Chapter 5 - Chapter five!!! FINALLY

The Jaguar clawed its way though the many vines of the dense forest and over the steps of the temple, a silent as a mouse, looking for his assistant.

How can I be of help? it asked as it swirled around him.

I need more strength to capture the boy, he said to Shibalba.

Strength you shall have, as you have asked, but only in payment . . . He tossed a golden ringlet into the water and so Shibalba gave him the strength and he departed soon afterwards out of the ancient stadium.

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Danny met Sam and Tucker at the Nasty Burger after school. To Sams dismay, the sky was clear of clouds that day, and the sun was shining bright.

So whats this job you were telling me about? asked Tucker as he began to wolf down a cheese burger. Danny told them all about it.

So basically youre going to get into a giant fish tank, and move fish from one tank to another for $200 per dive? asked Tucker taking another giant bite out of his burger.

Yeah, thats bout it, said Danny, leaning back in his seat.

Danny, dont you think its a little dangerous? asked Sam, finishing her veggie salad.

What do you mean dangerous? I go in, lead the fish onto the stretcher, and come out. How much easier could it be?

A lot easier if your new boss hadnt mentioned youd be swimming with sharks sooner or later, she remarked.

Im still working the bugs out of it, Sam, now really irritated, left the table to get a soda.

Why do you want to get a job, anyway? asked Tucker once Sam was out of earshot.

Well, I want to take Sam some place great during Spring Break., he said, taking a sip of his root beer.

Cool! Can I come? asked Tucker, completely oblivious to the purpose of the idea.

Why not?

As Sam sat down again to warn Danny about his job more, but then she heard a low growl coming in from all sides.

Oh no, said Danny. He went out side and turned into Danny Phantom, sure that it was near by.

Sam and Tucker soon joined him. The growl became louder and louder, closing in on them.

Danny! Behind you! Danny turned around to find that the Jaguar was much larger than it was before, and so close he could see the whites of its eyes.

It pounced on him once more, pinning him to the ground by the shoulders. Danny tried to freeze it, but that didnt work any more than his ghost ray had.

Danny went intangible and sank into the ground, then came up behind it and pulled it into a headlock. It grazed his arm with one of its fangs and Danny pulled away. He punched it in the nose keeping it astray for a few moments. He phased his arm through the cabinet on the wall containing the fire hose and blasted the Jaguar with it as it got closer. It then came back, setting its shoulders against the water Danny was shooting at it.

An idea clicked in his head. Danny shut off the water hose and head butted the Jaguar, knocking it down. While it was on its back Danny managed to tie all four legs together with the fire hose. Just as he was pulling out his thermos, although he wasnt sure if it would be of any use, it vaporized from the hose.

Figures, he said, turning back into Danny Fenton.

What was that thing? asked Tucker, running up to him.

You know well enough, said Danny, annoyed, It was a big, homicidal cat!

Maybe you should look into this, asked Sam, a worried look on her face as she saw Dannys scars from the fight.

I dont have time to,

Oh, but you have time to take on a really dangerous and stupid job at ten o clock at night! she muttered angrily.

Stop tryin to bite my head off!

Tucker just sat down at a table, sipping his soda as he watched them argue as though he were in the front row of a ping-pong match, perfectly entertained by watching the ball pass back and forth repeatedly and rapidly on a table with two and a half yards between the players. The way these two bicker, youd think theyre on a sitcom. I wonder how long theyre going to keep this up for. . . Tucker began to get bored of the fighting and stepped in between them.

Dont worry Sam! Dannys got his powers to help him anyway, said Tucker.

Yeah, but wont his boss have loads of security cameras watching the tanks? She snapped.

Ive been able to hide from cameras as easily as ever! I can take care of myself! said Danny, stepping closer to Sam.

Oh really? Whos the one who gets in a fight every ten minutes? she retorted, taking a step towards Danny, as Tucker moved out of the way.

What do you expect me to do? Just stand by and do nothing? he too a step towards her. His eyes turned from an angry blue to a glowing green, staring right at her.

No! Sam heard her voice shudder as she saw those green eyes boring into hers.  I expect you to not add onto it just for money! She said more firmly , and demandingly stepped closer to him. What was once about three yards between them had now narrowed down to an inch.

What would you know about it? asked Danny. He hated himself for fighting with her, he so wanted to tell her about why he needed the money, but his pride wouldnt allow it.

All Id know about it is that youve gotten your self so wrapped up in money that youd risk your life for just a few dollars!

Sam, I know what Im doing! just then he realized how high hed raised his voice at her, and was ashamed of himself and spoke quietly,  Have I ever led you wrong? He didnt know it, but as he spoke his eyes turned gradually back from green to blue as they stared into hers.

At this point Tucker had recoiled to sitting down and sipping from his drink again. He accidentally made a loud slurping noise as he realized he had drunk all of his soda. Both their heads snapped back to him.

Sorry, he said, throwing it away.

Sam looked back into Dannys eyes and said, Lets just go and turned away, just as unhappy as Danny was about the conclusion.
Each of them went home to do their homework, and Danny fought a few ghosts afterwards. Ten oclock eventually came, and Sam was writing in her Diary:



I never thought Danny could be such a hard headed idiot . . . actually, yes I did. Hes too stubborn to realize how dangerous his job is. He never even asked his boss what kinds of fish hed be gathering, so for all Danny knows he may wind up putting piranhas on a stretcher. Hes going to wish hed listened to me . . . Sam paused and read over what shed just written. Oh my gosh, I sound like my mother! Maybe Dannys right; maybe he can handle the job. . . What if his boss asks him to work with the sharks? What if hes hurt? What if


Sam slammed her diary shut to keep herself from thinking any more of the what ifsbut of course that didnt work. Her night side clock read 10:05. She got out of her pajamas and changed into her clothes before grabbing her jacket and heading out the door to the Aquarium.

You ready? said Jim Thorne as Danny walked through the door.

Yes, Sir. Where do I start?

Come with me, Jim Thorne said, leading Danny up a few flights of stairs and through a door with a sign that read STAFF ONLY.

Wow, was all Danny could say. Before him, he could see the several open tops of all the tanks in the aquarium, except the outdoor ones. Metal bridges were strewn over them. Walking on the bridges were all sorts of people. Some had open briefcases filled to the brim with medical supplies, others had video cameras and laptops. There was metal rigging above the tanks where people were adjusting the cables they used for the stretchers. And other people were impatiently pacing about on platforms nearby. Each and every one of them were wearing life jackets.

Welcome to the workings of The International Amity Aquarium! We will have established the most functional, educational, stable, state-of-the-art, and conservational aquarium in the United States, next to Sea World, as soon as you start working and the construction on the rest of the Aquarium is complete, He took a moment to mutter something about Sea World, looked at his watch and then continued and then continued, We have several marine biologists, veterinarians, handlers and many other people to take care of the fish and underwater mammals here. Let me introduce you to your new boss!

He lead Danny across the bridges to one of the men pacing back and forth on the platforms. The man Danny presumed must be his boss, and hoped for as well, was wearing a light shirt under his life jacket, jeans, sneakers, and had a jolly glow about him and a had big beard, and he was quite large.

Danny, meet Arthur Newberry, Jim Thorne gestured at another man who had also been pacing about but quietly (and slightly manically) muttering to himself as well. He was very thin and had his brown hair combed back. (Not to mention a recessive hairline.) He had what looked like 1cm thick round glasses, which made him look a little like an owl wearing a lab coat. Arthur, meet Danny Fenton, your new assistant.

Arthur whipped around to see Danny and shook his hand, saying, Nice to meet you. Walter here will fill you in on what you have to do, he gestured to the other man with the beard. and meet me back here in exactly 11 minutes

Come on, Ill show you around, Walter showed him across the bridges and into a room with several television screens. Here is the security room, where we monitor all of the activity within the tanks. Danny looked up at the high wall of screens and then a t the several people writing down notes and taking records. Maybe Sam was rightthere must be ten Cameras for each tank.. . Nah. He was then showed to a locker room not unlike the one at school.

Walter handed him a scuba diving suit as well as a shark-proof suit, which looked a little like a chain of mail. Go ahead and change into this. The oxygen tanks are in that closet over there&and dont bother to put on the shark-proof suit, you wont have to dive in those tanks for a while. Be quick, youve seen how strict Arthur is, he finished with a smile before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

Danny did as he was told and met his boss back on the platform. Finally! Youre here! he said shoving Danny over to the edge of the platform.
lets start you off on something easy--- do you see that Nurse Shark Down at the bottom of the tank next to that coral?

Yeah,

Ill have the stretcher lowered about five feet into the water. Try to put her on there as quickly as you can. While Im collecting Data, youll have to be sure she doesnt swim away. Theres an ear phone installed in you diving maskIll communicate with you through that, Got it? Arthurs voice was curt and clear.

Sure do. Said Danny Pulling the mask over his face.

Good, he said shoving Danny into the water. By the way, Danny heard him say from above the water,  Be sure not to get your hand bitten off!

Danny pulled the nurse shark gently up onto the stretcher and held it in place while Newberry took its temperature and did some other things. Then they lowered it into another tank. They did the same process with several other fish in the tank. Danny began to regret his decision when the time came to tackle the Manta-Ray. Three times he almost got electrocuted.

Well, thats it, said Newberry when Dannys shift was through. You can go home now. Come back again the same time next week,

Uh.. when do I get my paycheck? Danny asked, taking his diving mask off. And checked how much oxygen he had leftthere wasnt any, so he disconnected the mask from the oxygen tanks. Youll be paid per month, Newberry said, and dont worryIll be keeping a detailed record on how well you do.

Well, I guess Ill be going now. Danny headed towards the lockers across the bridges.

Oh, theres one more thing! Arthur whipped around, accidentally knocking Danny off into one of the shark tankswith no protective suit and no oxygen mask.

***

Sam was on the street of the Aquarium. Ugh, I hope Im not too late!


As she had been walking to the Aquarium Sam heard loud late night traffic and the occasional hoot of an owl. Sam suddenly felt gust of heavy wind sweep past her  but it seemed more like a shadow or perhaps a ghost. Sam broke into a sprint the second she heard a low growl nearby.

Danny opened his eyes to find himself underwater. Obviously he had never been in that tank beforethe water was murky and thick with grime, and he couldnt tell that he was in the shark tanks.

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