Chapter 16: 27 Kidnapped | Captured [Tropes]

When Chelsea woke up, she wasn’t in her bed. Her arms and legs were splayed out like a star. Her eyes shot open and she twisted her head this way and that. She wriggled her hands, but they were strapped down tight. She tried going intangible and received a zap instead. That made her wish she had core powers, which hadn’t yet developed.

Panic settling in, she looked around. Black and white counters and cabinets covered the walls of the large room. Equipment littered the countertops, making the place feel disorganized. A shiny metal tray holding sharp instruments stood next to Chelsea.

A squeak escaped her.

What happened? How was she in this position? Last she remembered was going to sleep in her own bed. Did someone kidnap her while she was asleep? That must be it. Who would do that?

Skulker. He’d been intent on capturing her since they first met. He was fascinated by half-ghosts. Called them a “rare hunt.” What did he plan to do to her? The sharp instruments by her bed promised not good things.

She struggled harder.

How could she escape? The restraints were ghost-proof and human-proof. Her wrists were starting to hurt from struggling, but her frantic mind wouldn’t let her stop. There had to be a way out! She didn’t want to survive her illness just to be… She wouldn’t let herself think about what might happen to her.

“I finally found you!” came a quiet voice.

“Danny?” Chelsea asked, turning her head. He was in his human form and looked worried.

“Stay quiet,” Danny said, looking around. He spotted cameras in the corners of the room and zapped them with an ectoray. “Well, he knows I’m here now. Gotta move quickly before–”

“Don’t move, ghost child!” That was Skulker. He slammed the door open with one arm and held out his weapons attached to the other arm.

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“Well that was fast,” Danny said. “Okay, you caught me.” He held out his wrists to be cuffed.

“What are you doing?” Chelsea hissed.

Skulker looked confused, too.

“What’s it look like I’m doing?” Danny asked. “I’m surrendering.”

“You can’t!” Chelsea wailed.

He smiled at her. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan.”

“I don’t care what your plan is,” Skulker said, “you’re mine now!” He pressed a button and a net sprang out to ensnare Danny. Danny, who was in his human form. The net went right through him like he was intangible.

“What?” Skulker shouted.

Danny giggled. “When in the Ghost Zones, humans are the ghosts. You’ll have to do better than that.” He turned and ran through the wall.

“Drat!” Skulker huffed and left the room.

Chelsea was left alone again, but only for a moment. A strange vehicle floated into the room. Sam and Tucker were inside.

“All clear?” Sam asked through a microphone.

“Looks like it,” Tucker replied.

“You’re here?” Chelsea wondered. “But how?”

“Skulker left Danny a note,” Sam explained. “He knew it was a trap, so he called in backup.”

“We’re gonna bust you out of here!” Tucker said. He exited the vehicle jangling a ring of keys. Chelsea gasped in relief. She was saved! He unlocked her restraints and she transformed into her ghost form.

“I’m going to help Danny,” she declared.

“We’ll come, too,” Sam said.

The three left the room and went to find Danny. With everyone’s help, they defeated Skulker, leaving him in a pile of broken armor. A small blob ghost crawled out of the armor and raised a fist at them.

“I’ll get you next time, Phantom!” the blob ghost said in a squeaky voice. Danny laughed.

“He’s just a blob ghost!” Chelsea said incredulously.

“Oh, yeah, we never told you,” Danny said wiping tears from his eyes. “Surprise!”

Everyone laughed.