sudden pop of a memory flashed his mind. The work! The figure got away with it. How could he forget? Although he was caught up in battling him, he didn't think twice to retrieve what he grabbed. Letting out an angered filled sigh, he wondered off to find his white, fluffy cat, Maddie.

For her part, she was inside a purple couch, too scared to come out the purple cushion, not unhooking her claws as she shook. How she managed to survive? Hiding, one the ways to escape explosions. Footsteps were coming, echoing as each were made. Closing her eyes and laying her ears back, she heard a creak of a door open, two hands holding under her pelt with ease. A smile etched his lips as he held his cat, knowing she was safe.

A burst of ringing filled the room, darting his attention to the phone in his pocket. Grabbing it, he pushed a button and held it up to his ear.

"Who is this?" he dryly asked, a hint of hate and annoyance mixed in.

"It's Jazz. We got a situation and we need you in it."

Jazz? Why would she asked him for help? After all, he did try to manipulate her once. "Whatever it is, I'm not available. I got my own problem to deal with."

"Well, maybe this with will bring your attention! Danny's kidnapped by two teenagers with high-tech weapons and it's our job to save him!"

Shock filled him with astonishment. How could anyone capture Daniel, even with high-tech weapons? Surely this has to be a joke, because if it is, he wasn't laughing. One minute, he faces a shadow figure holding onto one of his possessions, the next minute he was told that Daniel was captured by two teens. This brought up more questions that he bargained for.

Almost holding onto the phone, he sighed and said, "I'll be there momentarily. There's something that I need to do first."

"Okay, just hurry!" Jazzed yelled, ending the call.

With determination, he placed the fluff ball white cat on the couch and ran out, slamming the door and letting two rings surrounding him, transforming into his alto-ego. Quickly phasing through floors to his lab, he faced the closed, double-doors that lead to the entrance of the Ghost Zone. Once pressing the red button, the doors opened, revealing a glowing, neon green swirl portal.

Narrowing his eyes and rolling his hands into fists, the doors closed as he flew in. "No one takes Daniel and gets away with it."