It's been a while, so why not.

Two groans sounded in unison.

"Stupid scammers," Sam muttered as she began clicking furiously with her mouse, moving the cursor to the trash can icon.

Tucker looked directly at the camera lens of his computer. "You too?"

"I've been getting at least two of these emails every day for the past week. My parents were stupid enough to think one of their snobby business acquaintances sent them some important document or whatever." She readjusted her mic. "At least they listened to your advice from last year and got a professional in cybersecurity, who somehow managed to stop them in time."

The female could hear a huff through her headset. "These phishing emails have been showing up a lot more recently. Even my personal filters aren't removing them completely," Tucker stated. There was a hint of frustration in his voice.

Sam mimicked her friend's sigh and closed the window, revealing Doomed on the screen. "As long as we're not stupid enough to actually fall for these scams, we'll be fine. Now," she grinned rather deviously, "come on. We've got to get the special event reward before it ends. So far, no one's gotten it yet, and my reputation in the rankings will be at stake."

"If only Danny was here, these special event levels are hard to beat with only two players," Tucker complained.

The mentioned teen ghost hero had been swamped with work for the past six days on end. Homework to make up. Book report for Mr. Lancer. Make up test for algebra (missed due to obvious reasons). Two quizzes. Ghost attacks. Danny was even busy helping Jazz with one of her research theories.

"We'll manage," Sam responded confidently. "And we can't do any more for him now. The event ends in a couple days, and we're so close beating the special level." She received another sigh that acknowledged that she was right.

…

"Excellent!" Technus cackled maniacally. "I never imagined so many humans to be so foolish as to fall for these fake messages carrying my virus." Among the ones and zeros surrounding the ghost, were screens showing the viewpoint of all the infected technology across the globe. "And when I gain full control of every system on the planet, I'll gain control of the world!"

A giant spider like machine edged closer to its creator. Black glasses covering the ghost's eyes faced it as Technus pointed towards it. "Now, continue spreading yourselves across this digital world!" It complied by turning away and walking off.

He laughed some more, before pausing and humming. "Although, I'm surprised that even with the ghost boy's parent's stupidity, not a single piece of their technology has been infected yet. I wasn't expecting to gain control of their entire house again, but my virus hasn't gotten to even a single one of their technology…"

"Oh well. It will happen eventually," Technus stated as he shrugged, smiling. The ghost of technology turned his attention to a new screen, another infected tool.

Too bad thanks his parents' inventive intellect, with the addition of "the Tucker Foley touch," Danny's entire household tech is reinforced with the latest form of antiviral software, plus "anti-ecto software," as the couple referred to it. How the genius couple managed to come up with ghost proof software was beyond the team's comprehension. Danny said it was something about just making the hardware have ecto-proof parts, among other things that he couldn't understand.

…

Meanwhile, Danny groaned and simply let gravity take control, plummeting his face on top of the inch-thick stack of papers by his side. He rose his head to look up at the clock. Two hours had passed. The exhausted teen glared down on the finely printed papers with great scorn. Only to drop his head again, his bangs hanging loosely over the edge of the stack.

Lancer looked up from the book he was reading. "Do you need a break, Mister Fenton?" he asked as he raised a brow.

A couple seconds later and the teen was out of the room. The teacher blinked for moment as he felt a gust of wind heading in the direction of the classroom door, which was closed only a moment ago.

…

"You can't fail now, Tucker!" Sam shrieked, her voice amplified further via the headset.

The gaming teen flinched at the volume. "Don't think that I want to!" he screamed back while his hands still moved without slowing down. His fingers flew across the keyboard with mad desperation.

"I died for your sins, boy! Don't put my sacrifice in vain!"

Unblinking eyes watched their corresponding computer screens. They watched as the yellow character, bearing a large T on its chest, weaved its way around the obstacles of the field, dodging left and right. Tucker yelped upon dodging another shot aimed at him, and fired back. The player that he fired at fizzled out of the level.

Turquoise eyes moved back and forth, then up and down, and back and forth again. In response to the sudden appearance of another opponent player, Tucker pushed the keys and clicked rapidly within a fraction of a second. He huffed a sigh at the successful dodge. Another shot at the enemy.

As the teen moved closer towards the target prize, Sam and he smiled. His hands moved even faster, as another player appeared from his flank. Tucker turned and took aim, but paused.

The enemy turned static-y. "Hey! I can't move. What gives–?" The target disappeared.

Tucker blinked a couple of times. "Um…what just happened?"

"Tucker," Sam started, "we may have a problem."

…

Danny munched on his granola bar, the empty hallway echoing the sound of the crunching. He swallowed. Then tossed his wrapper in the trashcan by the wall.

"Feeling better now?"

The boy turned around to see Mr. Lancer, still holding onto the book. Danny didn't say anything and just nodded, his face neutral.

Lancer nodded in response and started walking back towards their classroom, only to hear a beeping noise. He looked back to see Danny staring at his phone screen. For a moment, the teacher could see a flash of surprise, concern, and maybe fear. But then the teen's expression turned into bored and unimpressed. He watched as Danny just huffed a sigh, silenced his phone, put the phone in his pocket, and just paced steadily back to the classroom.

Before the teacher could voice his concerns, Danny beat him to it. "Just the usual," the teen mumbled as he passed him, half answering to Lancer and half speaking to himself.

…

Sam screamed into her mic, with her cellphone in hand. "Can't you at least slow him down?"

"You think I can stop an entire cyberwar? Because that's pretty much what you're asking of me!"

"Well, try something. Anything!"

"I am! Where's Danny? He should be on top of this by now."

"I sent a mass of texts and he hasn't responded. He's probably still in the school."

"Then go get him."

"And what about you?"

"You won't be able to help me on this. Get Danny before Technus literally overruns the planet via all the tech in the world!"

Sam gripped the band of her headset, "proof, once again, that the technology humans create will destroy this planet," and tossed it, letting it clatter against her desk.

"I heard that!"

…

"Thanks, Mr. Lancer." Danny's light blue eyes looked back at the instructor's.

The teacher smiled back. "You're welcome, Daniel. It's reassuring to see that you're at least willing to take the time to make up for your missed work, even though you still never tell us the reason you miss them to begin with." Lancer hinted at his desire for an answer. He didn't receive one. Instead, he witnessed Danny covering his mouth and hiccupping, a faint trace of blue seemed to wisp between the cracks of his fingers.

The teen rolled his eyes while stifling a yawn. "Gotta go. Thanks again, Mr. Lancer!" He dashed out the classroom door.

…

"Ahahahaha!" Technus grinned at the screen showing panicking government officials. "This is going better than I expected." The thought raised some concerns, which he paused to. "Actually, where is the ghost boy anyways? He's normally on top of these kinds of things by now."

A new screen popped up in front of him. "Hm?" He leaned forward for a better view it, before shooting even closer and gripping the ends of it, "my viruses!"

…

"Found him yet?" Tucker's voice could be heard through the static of Sam's phone.

"No," she retorted harshly, "Lancer said I just missed him."

"Of course…" Sam could feel Tucker giving a deadpan look while still hearing him typing away on his keyboard.

The panting goth turned to the west side of the city, recognizing the familiar sound of a ghost battle.

…

*Bark*

Technus watched in horror as Cujo began massacring his spider virus army through his screen. Their crushed mechanical bodies fizzled before blinking out of existence. "Not you again!"

"Arf!" The hound continued chasing the clearly terrified spiders, enjoying the company of the many robot arachnid ghost viruses. Apparently, Cujo thought the entire scenario was a game.

"Why are you running away?! Fight him!" The technological ghost screamed into the screen, ordering for them to attack.

*Bark!*

…

"Danny!" The bedroom door flew open, Sam stood with a hand supporting her weight on the door frame, panting.

Said boy glanced up. He was seated on his bed, leisurely reading a comic book with a bored expression. "Hey Sam. Sorry I couldn't join you and Tuck in Doomed." Danny briefly resembled his sister as he turned to the next page with an unimpressed look.

Sam blinked, taking the moment to catch her breath. "How long have you been here?"

The teen responded with a shrug, "I don't know. Like, half an hour, maybe 45 minutes."

"And you haven't checked you phone since?!"

"It stopped working the last time I checked. Still had my files and messages though." He flipped to the next page.

"Have you at least seen my texts?"

"Yeah. Something about Technus trying to take over with viruses."

The exhausted girl's eyes widened in disbelief. "And you haven't tried anything to stop him?!" Her shrill voice echoed throughout the entire building. Luckily, it was only them in the house, and another incoming guest.

"Guys! The situation's getting really bad!" Tucker screamed as he barged into Danny's bedroom, PDA in hand to keep up to date on the situation. Upon entering, he finds Sam paused on mid-yelling at Danny.

Danny on the other hand, semi-glared at his panicking friends. It would have been more intimidating if he actually was angry or cared. The comic cook was tossed onto the nightstand, next to the Fenton Thermos with the ghost he fought a couple hours ago. The teen picked up the containment unit and made his way down the stairs. His two companions followed closely behind.

…

An ectoblast shot straight for Cujo, who dodged it with ease. "I refuse to have my plans completely destroyed by a mere hound!" Technus declared.

Cujo barked again, but then one of the screens behind Technus caught his attention.

…

Sam and Tucker watched as Danny emptied the thermos with the usual practice. Then the ghost teen hero just stood in front of the monitor in the lab as the computer booted up, and crossed his arms.

The two confused friends shared a look. Tucker spoke for them first. "Um…Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Shouldn't you…do something?" Tucker asked hesitantly.

Danny just shrugged. "Maybe," he answered dully. He was clearly out of it at the moment, and completely unmotivated. The boy lazily treaded across the lab and back, retrieving the ghost catcher, and positioned its threads just touching the monitor.

Tucker looked again at Sam and just gave a look of complete loss.

And as Sam opened her mouth, Danny waved at the monitor, or more specifically the lens of its camera. Her brows rose as Danny pulled out and revealed the familiar pink teddy squeaky toy.

The ghost teen backed away slowly, still holding up the bear to the camera, the thermos in the other hand. On the fourth pace, barking and screaming could be heard from the monitor. The computer and screen vibrated briefly, and again. Then they began violently shaking, making the table and all its contents tremble with it.

Sam and Tucker's eyes widened at the sight of Technus, beaten and bruised, fly out of the computer monitor with Cujo right on his tail. Literally. The pup's teeth were closed on the ghost's wispy lab coat tail. Immediately after there was a flash of blue, and only Cujo sat before them, wagging his tail expectantly.

Danny came up right behind the canine and patted his head firmly, rubbing its floppy ears with his fingers. "Good boy," he said before placing the thermos and catcher away.

The two spectators just blinked. Then Tucker looked towards his hand and checked his PDA, tapping away rather quickly, given his rather confused emotional state. Sam looked at him expectantly. Tucker nodded. "Everything's fixed," he answered looking towards the goth, almost stating it like a question, unsure of what more to say.

"I'm going to go enjoy the rest of my day now," Danny bluntly stated, before heading back towards his room.

"But, wait," Tucker looked at his friend, who was clearly becoming irritated at being stopped from going up to his room and resting. "How did any of that even work?" The boy almost screamed the question, unable to comprehend what just happened before him and Sam.

"Viruses are like the Box Ghost – pests, except digital. How do you think I've managed to keep my data safe all this time?"

A rushed work to add because why not. Still barely alive…