Chapter Text
Life was far from normal for Vlad Masters, CEO of VladCo which was one of the most innovative and profitable companies in the world. Featured in magazines for both his scientific brilliance and business skill he was one of the richest men in the world at over 60 billion. VladCo’s slogan was “Turn today’s theory into a better tomorrow.”, from energy to waste management nothing was too ambitious if it could be backed up. This had gotten Vlad a hold in many fledgling industries with those now in the forefront of their field resulting in a varied parent company able to recover if something fell through. Though more often than not pipedreams became huge successes. The Fenton Works spinoff was the leading example, the first try and the first success after Vlad collected the capital from artifacts in and out of the Ghost Zone via natural portals. Alternative energy and cybernetics were Vlad’s professional interests in Fenton Works, a stable company though not one of his most profitable.
Privately Vlad was very invested with Fenton Works success. He wanted nothing but the best for his best friends, Jack and Maddie Fenton, be it financial or personal goals both familial and ghost related. They had a long history going all the way back to college over two decades ago. All three had gotten degrees, his Masters in Science and Business, Maddie had gotten her Masters in Biochemistry and Jack had a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Eighteen years ago Vlad had served as Jack’s best man, calming his nerves, dispelling his worries and giving a beautiful toast having planned the majority of the wedding.
Sixteen years ago Vlad comforted the anxious new father as Maddie gave birth to a beautiful baby girl christened Jasmine. She had taken after her mother in terms of rational thinking and looks. Vlad knew Jazz would have her pick of any college she wanted and he would be there to foot the bill if need be but scholarships were particularly guaranteed at this point. Fourteen years ago Vlad had watched that little girl, Jazz, as Maddie gave birth to a son late at night with Jack at her side. That little boy was named Daniel, Danny to his friends, and was proving to be a more even mix of his parent’s physical and mental attributes. Though while his parents looked to explore the unknown of the afterlife Danny looked up to the vastness of the stars. Vlad was already looking at tutors to help his little badger make the grades for NASA.
To Vlad, Jazz and Danny were like his own flesh and blood, he was their god father legally and took the role seriously. While he lived in the castle of the former Dairy King in Wisconsin just outside of Madison, Vlad traveled to Amity Park, Oregon via his private jet for Sunday dinner. Vlad had been the first to get a Skype account just last year and used it a few times a week to keep current with his charges. The two siblings had spent more than a few summers in Vlad’s castle to the point they had their designated rooms and even hand picked horses in the stable. In the basement was a cutting edge lab for when Jack and Maddie came with the children for winter break along with the majority of his personal projects.
Vlad was in that lab now cleaning the ecto-filtrator of his ghost portal dressed in a red shirt and overalls, his hands-on work wear. Unlike the portal he was aiding the Fentons build this portal was a stabilized natural portal. It had been a much easier task to build a working frame around something that existed then start from scratch. There were a few natural portals in Amity Park but they were out in the open, a whole building would need to be constructed around it so in that case Vlad had been very lucky. Though to be honest it was why he bought this castle though the company of the Dairy King was appreciated. So many ghosts fled from Vlad if they didn’t outright attack him as he was an anomaly, an unknown and thus a danger in their eyes. Vlad had used that to create a reputation as a vengeful, ruthless and powerful ghost, well half ghost. Such a secret was hard to keep when fighting alongside two ghost hunters, his heart and lungs resuming function during the most intense of fights or to speed healing.
Complete with his task Vlad wiped his hands on a cloth before tossing it into a biohazard container. While he could handle ectoplasm with his bare hands it normally required hazmat gloves for a full human. There was a satisfied smile on his lips as Vlad read the portal’s readings, peak performance. His hand ghosted over the metal doors, always locked when not in active use. It kept Vlad from being ambushed but sometimes gazing into the swirling green vortex would make him freeze in fear as he remembered its predecessor.
That accident had changed Vlad’s genetics and his life but not his friendships. The tension between Jack and himself was gone though Jack still apologized whenever his halfa status caused him significant issues. Vlad would simply shake his head and tell Jack to get some cheese for that wine. Vlad wouldn’t be where he was now as a mortal man and neither would various fields of science under his patronage. Though as his stomach grumbled Vlad frowned, there was one downfall of his condition but it wasn’t Jack’s fault but his doctor’s. Ghosts should not form around vampires...
His gaze went to the back of the circular lab, there was a generator with a container with blurs of neon green. Vlad approached the acrylic container, ghost proof and decorated with a mixture of a properly enriching bird and rodent toys. The chirps and squeaks cute and happy, Vlad wasn’t so cruel as to make his livestock suffer in boredom. Inside were little blob ghosts, all roughly the size of an orange. They weren’t people, they had never even lived, just poltergeists, created by the emotion of human beings, from unrequited love to grudges. His eyes looked them over, all but one had a healthy glow, the odd one out had been the last used, it would recover in a week or so. None of them knew their purpose here, Vlad’s powers allowed him to put such weak willed beings into a trance similar to heavy sedation.
“Well, it is lunchtime and I have nothing scheduled for the day… I should check my emails first, I tend to get a little tipsy and Angelina definitely earned her raise after cleaning up that last mess. “ Reasoned Vlad, his frown becoming a smirk as the little blobs came to the glass, eager for his attention.
A monitor began to beep nearby and with a sigh Vlad walked over. His annoyed expression became fearful, it was his surveillance for Fenton Works. Jack had consented to the sensors and cameras in the lab, Vlad funded much of their research and was better equipped to handle paranormal threats. The ectoplasm readings were spiking higher then even his portal had produced during its stabilization. Switching to camera feed Vlad felt sick to his stomach while his core clenched at the sight. There were three teens, one of which was laying on the ground before an active portal.
“Daniel…”