Danny groaned as he slowly opened his eyes only to see another blinding light and there was a ringing in his ears before a voice broke the sound.

"Wake up punk!" said a Guy In White.

Danny gasped and tried to sit up, but he found himself trapped. He looked around and saw that he was in a laboratory and strapped to an operating table with metallic bands across his midsection, arms, and legs.

"Nervous?" the Guy asked menacingly. "Well, you should be,"

"Why are people getting up close to my face today?" Danny asked rhetorically before talking to the operative. "Look, you guys got the wrong idea about me. I'm not a threat to Amity Park, I try to protect it."

"Don't kid yourself ghost. You threaten the people of this town just by being here. Every ghost that comes here is because of you,"

"That's not... entirely true," Danny said trying to defend himself. "Lots of the ghosts come here for other reasons."

The operative was not convinced. "In any case, you have been a pain on our sides and a menace to this city and it's time something was done about it."

"So... any chance you could just give me a quick slap on the wrist and let me go with a warning?" Danny asked nervously.

"Not likely, no," the agent answered bluntly. "But if you got a problem with that, you can take it up with Alpha..."

Right on cue, the head of the GIW entered the secure room and he stood next to the operating table. Danny could see his reflection in the dark shades of Alpha's glasses.

"At long last," Alpha said. "You can step aside Operative H; I can take it from here."

"Look, guy," Danny said. "I saw you on the news the other day."

"Oh, did you? So, you have access to our local news. Did you like the piece?"

"I know you guys have been after me for... a long time. But if you would just let me expla-Mmmm!" He was cut off by Alpha who quickly slipped a ghost proof gag over Danny's mouth.

"It certainly likes to talk," Alpha commented before his tone grew serious. "Allow me to explain something to you Phantom; you are a threat to Amity Park and if you thought for even one nano-second that we were just going to let you continue to terrorize the town, you've made a grave mistake."

"Good one sir," Operative H said from the side.

"No one likes a kiss-up agent," Alpha said sternly.

"Yes sir,"

"Now, set up the tools for sample extraction. We want to do it quickly while its awake and before the A.P.P.L.E has removed its powers completely."

Danny's words were muffled by the strap of tape over his mouth, but it seemed to catch the boss's attention.

"Phantom, these restraints keeping you to the table are not ghost proof because, thanks to our latest weapon against ghosts, we found a way to render you powerless." At the ghost boy's confusion, Alpha clarified. "We procured the details to a machine the Fentons had made while we owned their business. Jack Fenton labeled it as... Fentonpowerstop-offer- stopphire? Anyway, it's a machine that supposedly takes powers away from ghosts."

Danny's eyes widen. He remembered that invention.

"But we made something similar with a few modifications." Alpha continued. "An anti-ghost gun we call the advanced protoplasm power laser extractor... or A.P.P.L.E for short. It was mayor Masters who encouraged us to use it and other weapons we have on any upcoming ghosts and it had worked better than expected. The man maybe pompous but at least he gives us the funds to help make these inventions."

Fear gripped over Danny's heart at this news and when he saw the large needle. They stuck one into his arm which was hooked to an IV bag hanging from a stand. The hours after this were the stuff of the teen's worst fears. The men used all kinds of tools against the ghost boy and all the while, the needle in his arm drew out the ectoplasm from his veins until it was full and then replaced. His green eyes closed tightly but no matter how agonizing the pain was Danny could only watch in silent horror, unable to scream.

Guys came in and left the room again all day and night until it was noon the next day and Danny could still feel the pain as they dragged him into a new room. This room was lined with double plated cylindrical glass cases. One was open and they tossed the ghost boy inside.

"This will hold it for a bit." Said operative G, "We'll let the thing rot for a while until the next guys have their turn with Danny Phantom."

"Why are you saying this?" said operative I. "We were both briefed a minute ago,"

"I like to talk so sue me,"

The men left and turned off the light, but the ghost boy still glowed faintly, and Danny could barely move without feeling a sting on his body where they had hurt him. The ghost boy was without ectoplasm or strength to stay awake. Fear kept him from drifting though, fear that the guys would find Danny Fenton and not Phantom in the cage.

Danny nearly passed out from exhaustion until he suddenly feels like he's being watched and hears the sound of tapping. He turns his head and sees a pair of red eyes looking back at him. The ghost boy flinches but when he looked again, he saw that eyes were on a big green blob ghost. Danny had seen and fought against ghosts like this before, but compared to other ghosts, they weren't the worst. This one stared back at Danny but there was no malice nor fear, just sorrow, misery, and a hint of curiosity and its eerie ghostly glow flickered like a dying candle.

"Are you really Danny Phantom?" the blob ghost asked. Danny nodded yes and the ghost groaned. "If the Guys got you then there's no hope for the rest of us,"

Danny tried to speak but the gag prevented him. He lifts his head and saw six other blob ghosts just like the one next to him, all of them identical in appearance and imprisoned.

'Seven ghosts,' Danny thought.

"We don't know how long it's been since they caught us, but they did and shot us with that A.P.P.L.E." The ghost next to him explained.

"They drain us," the second ghost blob replied. "We lose power, but our ectoplasm grows back naturally."

"We glow and they take us away to drain us then throw us back in these cases." Said a third ghost.

"Over and over again," said a fourth.

The ghosts moaned and groaned. Danny couldn't stand the mournful cries, but something ignited in his chest and he rips off the tape over his lips. "Stop it!" he shouted. When the ghosts stopped, Danny continued. "I'm not gonna lie, I kinda gave up hope too but maybe... maybe there's still a way to escape this place... and then I can give the fruitloop a piece of my mind."

"Who's the fruitloop?" a ghost asked.

"Never mind," Danny said.

"But what about us? We can't even escape these cases," one ghost blobs said.

"Yeah, and even if we could, we're not strong enough to fight our way out," said another ghost.

Danny thought for a moment, "Not unless we work together..." He said.

"Eight powerless ghosts aren't much against their weapons."

"No, just one ghost," Danny clarified. "Here's my plan,"

Later, operatives K and O entered the room.

"Finally, our turn," Operative K said.

"Time for payback," Operative O replied.

The two guys went to the case where the ghost boy was, his body curled up and unmoving. Operative O slammed his palm against the glass. But the ghost still wouldn't move even when the guy tried again. Finally, they open the door- and Danny kicks them both in their chests. While the two guys are down, Danny presses a button that unlocks all the cases, freeing the seven blob ghosts.

"Okay, now!" The ghost boy said to the others... but they did not move. "What are you waiting for?"

"This could be very dangerous for you," One ghost blob said.

"I-... Let me worry about that later. Just do it," Danny insisted.

The ghosts were hesitant for a moment, but they soon became intangible and phased into Phantom's body. Danny was overshadowed before by Sidney Poindexter but this time it was multiple ghosts at the same time. He tried to relax, thinking it would help, but the shock of it was overwhelming. The mass of ghosts inside of him made his appearance change too. Danny's skin grew paler, his teeth sharpened to points, his eyes turn solid red, and green ectoplasm dripped and foam at the corner of his mouth.

The guys shook their heads and gasped at the sight of the ghost boy's frightening new look. The ghost boy puffed up his chest and he barfed ectoplasm all over the room. He flew out of the room and terrorized the rest of the building. He blasted computers and equipment, he spat ectoplasm. Before he could make his escape, Danny had managed to find the crown of fire and the ring of rage, he grabs both but then swallows the ring.

Outside the building, the protesters heard sirens and saw ectoplasm oozing from the walls. Operatives ran out just as a corner of the roof explodes and Phantom shots out into the sky, and he crash lands in the forest outside of town where he is later discovered by Vlad. The ghosts controlling Danny were not aware of who they were speaking to at first, so they attacked the man.

"What do you want from us!?" said Phantom but his voice sounded distorted.

"Daniel-... stop this!" Vlad said trying to pry Danny's hands off his throat, but the teen wouldn't let up. So Vlad kneed him in the stomach which stunned the ghost boy, the man pushed him away and the teen belched. The man gave an annoyed look. "Really Daniel?" he asked.

A flash of light caught in Vlad's eye, he looked over in the direction and he spotted the crown of fire in the dirt. He grabs it, its fire goes out in his human hands. "Well, at least Daniel got this back, but where's the-" But his sentence was cut short when he hears whirling of helicopter blades.

'Butter biscuits,' The man thought rolling his eyes before grabbing Danny, pushing him in the car and buckling him up to the back seat.

Vlad drove back to the town and was determined to make it back before Phantom woke up. But then he heard mumbling and Phantom's eyes flutters, they were still red. "Daniel, can you hear me?" Vlad asked.

Danny just sat there silently, until he finally spoke, "V-Vlad?" he asked.

"Daniel, what happened to you?" the elder asked.

Phantom only coughed in response. "Z-Zone," he muttered. "We want-... zone,"

"Zone? The ghost zone?" Vlad wondered. Phantom nodded but then shook his head. "Well, which is it?" Vlad insisted.

"Vlad-... I'm- Overshadowed... gotta let them out!" Phantom's voice sounded even worse.

That was all the elder need to hear for now and he soon made it back to his mansion. But as soon as he parked, Phantom went intangible and flew into the large house. Vlad rushed in after the ghost boy, but he didn't see him near his portal to the ghost zone.

"Daniel?" Vlad called out, "Daniel?"

In a flash of black and white, Vlad was pinned to the wall with Phantom twisting his arm behind his back.

"You're the one who sent them after us!" the ghost boy spoke in a distorted voice.

"What are you... talking about?" Vlad asked face twisted from the pain.

"It was you who brought the guys to Amity Park and gave them the A.P.P.L.E. Things around here weren't half as bad before you came here. You're the one who should be locked up!" Phantom shouted before bending Vlad's arm more.

The man hissed before whispering, "I'm sorry about this Daniel," He strikes the side Danny's head with his elbow and as Phantom stands there dizzy, Vlad opens up the portal to the zone. He then takes the ghost boy by the collar into the Ghost Zone. Vlad stood on a floating rock outside the portal opening with Phantom still in his grasp. "Here you go, the Ghost Zone, now get out of Phantom's body," the man demanded.

Phantom presses his hands against his head, "Please, just do as he says and go," Danny said, his own voice ringing out before it becomes distorted again. "Okay, but we do this for you Phantom, not our persecutor,"

One by one, a blob ghost exits Danny Phantom's body and flies away further into the ghost zone before the ghost boy's slumps, but Vlad manages to catch him.

Danny's vision was blurry for a while, his body felt heavy and his movements were slow as if he were underwater. Once he was able to open his eyes, he saw at once that he was surrounded by ectoplasm. He gasped, shot his head up, and immediately his whole body shot with pain. Danny found himself back in his human form in a large tub full of ectoplasm and there was a breathing mask on his face. He also blushed when he saw that he was only wearing his boxers now. He rested his head against the edge of the tub and tried to calm his breathing. Once he calmed down some, Danny took a moment to check his surroundings and realized he was in Vlad's lab.

The doors to the room opened and Vlad Masters walks in. "You're awake, at last," he said to the teen. Danny tries to speak but the man raises a hand. "You shouldn't talk while wearing a breathing mask." He walks over and gently takes the mask off of Danny's face.

"How long have I been out?" Danny asked with a strained voice. "And why am I in this thing?"

"Firstly, for about four hours," Vlad answered. "Second, this particular ectoplasm should help you with any internal damage you have suffered during your multiple overshadowing."

Danny fell silent, remembering that experience.

"And while we are on the subject; WHAT were you thinking!? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Vlad sounded angry but there was a hint of concern in his voice. "You'll be lucky if there isn't any lasting damage to your psyche!"

With his eyes wide open now, Danny stared back at Vlad. He had almost forgot how tense it was when Vlad gets angry. "I...I didn't know what else to do. The guys took our powers away and even if I could escape by myself, I wasn't going to just abandon those ghosts. I had to do something to save us-... them,"

"Our? Us? Them? It's always others that you're concerned with. You should be thinking about yourself for once in your life," Vlad countered.

"I'm not like that Plasmius!" Danny snapped. "If I was, I'd end up a sad old fruitloop like you!"

Both of them looked at each other threateningly until Vlad's grimace melted away when he saw Danny's eyes turn solid red again and he took a step back. Danny's anger softened when he saw the look on Vlad's face. "What?" he asked.

The man shook his head and held his palms out. "It's nothing, let's try to refrain from arguing until you are fully healed shall we little badger?" He said not wanting to alarm Danny about his eyes changing, "I saw that you managed to recover the crown of fire, but do you remember where the ring is?" Vlad asked.

The teen's eye turned back to their normal sky-blue human eyes and he rested his head back on the edge of the tub. "Um... I think I ate it," he answered.

"You-!" Vlad stopped himself from yelling. "One of two things is going to happen then. Either I find a safe way to extract it from you or..."

"Or we wait till it passes through me?" Danny guessed and snickered.

"Not what I was going to say. All the same, we'll have to try for the former," Vlad concluded with a deadpan expression. "I have a few methods,"

"Can you not tell me what they are? After what the guys in white did, I had enough experiments to last a while," Danny said before raising an eyebrow at Vlad. "Oh, and by the way, thank you so much for helping the Guys make their latest weapon," he said sarcastically.

Vlad's softened into genuine concern that the teen didn't seem to notice before the man steps closer. "What are you talking about? Is it that thing you and your "friends" were talking about? The... Ape ale?"

"That's not a thing. They call it the apple and that's what the Guys used on us." Danny explained. "Alpha said you helped pay for it."

"Daniel, I'm a benefactor for that facility, not the boss. What they do with the money is the company's choice not mine and you can't possibly think I had any real faith in their endeavor to capture ghosts,"

Danny already knew the answer to that, but he just grumbled, "Whatever. Can we please just get on with getting the ring out of me. I don't know why I did that."

"Perhaps you were to out of it to put it on properly... or you were just hungry?" Vlad said.

"Was... was that a joke?" Danny wondered.

"I thought it might help," Vlad admitted. "That's what I would like to do, if you would just let me,"

"Joke or help?" Danny said. Seeing the anger in Vlad's eyes, the teen pulled back. "What? I was kidding that time. Anyway, if you want to help, like really want to help... okay, but after this we need to talk about something else,"

Vlad was about to ask Danny what he meant but decided to save that conversation for later. "Very well. I will add a gas into the mask that will help you sleep while I take the ring out of your stomach,"

"Whoa, why do I need to be asleep?" Danny asked.

"Because I highly doubt you got any sleep while you were with those buffoons in white and your eyes are a state."

"What's wrong with my eyes?"

"Nothing serious. Dark rings, blood shot and it looks like your having trouble keeping them open," Vlad explained.

Danny tried to deny it but his eyes did start to hurt. He tried to rub the tiredness out with his hands, but it wasn't working. "Okay," the man places the mask back over Danny's nose and mouth.

Vlad pushes some buttons and Danny gets a new smell coming from the air in the mask. "Deep breaths little badger,"

Danny takes in a few deep breaths; his mind grows fuzzy from the mint scented gas and he slowly falls asleep.