Chapter Text
“Maybe, just maybe we shouldn’t raid this base”
“We have to hit this one, we have too much info on it not to. Tonight is the night. Less staff on duty and who knows how long the bug is going to last unfound” Danny pointed at the laptop Tucker had opened at the security feed on the screen.
“Plus, the Wayne charity Gala is happening tonight. Anyone who is anyone is going there, and more importantly Danny’s godfather. He will cause a scene if necessary.”
“The last place I want to be is anywhere near Gotham, not given the whole supposed to be investigating a totally real not fake case on the other side of the country. This base based on all the intel has the paper files we need.” Tim sounded annoyed by the fact “In theory, we should be able to find out what is happening with it.”
“We have photos and stuff I still say we just post it out for all to see. Someone’s bound to notice” Danny supplied “I’m just saying. The league is not going to help. Your crew has too much faith in them. Show them all the evidence you want. They’ll just ignore it.”
“We just need one breakthrough. Any exposure would compromise our secrecy. All it will do is draw attention from the league to us.”
“Then you guys can stay out of it. We three are fine with it. We already are in the center. Let the public know. Better than letting the government get more control.”
Sam gave a pointed look at Danny “The blog we had remember got wiped. Showing evidence isn’t enough, they’ll claim it's fake. What we need is proof and live proof.”
Tucker cut in “What we need is a livestream, that’d be hard to fake.”
As far as Danny was concerned that sounded like a great plan. Sam had even seemed to be contemplating it. This whole villainy thing was getting obnoxious.
“NO, what we need is a plan and to Just stick to the plan. Do not start a live stream”
“What plan” Sam cut in
Tim was more than happy to go in-depth on the game plan. Five on the inside two on perimeter duty. They weren’t quite in Gotham thankfully, just close enough where it could draw attention. Stealth was a necessity. He still wasn’t too convinced about that.
Danny and the others still weren’t convinced of the whole plan idea.
It was far too difficult to have a secret meeting when there were trained people around. He thought it was difficult to sneak around when his parents were around. He was positive what they were doing wasn’t hidden at all. Nobody had bothered to stop them. A livestream was the best bet. Tucker had even managed to snag some tech from the zone last time he was there Which was to make it untraceable and add a flare. All he needed to do was start the stream. Which can’t be that hard. It was just loading or something.
"Dude come on, quit stalling. We've been waiting forever for this livestream to go live; we need it online quickly and without notice". Tucker sighed “I should have just handled both parts apparently. Hitting a button is oh so hard”
Danny scowled, "I'm telling you, it's up! Just give it a sec”
Sam leaned against the wall and crossed arms, rolling her eyes. "Well, I'm not holding my breath. Knowing you we'll be waiting forever.”
Tucker chuckled, his fingers dancing over his PDA. "Seconded. Remember when he tried to fix the thermos and ended up setting it on fire, again?"
Danny glared up at the two. " That was a minor mishap, a little fire doesn’t hurt anyone”
Tucker grabbed the device rigged to stream and followed them. If everything went right, they’d have a worldwide audience. Tucker owed Technus now. Which was a future trio problem. Not a now problem.
“Dude, you have to hit the start button” Sam cackled as Tucker started the stream. In the distance, they could see the green glow. Time to focus on the building ahead of them. “We have a party to get to”
Danny took that as his first opening. "Cause we're about to crash the ultimate government party! You know, the one they conveniently forgot to send us invites to? And hey, while we're at it, let's add a little flair to the occasion. Keep your eyes peeled for the pin drop, 'cause that's when the real fun begins.”
Phantom was going to be front and center for this livestream. Better him than the others. Figures a member of the species they were tearing apart would be a bit more dramatic and more serious than if Pharaoh or Hemlock took the lead “Did I mention the fireworks? 'Cause we're about to light up the night sky with a bang! So grab your snacks and strap in, 'cause we're about to blow this conspiracy wide open!" Danny sent a blast into the wall causing a bright green explosion.
“I said no live streams, did you not get that” Red Robin spoke from the coms and a voice modifier on.
Danny chose to ignore him and continue walking through the now-open wall. It made a great door if you were to ask him. “The public deserves the truth” while broadcasting a blast knocking out the agents heading towards them.
Another blast led deeper into the facility. Revealing the room line with cages, glowing green. Some blobs half melted in the cages, ectoplasm dripping from them into containers below the cages. The containers full of the ectoplasm that was meant to be protected and freed back to where it belonged.
"These cells contain the blobs" He explained, "The government has been lying to you. They don’t aid them naturally dissipating; they force them to ectoplasm. They feel the whole thing, “standing beside a row of sealed jars containing a swirling mass of green blobs, their frantic movements betraying their desperation to escape. "They're being harvested, drained of their life to help the government's research for power."
In the background were government agents dressed in obnoxiously bright white suits, their unconscious “Aren’t they so happy we crashed right in, greeting us” Danny spoke to the camera focusing on the agents’ gathering weapons. One’s blasting the same green. “Don’t you feel so protected? Fun fact for my viewers. Those supposed blobs, that your government has claimed need protected… well. Given the chance they grow. Not like you. BUT.” Danny made sure to flash his pointed teeth at the camera “Things like me. They aren’t meant to stay on this side of the veil.
Phantom led his audience deeper into a high-tech laboratory, Pharaoh dismantled weapons revealing a cluster of green blobs partially melted back into goo.
"These creatures deserve freedom,” Phantom spoke to the camera
Phantom couldn’t help but fly through the halls. Pointing out true process. What was happening to the entities in “protection”? That the blobs wouldn’t cause harm or issues.
Phantom continued down the hall.
The air grew heavy with tension as he approached a reinforced cell, one labeled for decontamination.
He knew what that meant.
What could be happening?
Who did they have?
Was it someone minor? Someone with barely any lingering ectoplasm.
Who.
He needed to get in that room.
But he didn’t want to.
But he had to.
The world was silent as he approached the door.
He paid no attention to the chat.
Nor the voices asking for his status.
Not the voices about how their location was out.
He froze when he peered into the batter window on the cold metal door.
He through the camera to the ground. Finally responding in the coms “cut the stream”
Ellie was bound to a surgical bed Cuffs blinking red, leaving her powerless and vulnerable. All while hooked to IVs and machinery. Ones that would be removing ectoplasm from her system. What she was very much made of.
It seemed more streamlined.
Danny was quick to try and open the door.
Ellie was fighting against her binds, her muffled cries of frustration echoing through the cell. But as he looked into her eyes, he saw only fear and confusion.
"Phantom, what's going on?" tucker demanded.
“They have Ellie”