The room was dark, the fan on the ceiling made lazy circles in the air, one of the few movements in the night bathed room. Two soft glows emanated from beneath blankets, a small dim one from a bed and a little stronger one from a bean bag looking mass. The blankets rose and fell with their breathing, sleeping fitfully yet solidly. A ticking sound was made evident by a small alarm clock on a black and white dresser.

A third glow rose from the ground, a soft blue hue cast around the room, much brighter than the other two glows. The cloaked figure floated forward, a large staff in a gloved hand and a swishing purple cape behind him.

Clockwork floated past the sleeping Technus, inching his way to the halfa. Clockwork stopped at his bedside, pausing to hear the small boy's labored breathing. He rose his staff, casting a spherical blue essence around Danny's stump leg.

Once the time bubble was set Clockwork slowly moved his staff over the wound, his staff glowed as ecto energy was transferred between ghosts. Clockwork didn't pause as Technus blinked open his eyes behind him.

"Clockwork." Technus croaked, the ghost in question didn't turn to him, focused on the task at hand.

"Where are we? Who is that?" Technus asked as his voice returned, Clockwork gave a small sigh through his nose.

"You've missed quite a bit my friend. You and the others escaped, Tucker brought you here to heal you. Danny was here before you." Clockwork informed, Technus grimaced as he sat up straighter.

"Where is Amorpho? What about the Martian?"

"Manhunter is fine, back with the Justice League, Amorpho... Amorpho didn't make it." Clockwork said, shoulders slumping the tiniest amounts as his from shifted to an old man.

"Oh..." Technus sighed with defeat, "another loss... That's Danny the halfa right?" Technus said, eyeing whatever Clockwork was doing to the child.

Clockwork only nodded as it took most of his concentration to keep the time bubble working, transferring some of his stored energy to help the boy heal faster. Danny's head turned in his sleep, his face morphed into a grimace as his leg healed faster than it normally did. Of course the pain was nearly doubled as the leg was healing twice the rate it usually was, including his already advanced healing abilities.

"What happened to him?"

"Hell." Was Old Clockworks simple reply as he continued to move the staff over the stump with calculating red eyes.

As he feared the stump would remain a stump, Danny's leg would not be coming back.

"The GIW's time tables have quickened, they have yet to show their hand but I assure it is more powerful than previously thought. I cannot aid you in this endeavor, but I can send help." Clockwork said as he continued to heal the halfa's stump, shifting to a middle aged form.

Technus looked up, "What do you mean?" The ghost of technology did not like what Clockwork was implying, it sounded as if they would be on the run again soon.

"Time cannot stop, it must keep moving, flowing in and around things. Decisions can be made that change time's direction, those choices can only choose the lesser of two evils. But the lesser of two evils is still evil. I would rather Danny not deal with the consequences of the choice, but I'm afraid if I do not make it the world as we know it will end." The ghost of Time said sadly, looking over the sleeping boy, the blue light from his staff crating interesting shadows on his already glowing features.

Clockwork released the time bubble, small tendrils of blue ecto energy floating off his staff. No matter how much energy he put into the wound it would not grow back, it was healed, it should not cause Danny any healing pain but it would act like any other severed limb. Phantom pains and getting used to one limb would be the halfa's goal now. As if getting through the GIW induced trauma wasn't hard enough.

Now a child, Clockwork rested on his staff, his glow slightly dimmer from when he came in, Technus watched with worry.

"He's lost an entire leg, something I cannot help with." Clockwork said sadly, then turned to the master of technology. "But you can."

"I can?" Technus asked, he was just as weak as the ghost boy, he couldn't possibly help him with anything.

"Yes, I can help with some things. But the hardest choices come to the smallest people because they have the heart to choose the right path. I can only do so much, Danny needs faith, you might find yourself more than capable in delivering." Clockwork said cryptically, Technus only gave him a confused look.

"I still don't understand."

"You will. Just remember, when in doubt; overshadow." Old Clockwork then faded from the room. The ticking became prevalent again, the room returning to relative darkness.

Technus glanced at the wounded halfa then went back to sleep. Clockwork was wise but sometimes Technus wondered what went on in the ghost's head.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

When Danny came to consciousness the room was bright, sunlight streaming through curtained windows into the still room. His radioactive green eyes fluttered open and closed, frowning as the sun hit him directly in the face. He twisted around only to wince in pain. Right, his leg.

He laid there for a moment longer then decided to sit up. He didn't like being useless, but in his condition it was all he could ever be. Useless. Would Dick and Bruce still want him if he had no leg? Danny didn't want to know, afraid the answer would be something he didn't want.

He raised himself with his arms, finding the action easier to do than last night. A quick look was all he needed to know last night did happen and it wasn't a dream. The ghost Technus snored away in the purple bean bag, the noise emanating form his large crooked nose was annoying the heck out of Danny.

Danny lifted the covers off himself, facing his bandaged stump. He gently poked it, needing to feel it just in case more than his knee down was gone. To his surprise it didn't hurt but he felt the force from his pressing finger, some hidden pressure within him released. He still had some of his leg, maybe he could do something with it.

His resolve made, he shifted to the edge of the bed, letting his one leg hang over the edge. A sudden pang of sadness hit him as he found he would never feel both legs dangle over the edge of a bed again. He held his breath and jumped down, wobbling on his one foot as his balance was completely off.

He held onto the bed, green eyes wide as he nearly fell, his knee felt shaky. His stump hung limply, an empty void beneath it, there should have been a leg there but there wasn't. He breathed deeply but shakily, what was he doing? He couldn't do anything with one leg, he should just go back to bed and forget about his life, it wouldn't be one without his leg.

"Don't lose hope child." said a scratchy voice, Danny's head snapped up to see the other ghost half rise in his 'bed'.

"You gave lots of ghosts hope when you escaped, it showed us there was a way out, that we didn't have to live as experiments and slaves." Technus continued, Danny hung his head.

"I-I did-n't es-escape... I-I was res-rescued." Danny said, their hope was based on lies, just like the fantasy of using his sorry excuse of a leg.

Technus didn't seem affected by the news. "But you're still alive aren't you?" he chuckled to himself, "well, almost."

Danny only looked away, trying to figure out how to get back into the bed and hide from the world. They didn't need a crippled halfa, they needed a whole one, but there weren't any.

"Hope can come from anywhere, for awhile it came from you, I'm pretty sure you're still giving hope to others."Technus continued, "We may be hurt, we may be wounded, but it's our spirit that they cannot contain."

"Don't let them win, don't let them contain your spirit. For a ghost is nothing without his core."

Danny let out a defeated sigh through his nose. He remembered something Clockwork had said, something about cores and what was inside him, his protective quality. It didn't seem useful now though, how could he be free if he was bound to a bed? Even a wheelchair wouldn't work, he didn't know anyone who could save the world in a wheelchair. (Cue list of disabled heroes; GO!)

"H-how..? I-I'm useless... I-I can't-" Danny struggled, suddenly he let out a sob. Thinking it was one thing, saying it was another, saying it just solidified it.

He blinked away tears, biting his lip to keep from crying, but his face felt hot already. His shoulders shook with silent sobs, his breathing hiccuped and shallow. Technus watched on with a sad look.

"Well... you definitely can't with that attitude." Technus commented.

Danny wiped away his tears, wondering why the ghost would say something like that, it didn't help his condition at all.

"Let's see... we've got a big hurdle to jump, do you know how to get over hurdles?" Technus asked, arching an eyebrow with a hint of a smile.

Danny frowned with furrowed brows, sudden memories of training days with the GIW where he would jump over thing to test his reaction time. "A r-running st-start..." he said quietly.

Technus nodded, "Yes, exactly, now how does one run?"

Danny remembered the feeling of running, he did it too often to count. He ran for the GIW's tests, he ran from the GIW, he ran to Bruce, he ran from Robin, he ran to Robin, he had run many times. He used his legs to run, but he couldn't exactly do that anymore.

"W-with f-feet." He looked down in shame, only to see his single foot on the ground.

"That's debatable." Technus said, Danny looked up in confusion. No it wasn't.

"We run with one foot at a time." Technus revealed with a knowing smile.

Danny frowned, confused with the idea.

One foot... at a time...?

"Go on, try." Technus prompted.

"One... foot..." Danny muttered, looking down he twisted himself around to face the empty part of the room.

"One foot..." he repeated, he took a step forward. He yelped as he nearly fell, catching the side of the bed before he could land on his face.

"It's ok if you fall, falling means we have no where else to go but up." Technus said. Clearly he didn't understand a ghost could move through objects, including the ground.

Danny straightened with a grunt, the action odd feeling as he would have used his other leg to help himself up but it wasn't there. He breathed in deeply but paused, how was he supposed to do this one step at a time?

"One foot, Danny, one foot." Technus reminded.

Danny scowled in concentration. One foot.

He bent his knee. One foot. He leaped forward, letting go of the bed for a stray moment. One foot. He gasped and held onto the bed as he landed, a good few inches from his starting position. One foot!

For the first time he smiled, he had moved! He breathed heavily and was actually quite tired but he felt accomplished. He had moved around with one foot.

He didn't hear Technus congratulate him, he was concentrating on moving again. He locked onto the dresser across the room, if he could make it there he might not be as useless as he thought he was.

He hoped forward again, his balance wavered but he held onto the bed for support. He frowned, there was a few feet of clear area before the dresser, nothing to hold onto.

Determination screwed over his face. He was NOT useless! He hoped forward again, this time twice in quick succession. He paused at the edge of the bed, he would have to continue without it.

He took a deep breath and hoped into the clearing, arms out for balance as he hoped with one leg across the the room. Before he knew it he ran into the dresser.

He grabbed at the edge, suddenly tired and weak. He held himself up but realized he should sit down. He slid onto the ground, gently pulling his stump up and set it down.

Danny looked up as Technus grinned. "That's it Danny! Who said you could never do it?"

"Me..." Danny mumbled, now embarrassed, a green tint crawling up his cheeks.

Technus chuckled, "Well guess what mister 'I can't'? You can! And you did!"

Danny flushed more at the praise, he had never been rewarded before, it felt weird. He snapped to attention as the door suddenly opened, his face quickly cleared of all emotion except fear as he, for a split second, thought he was back in the clutches of the GIW. It returned to normal when Sam and Tucked walked in, each holding a tray of the same soup stuff Danny had been eating.

They were arguing about something, they seemed to do this a lot. Danny then noticed Sam's core, for some reason he had never seen it until now. But he had looked at her before... why hadn't it appeared before now?

Danny took a moment to study the core, tuning out the bickering kids as confusion settled over his face. Her core was an odd yellow, but had a thin black inside. It was odd because it seemed tinged orange, but not solidly, like smooth ti-dye. It looked pretty, like an orange galaxy, spiraling into oblivion.

"Danny?"

Danny snapped up to her lavender eyes, the green tint coming back as he realized he had been staring. "Sorry..." He muttered, lowering his face just a bit. Sam held a tray in her hands, she lowered down and set it on the ground next to the halfa.

"Technus said you hopped around the room, I wasn't sure you were ready for that type of movement yet." Sam commented as she sat down next to him, Danny was a little confused by her closeness.

But she raised a good point, he knew he had really good healing capabilities but this was wayyy too fast. It was like he healed years in the span of a few days, like time had sped up. Danny paused at the thought. Had time sped up? Clockwork must be helping him again.

This put a smile on Danny's face, Clockwork had been helping him, he had always been helping him.

Sam saw the thoughts run over his face, wondering what exactly he was thinking. She twirled the spoon around in the soup, a light steam rising from it's churning surface. "Hey Danny, you should eat something. Have you been sleeping well?" Her questions sounded a little odd her ears, she never really asked how someone was doing before.

Danny half shrugged, a small smile on his face. Sam wondered why he didn't speak very often, she knew his throat had been hurt but if he was well enough to hop around he could probably speak, right? Maybe he was just shy, after all, he didn't really know her that well.

Sam gave the tray to Danny, he set it on his lap, mostly on his good leg, and stirred the soup absentmindedly.

"I'VE GOT IT!"

Danny and Sam jumped, Danny's face one of terror while Sam's was annoyance. Their heads snapped to Technus, who had yelled unceremoniously.

The ghost had a large, toothy, grin on his green face. He rubbed his hands together while Tucker looked on with an odd sense of expectancy and weirdness.

Sam frowned, "Got what?"

"Tucker! I have a brilliant idea! I need some materials, preferably steel and wires." Technus said excitedly yet seriously to the boy next to him, Sam's question ignored. Tucker nodded as if it was a regular occurence, to him, at least, it was.

Tucker made his way out of the room, "Technus gets ideas, ideas to build cool stuff, most times it's not steel though." Tucker said as he passed Sam and Danny on the ground.

Sam nodded with a confused face, "Try the recycling bin in the kitchen, or the basement." Sam said as he left, she eyed Technus, wondering what the ghost wanted with the metal.

Danny had calmed at the interaction, he was just realizing how little he knew these people. Sam he barely knew, yet he felt inclined to trust her. Tucker was easier to trust but he had met him in a time of crisis, not exactly the best way to meet someone. Technus was a ghost, Danny had only met a few other ghosts, only one of them were ever kind to him.

Sam confused Danny. She was nice and all, her core was odd as it seemed to glow though, but he just didn't know if he could trust her. She said she had taken him from the wreckage of the explosion, where was Roy and Martian Manhunter? A contemplative frown made its way onto his face as he returned to stirring the soup he had yet to eat.

Danny also noted he hadn't told Sam or Tucker about his relations with the heroes, maybe if he told them they would take him back to his family. Man he missed his brother, he missed his dad too. He blinked at the thought, did he really count Bruce as his dad? Dick was his son, although Dick had never called him 'dad' before. He guessed it was because he was adopted, but that didn't make much sense to Danny, blood didn't matter in family. The Fentons were his family, they weren't related to him.

And Dick had been with Bruce longer than Danny, but probably didn't need him as much as Danny did. Or maybe he did but he was fixed so well that he didn't need Bruce anymore, while Danny felt himself floundering without the strong man.

He was alone here wasn't he? He wouldn't count Tucker or Sam as family, nor Technus. He barely trusted them as it is. He was fine for right now, maybe.

Danny realized he had no real option other than to trust them. They hadn't done anything yet to warrant suspicion by Danny was always stingy when it came to trust. He rationalized that Clockwork was helping him, and that he wouldn't let Danny be with people he thought to be dangerous. They weren't GIW, they were kids, besides Technus, he's a ghost.

"What do you need the metal for?" Sam asked Technus, the ghost was too busy mumbling things and eating his own soup.

"It's going to help Danny." Technus eventually said, Danny perked up as his name was said.

"What?" Danny asked, confused why he was in the conversation, he had been ignoring the others while lost in thought.

"Technus has an idea to help you." Sam said.

Danny gave the ghost a quizzical look, Danny hadn't met many ghosts, the only two he had either wanted to kill him or help him. Danny didn't really count Wulf, he hadn't met the ghost, just seen him. But why would Technus want to help him?

His memory reached back and he realized that Technus still thought of him as some amazing savior to rid the world of the GIW. As much as Danny wanted to be that person he couldn't do that anymore... he couldn't do a lot of things.

Tucker burst back into the room, holding a tower of wobbling metal. His sight was blocked as he walked around, he tripped over something and sent the metal flying.

He landed on the ground with an 'oomph', Danny braced for the large crash that would ensue but looked up when it didn't.

Technus had his hand out, a green sheen over the floating metal. He wore a scowl of concentration, just holding them in the air took all of his energy. He pulled the metal to him, laying them on his lap next to his empty bowl of soup.

"Thank you Foley child." Technus said to the boy still on the ground.

Tucker smiled and sat up, fixing his glasses and gasping exasperatedly. "Phew! That metal is HE-AVY!"

Technus seemed to ignore him as he set to work, grabbing a rather large plate of shining metal, a good clean piece. His hands glowed once more, the metal began to bend to his will.

Sam and Tucker watched, transfixed by the odd process in which the ghost molded the metal. Danny was busy in his thoughts once more, starting to convince himself he could actually trust these people. He began to eat the soup, it was good but still had this tangy aftertaste that Danny did not appreciate.

He remembered tangy tastes as the taste he would get when the GIW drugged him. He paused. Was Sam trying to drug him? But that didn't make any sense in his mind, Sam was helping him, but she could easily be lying. He didn't know which side he should trust, so for now he pushed the bowl away, eliminating the potential drug factor.

He would still trust Sam, just not her soup.

A bright glow from Technus distracted him, he looked up to see Technus molding a sheet of metal. He made it cylendrical and long, then cut it in half, one piece being thicker and the other narrowing down to almost a point.

Danny was confused by the build, but was also sucked into the trance of its making. It was cool to watch Technus twist the metal and make wires weave in and out of places like snakes. When it was done, which was longer than any of the three children thought, Technus revealed its purpose to his friends.

"Behold!" Technus said as he held it out for the kinds on the ground to see.

Sam tilted her head to the side, much like a dog would when confused. "It's a leg."

Technus nodded excitedly as Danny stared at it in awe. "Yes, yes! A leg for the little halfa," the ghost bent the prosthetic leg at its knee, it barely squeaked and the wires inside all sparked. "All he needs to do it strap it on that stump of his, maybe pad the inside but he probably won't need it."

Tucker frowned at his friend. "Won't need padding? But isn't that important that his stump doesn't get uncomfortable?"

Technus smiled, that evil grin type smile. "Why yes, for a human. But Danny is no human now is he?"

"Well he's half." Sam interjected, she liked the idea but was confused by Technus beating around the bush. "So if there's no padding how is he going to wear it?"

"He's going to overshadow it." Technus revealed with a sly smile, he loved when a good build works out.

Danny froze, he didn't like overshadowing, even if it was an object. Technus leveled a softer evil grin to Danny, the halfa couldn't help but think of a snake.

"You know how to overshadow right?" Technus asked.

Danny nodded hesitantly. "I-I don't re-really like it th-that much..."

"Do you know how to overshadow an object?"

Danny shook his head, if he knew how to do that he would have been free a long time ago.

"Well, it's the same principle as overshadowing a person, except this time your only going to overshadow it with your stump, the rest of you won't be in it." Technus explained, he lowered the leg to the ground.

Danny examined it, again he didn't trust much of anything here except for things he absolutely had to. The leg was rather smooth, the knee a ball joint and the calf had extra wires that connect to a foot. The foot itself was more like a shoe, it didn't have any toes or anything, just a lump of metal at the bottom but still had an ankle like joint that allowed it to move. There was a small empty cavity at the top, Danny assumed that's where his stump would go, but it seemed too... sparky.

"Just try for right now, we can work on actually walking with it later." Technus said.

Danny got up onto his foot, holding the dresser for balance. He eyed the metal leg with distrust but eventually he hoped forward once then dove into the leg like he would overshadow a person.

"Good, Danny! Now make your way out but not all the way!" Technus instructed.

The leg rattled, glowing an odd green, soon a tuft of white hair escaped the open cavity. More of Danny followed, he looked odd, as his body crawled out of an object he shouldn't fit in. His other leg came out and he held the metal one with his hands, trying to see if he could force the stump to stay inside the metal contraption.

"Now press this button here," Technus pointed to the side. "This should lock your leg in, making it stuck inside and giving you full controls of the leg. If you press it again it will release your leg and you won't be overshadowing it anymore."

Danny bit his lip, he pressed the secret button on the far left side of the metal leg. He felt something clamp around his leg and he panicked for a few seconds before realizing it's tightness was actually quite comfortable.

"Now try moving the leg, you don't have to walk, just bend it." Technus said, Sam and Tucker had been watching with fascination, neither having seen a ghost HALF overshadow something.

Danny bent his real knee, his metal one was stiff for a few seconds before it seemed to creep down too. The metal scratched against itself in a small squeak, had Technus had better tools he would have fixed that but for now it would do. In fact Technus had a brilliant plan for him to be able to use it in both human and ghost form but with his limited time and resources the halfa would have to made do. Danny lifted his stump, finding it hard to do so, the metal was heavy, it rose and the knee bent to the earth, pulled by gravity.

"Now the idea is you can control all of it without the help of anything else, it should function like a normal leg, just a slight alteration in thoughts." Technus said.

Danny frowned in concentration. A slight alteration in thoughts? So it was a mental thing more than physical, he had to mentally tell the metal what to do rather than gravity. Like when overshadowing, mentally telling the body he was controlling, he nodded in understanding.

Danny scowled at the metal, willing it to do something. He thought of waking, how the tendons pulled and relaxed, the wires in his leg responded accordingly.

Danny's eyes widened as the leg took a step forward, leaving the rest of him behind. Danny stepped with his real leg, having to step larger to keep up with the metal one.

He tried again, this time turning, it was a little jerky and Danny nearly lost his balance, having to grab onto the bed, but he did it. He could walk! A smile spread across his face, newfound hope and realization crashing down on him.

He could walk. He wasn't useless anymore.

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

Agent N straightened his tie, appearance was everything when dealing with other agencies.

It was 9 o'clock sharp, The Light's representative should be here in thirty minuets. Agent N got up from his desk, he had been reviewing notes from what his superiors wanted to happen. He knew what outcome his superiors wanted to get, they wanted power with The Light, but a different type of power.

He left his office, meeting no one on his way to the front doors. He passed by many rooms, ghost cells, torture chambers and the like. None of the rooms phased him much, except one.

The portal room, the room built around the green portal that had appeared during the ghost of time's escape. The only reason it scared him was because of the unknown.

The data hey had collected when they sent in the halfa was substantial, telling them the other side was much more rich in ectoplasm and ectoradiation. That didn't scare them either though, their base was in the Ghost Zone after all.

What scared them were the probes they sent, they all came back destroyed.

Something on the other side kept their data from them, and for some reason visual recordings failed the moment the camera was sent through. Most agents feared a powerful ghost was on the other side, playing with them.

If these negotiations went right then they shouldn't have to worry about that much longer.

Agent N stalked to the front gates, fixing his thoughts to not be distracted. Nothing could make this meeting go wrong. Hopefully.

Agent N didn't flinch as a spherical burnt orange portal sprang to life in front of him. Out stepped a rather skinny boy with wicked long nails and holding a tabby cat.

His beady eyes searched the room almost hungrily before landing on Agent N. The boy came forward with a rather dismissive sigh, the agent could already tell the negotiations would be rough.

"It's so clean in here, much too white." The boy said distastefully as he looked around the base while stroking his cat. His voice was horribly squeaky and scratchy, like nails on a chalk board.

"You must be Agent N, sent by the GIW for our 'negotiations'" The boy rolled his eyes with another tired sigh, "Why they wanted me, a master of chaos, to negotiate is beyond me." He complained, "but I suppose if it helps bring down the Justice League I can do my part."

Agent N didn't know how to respond to his snide mumblings that were obviously pointed at him so he ignored them. "You must be Klarion the Witch Boy-" he was cut off by the boy himself who bowed deeply with a mocking smirk.

"Lord Of Chaos at your service." He straightened, his mocking tone amplifying with his next words. "But I'm not at your service, my superiors have plans, plans that don't include you or your company."

"I believe we can change that. Follow me." Agent N said curtly, this boy was testing his patience, but there was a reason he was chosen for the job, he probably had more patience than even Agent D. He turned heel and walked down the eerie hallway, not checking to see if the lord of chaos followed.

Klarion followed, his eyes dancing about with a small smirk on his face, soaking up the minute details in the hallway. Teekl rested in his arms, Klarion didn't trust these men enough to have his anchor walk about virtually unprotected.

"So... Guys In White... I must ask why the color." Klarion said as they walked.

Agent N turned a corner and answered. "White is pure, unblemished. Our agency is tasked with cleansing the world of ghosts. There is no shadow for them to hide, the whiteness reveals all abominations, white is the color the ghost scum learn to hate."

Klarion just hummed in response. Agent N couldn't decide if the Witch Boy was agreeing or just acknowledging his words.

"So why would The Light want you bring you into the fold? What can you contribute?" Klarion asked. As they entered a new room his eyes were diverted to large machines and rather nasty looking guns that gave him a giddy feeling. These weapons were for mass destruction, Klarion was all for that.

Agent N paused and gestured to the massive array of weaponry. "We have enough weapons to supply an army four times over, each weapon capable of harming both humans and metas. Each are specialized with their own unique style, even Batman must concede at some point." Agent N turned to Klarion, now was the time to ask for the more important question.

Yes the GIW wanted in with The Light but their goals were beginning to expand just this realm, they needed some major firepower and knew exactly how to get it. They just needed Klarion.

"There is a specific weapon we would like to make, but it needs a sorcerers hand. With it mass produced we could raise an army of ghosts, no enemy of The Light would stand a chance against them. Not even Batman would have a hint at what to do against them. The only ghost weapons are here, out of reach of any hero." Agent N said, appealing to Klarions lust for destruction and his Light duties.

Klarion gave him a side glance, internally he was all for it but had to act like he wasn't in the name of negotiations. "Show me this weapon, surely you must have a prototype or original for a sorcerer to replicate."

Agent N resisted the urge to wince, his voice was so whiney and high pitched it made him want to stab his ears. He nodded, know the lord of chaos would want to see the relic. The agent motioned forwards, himself leading the way.

He lead to a pedestal, a large briefcase on top. He inserted a code and the lid popped open, a red light emitting from the cracks.

Klarion let Teekl drop from his arms as he came closer, the aura of the relic was intoxicating, powerful without a doubt. The lid was opened and Klarions face lit up with its red glow, he grew an evil smile, looking ever the devil.

"Do we have an arrangement?"

Klarion nodded, a light cackle escaping him. His hands writhed together as his mind filled with possibilites.

"Yes. I believe we do."

-0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0-

A week and a half passed with relative peace. Danny continued working on his new prosthetic leg, now being able to walk by himself but still limped heavily. Technus had gotten better, not as quickly or as much as Danny but he was much better than when he first entered Sam's home.

Danny still refused to eat the suspicious soup, it annoyed Sam who promised it would make him feel better but Danny was skeptical and boar-headed when it came to it.

Danny currently sat near the window, looking out into the streets, wondering where his family was. They were most likely looking for him, he still didn't know what happened to Roy and Martian Manhunter. He worried they didn't make it out in time, he was still a little confused on how he himself survived. Half ghost or not, he should be dead.

Sam had told him he was in Amity Park Illinois, not terribly far from Gotham but not exactly close either. Danny missed Bruce and Dick, Wally and Roy too. He was ready to just fly it that window and ignore everything else until he was home.

But he was still healing, his throat was much better, but he still didn't talk much. His stump was virtually healed all the way, Danny still suspected Clockwork helped with that. The metal leg was cumbersome but it made much much more maneuverable.

It was tricky, like he was using his ghost powers 24/7 but not at the same time. He used the overshadowing to get the leg on but after it locked he didn't need to anymore. Yet he still had to at the same time to actually control the leg but it was taxing in a mental sense than a physical one. But still being weak from GIW abuse nearly everything was physically taxing.

Sam brought up the concept of flying, Danny also thought that was a good idea but he didn't want to float around for the rest of his life. Overshadowing was hard enough in his weaker state but flying was out of the question.Out of the two he would rather have the prosthetic than fly without one. Because if he were to get tired and fall he wouldn't be able to catch himself on one foot. If he had the prosthetic he could do more with more, he also liked the feeling of walking, even if it was a lopsided gait that was extremely noticeable.

Technus had revealed to him that he wouldn't be able to use this prosthetic for his human form, Danny was alright with that because he usually was in his ghost form anyway. When he was younger and freshly caught by the GIW when he exerted too much ghostly power he would revert back to human form. That changed as his tolerance grew, and suddenly becoming human was difficult. He was rarely human, but he always felt it there, its presence was comforting, grounding him in the reality that he wasn't dead all the way. He was still alive, he had things to live for, even if at the time it was a numbed state of hope.

But now he had new hope, a new resolve to live for. A hope to see his family, a hope to finally be free of the GIW. But the goal was a long way off, and his new handicap didn't make it any easier.

The sun was setting, sending orange streaks across the darkening sky. Danny sighed, another day come and gone with no real excitement, no real feeling of improving. While he speculated about his family in his mind Sam and Tucker were always with him, occasionally Technus too.

As much as he now trusted these people he still felt alone here. As usual he didn't speak much, he didn't want to talk about anything. Practically the only thing he woke up for in the morning was a new chance to see if he could find his family.

He twisted around and hoped down into the room, his metal leg clunking loudly on the floor. He walked with his funny limp to the bed, ready to put himself to bed to speed through the night. Technus was still gone, Tucker and Sam had taken him to find some more stuff for the ghost to use. Technus needed to get out of bed anyway, he was actually quite annoying to Danny when he was trying to sleep or think. The ghost was quite the talker, and it irked Danny to no end. 

To Danny's surprise all three people burst into the room, all breathing heavily as if chased. Danny frowned as his heart sped up, they looked scared.

Sam spoke first, one word that made Danny's heart stop. "GIW!"

Danny froze, horror written on his face. No, no nononono! Not again!

Sam ran to the window, pulling a exhausted Tucker with her. "Common! We gotta go! They're at the front door!" She pushed Tucker out the window, he helped as he fell onto the fire escape.

Danny limped into action, instead of heading for the window, he went to the door. Technus floated tiredly to Sam, both looked back when Danny didn't follow.

"Danny?"

"They're after me." Danny said stoically, eyes peaking behind the door frame to see the empty hallway. He could hear the thumps as the GIW pounded on the front door. It wouldn't last long, the GIW were relentless, especially when it came to Danny.

"Common!" Sam shouted, coming up to him and taking his arm to drag him to the window.

But it was too late, white agents flooded the room. Sam yelled with fright as Danny shoved her back, shielding her with his body. He rose a small ectosheild with his arm, he scowled as he had to back away from the agents and the window, cutting them off from Tucker and Technus and cornering them in the room.

Danny rose, finding a sudden energy filling his veins. The halfa's flying was hampered by his metal leg but he made it off the ground. He raised his glowing fists, ready to fight his way out, he refused to be taken again.

A strangled shout distracted him, his head turned to see Tucker yelping as an agent held him roughly, a gun to his head.

"Stand down or the kid gets a bullet to the brain." The agent shouted. Danny sunk to the floor, there was no way he could do anything with Tucker trapped like that. Danny would never risk the lives of others for his own safety, a strong sense of protection came over him.

The agents formed a semicircle around the kids, Technus sunk beneath the floor without a word. The agents either ignored him or didn't care, they weren't after the ghost of technology, only the abomination. Behind the halfa, Sam rose to her feet, wondering how she could help the one-legged boy. The agents settled their rather large guns to Danny and Sam, there would be no dodging.

"Good. Now surrender yourself or the kid gets it." A different agent ordered, he parted the sea of white agents and stood before Danny. He was just like the rest, all white save it be the black accents on his clothing. He wore a badge though, a very official looking one, shiny and pinned to his left shoulder. This guy didn't mess around.

Danny took a step forward, Sam pulled him back by his shoulder, protesting. "Danny no! We can find a different way out!"

Danny only looked at her, a calm smirk placed on his face. She let go as she saw red crawl into his emerald eyes.

Danny had no intentions of surrendering.

He walked forward again, hands raised in surrender. Four agents came up to meet him, the red in his eyes gave a bloody haze over his bowed face.

Technus rose from the ground next to Tucker and flew into the man holding him hostage. The overshadowed Agent let Tucker go, helping him out the window he was pulled out of. The other agents didn't notice, their attention on the real prize, the halfa.

Danny saw them leave out of the corner of his eye, his smile grew from calm to sinister. When the four agents were close enough he slammed a fist into the ground. A green dome formed over Danny and Sam, none too soon as deadly green lasers fired on them.

Sam sunk to the ground, trying not to get blown away by a sudden wind. Danny leveled his red gaze on the agents, his white hair licking in the wind, looking more like a flame.

The dome held, Danny's outstretched fist twitching. When the shots died down Danny let them see his untouched dome, letting them realize they cut off a crap ton more than they could chew. Danny's fear was nonexistent, his grim smile almost malicious.

The agents were ordered to switch weapons, but Danny wasn't phased, he began to fight.

He kicked and punched in mock battle, Sam behind him again. With every punch a green ectoplasmic fist erupted from the dome, acting like an extension of himself. It looked rather silly, he stood harmless in his dome while his largely exaggerated limbs did all the fighting. What was odd was his metal leg, he moved it with such fluidness one could only achieve with experience. But Sam knew his experience only amounted to a few days. His red eyes didn't blink the entire time, a steady glare locked onto the lead Agent.

The agents themselves were in a state of disarray and half panic. Danny never demonstrated this much power before, it was terrifying. But the agent in charge only returned the stare and moved forward with unnerving confidence. He pulled a red sack from his jacket pocket as he dodged a large green fist. The ecto-limbs and dome shuddered as the boy controlling them recognized the sack the agent held. He froze.

Danny's eyes widened as the agent stood in front of him, the dome the only thing separating the two. His red eyes flickered, the green returning for a few seconds before staying. The extended limbs retracted, the dome the only thing standing between them as the halfa bowed his head in defeat and fear. The agent stood over him with a vicious smirk, holding the sack with two fingers, the red pouch precariously held in the air.

If it were to drop, Danny would die instantly.

"Release the dome." The agent commanded with a mockingly soft tone, as one would ask a child what type of sandwich they wanted. The green dome lowered, like water running off a windshield.

Sam was confused, she stood, the phantom wind gone and Danny's head bowed before the man. Agents were strewn about her room, most groaning with pains and a few unconscious.

Sam shoved herself in front of Danny, giving her own glare to the agent. "If you want him you have to go through me."

The agent laughed, deep and throaty, the dark haired girl heard Danny shrivel behind her. "Through you?" He asked eventually, finding the question so stupid it was funny. "That can be arranged."

Without warning the agent grabbed Danny's shirt, his arm going through Sam's middle, and lifted his prize up. Sam stood in shock for a brief moment before anger twisted her features. She hated when adults made fun of her.

She stomped forward, stepping first on his foot with her heavy combat boot then kicking his shin with her other foot.

Danny was dropped as the man cried out in pain. Before Danny or the agent could protest Sam grabbed Danny's hand and ran to the window, not caring if Danny stumbled along the way.

The two kids ran for the escape hatch, the window, their only freedom, their only way out. Sam jumped clear of the window and fire escape, eyes widening as she realized she overshot. She felt hands under her armpits as Danny flew above her, his face set in a grim line.

A strange blue light suddenly enveloped them.

Their flight was cut short, Danny seemed stuck as if in a tractor beam. Sam slipped from his arms as he was pulled backwards, he yelled in fright, remembering the machine that caused this suction. Sam didn't fall too long but she still grunted as she landed, then twisting around to face the new situation. She absentmindedly, despite the situation, noticed Tucker and Technus were no where to be found and there was an unconscious agent on the ground to her left.

The lead agent held a cylendrical object, looking like a thermos, the blue beam emanated from it. Danny didn't dare glance back, he knew he couldn't fight it's pull, but he could try.

He grunted as he flew harder, pushing back against the unseen pressure pulling him in. Sam watched from below, her core twisting with ever growing purple, her face contorting to horror as she realized he was losing the battle.

Danny's vision began to swim, he was going to lose. He was going to be caught again. There was no way out this time. An idea sparked in his head, there may be no escape now, but he could escape later. If only he could alert his family.

"Sam!" He yelled, after recalling he never actually thanked the girl. Had he ever even said her name before? "F-find Bat-m-man!"

Danny saw the window come around him as he was pulled backwards. He grimaced in pain as he latched onto the window frame. "Ba-atman!"

The halfa yelled in fright as he was sucked into the cold, cramped, depths of the thermos.