Chapter Text
Danny stared at the beat-up payphone. Amity didn't have many left. That is to say, this was the only one in town.
If Danny was honest he was shocked to find that it still worked. The town had been completely cut off from the outside. The Ghost Investigation Ward had made sure of that.
He didn't know what they did. Just that they woke up one day and everything stopped working. Messages outgoing from Amity were interfered with. They could still text and call people in Amity. Some digging around from Tucker told team Phantom all of Amity's messages were being monitored.
This pay phone wasn’t.
After the idiots in white put Amity in lockdown in what Danny called some fucked up version of marshal law, the whole town had the feeling of Nineteen Eighty-Four. He thought the book was stupid at the time. Just another English assignment that Mr. Lancer had given the class that Danny swore was given just to fuck him over. However, Danny had been under constant surveillance. He figured they have had it out for him after his parents turned down a partnership.
He wasn’t the only one under surveillance, shiny new cameras popped up around town. However, he was confident that he was the only one they bothered to tail.
Tucker confirmed that they were the GIWs. With hardly any blind spots, it left Danny having to work with being under constant surveillance.
It took Big Brother is watching you to a whole new level. He hadn't been able to transform in weeks because of it.
Danny had spread word in the Zone asking Frostbite and Pandora to make an official announcement. It kept most of the ghosts away. There had yet to be an attack.
That's why this payphone was such a big deal. Despite the hostile takeover of the ward, they had something that was a line out.
The pay phone was nestled in an alley behind Amity Park Lanes.
Danny glanced at his watch.
5:55
Danny had 5 minutes till the start of curfew but Danny knew the second it hit 6 the agents lurking around the corner would swarm him. Most of them were aggressive. If it was operative O, he was screwed. Operative K wasn’t terrible, at least he could talk to the man. Danny figured it was some sort of good cop, bad cop routine. Didn’t matter how nice the Agent was. Danny wasn’t ever going to like him.
He wondered if they knew about the payphone and assumed it didn't work or if they had no idea.
Either way, it didn't matter. Danny had one shot and he couldn't fuck this up- no he wouldn't fuck this up. Once the ward found out about the phone he had no doubt they would remove it. Which was bad, but what was the point of having a phone if they couldn't call for help?
With shaky hands, Danny picked up the phone. The dial tone rang in his ear and he glanced behind him as he fumbled with the change in his pocket. As of right now, he didn't see anyone.
It took him a moment to get the coins in but once he did Danny dialed the number so fast one would think it was a family member rather than one he had only spent the morning memorizing. Thank God for that old newspaper.
Danny's breath caught when the line went through, “Hello, Justice League Tip line.” a woman answered.
Nearly in tears, Danny whispered, “Send help, they have the whole town hostage.”
“Who's they?” she asked her tone light, but still taking his words seriously. He hesitated, if he said The Ghost Investigation Ward they might brush him off. If not for the sheer ridiculousness then for the fact that they worked with the government.
“It doesn't matter just please come-”
“Hey, what are you doing?” a loud voice behind him cut him off.
Danny jumped, “Fuck,” he hissed before he snapped the phone back in place ending the call.
Not a moment later he felt hands swing him around.
“Who were you calling?” Operative K demand. It was odd, the man was normally cool and collected.
“My- my aunt Alisha.” he stumbled over his words. Hoping it came off as nerves, not a lie.
“Why?” Danny couldn’t see his eyes but could hear his squint.
Danny took a deep breath, and recited the story he had practiced “Jazz is graduating early, wanted the share the news with her. But- our phones weren't working. So I thought I'd try a pay phone but I don't think it works. Maybe I didn't use it right?” He tried to play up the dumb 14-year-old, who doesn't understand what is going on. Maybe he laid it on extra thick there; It was a godsend when dealing with the GIW. Most kids his age didn’t understand what was going on. Just that it wasn’t good, but Danny didn’t have that luxury.
Danny didn't really care if they believed him or not, That was the story he was sticking with. All of it was for the most part true. Jazz qualified to graduate early, and their phones weren’t working. Besides, they didn’t explicitly ban outside contact. Just made it impossible, Well, nearly impossible.
Optative K didn’t look too happy. “It’s past curfew,” He said eyes on the pay phone, “I swear we are always dragging you back to your house.” And he motioned for Danny to move ahead of him out of the back alley of Amity Lanes.
“Sorry, I had detention.” Danny shuffled his feet and moved forward.
‘Which you know because you've been stalking me all day.’ Danny thought
“Again?”
“Yeah, skipped English,” Danny shrugged, “Let's go, I got an essay to write.” he said making his way out of the alley. He was face-to-face with another agent.
With Operative K close behind. He recognized operative O, who looked about ready to attack him. Danny saw K raise his hand as if to say ‘let me handle this’ and O backed off a little. Still, he felt the agent's eyes on him and it gave him chills.
“What's your essay on?” Agent K asked as they made their way to Fenton Works
“It's a reflective essay.” Danny hesitantly replied.
“What are you reflecting on?” Danny glanced at Operative K, then at O standing next to him.
“The day I learned about lab safety firsthand. ” Not elaborating further. Not like he needed to, the ward and half of Amity knew about his hospitalization. He didn’t particularly want to write about his death. Even if he lied and made up details, but he needed something to tug at Lancer's heartstrings. What better than to dump all of his trauma onto his desk?
The rest of the walk was spent in silence. After curfew Amity became a ghost town. Pun intended.
It was an odd sight to see. Growing up Danny was used to seeing people out and about even at midnight.
‘People used to feel safe in Amity’
Now? It felt deserted, as residents found comfort in their own homes. The thought made his core hurt and he decided to look around at the house to distract from it.
The bright lights of Fenton Works came into view and Danny could see his mother waiting on their front porch.
She perked up when she saw Danny and the group of agents following. He could see a scowl from the street.
“Really? Another escort home? Again.” disappointment leaked into her voice.
He winced, “I had something important!”
“I'm sure.” her reply was clipped.
“Hey now, I do believe it is past curfew.” Operative K spoke up.
Maddie turned her attention to him. “Right, sorry sir, we should get in. Thanks for bringing this one back,” she said, eyes boring into his soul.
“Not a problem, but do try to get him to stick to curfew.”
“I’m sure he won’t do it again, Right Danny?”
“Yes, Mom.” He replied, head down.
Maddie nodded as she pushed him inside, and he could hear the lecture before she even opened her mouth. How he had to follow the new rules, how dangerous the ward was, and how he needs to stay out of trouble. Blah, Blah Blah Like he already didn’t know all that.
Danny looked out the window as Operative K and O talked. Maddie started her tirade against him but he wasn't listening. The only thing he was thinking about was how the next time someone picked up that payphone there wouldn't be a dial tone.
His throat clogged at that thought. He really hopes he made the right choice.
—-
Operative O watched as K made his way down from the steps of Fentons works.
“Why don't you punish him? He's broken curfew so many times.”
“As they say. You catch more flies with honey.”
O huffed “We all know the Fenton brat knows where Phantom is.”
“Maybe he does, Maybe he doesn't.”
“If you let us interrogate him then we would know for sure.”
K sighed, “The kid is the only Fenton who has spoken in defense of ghosts. Clearly, he has some connection.“
“Not possible, ghost can’t form a connection with anyone.”
“We know that. The Fentons know that. We all know that it is superficial. That the ghost can't and don't care about him. Daniel clearly feels differently. He trusts them. So when he eventually gets hurt by them. Who do you think he's going to run to?” Operative K glanced up at Fenton Works. He could hear Dr. Madeline yelling at her son from the street. Turning back to his fellow agent he said, “I'm willing to bet it won't be his parents.”