All five members of the team stared at the old run-down hospital that had seen so many deaths in the early twentieth century.

"Geez . . . " mumbled Zoro.

"That looks . . . just plain "freaky." Correct?" asked Starfire.

"It looks like my school!" said Eddy. "That's the scariest thing of all!"

"That must be home base," said Ichigo, pointing. A trailer had been set up next to the hospital.

"At least there's lights in there," said Numbuh Five. "Numbuh Five's not gonna stay out here in the dark."

There was a surprise waiting for the team in the trailer. There was a giant brown trunk in the corner, and a bunch of high-tech equipment was sitting on the top of it. There was also a desk and a few chairs, with a laptop on the desk.

Ichigo, Eddy, and Starfire immediately began to marvel over the high-tech gear.

"It seems that everything we require is right in here," said Starfire.

"Yeah, except cameramen and producers," said Eddy. "I still can't believe they abandoned us."

"Bunch of chickens," said Zoro. He stared at the laptop on the desk. "Does anyone know how to work this thing?"

"Ooh! I'll do it! I'll do it!" said Eddy, sitting in the big chair in front of the desk. He opened the laptop's lid and looked at the green screen that lit up. A big button read START. "Quiet, everyone!" he said. "These are our instructions!" Eddy pressed the button.

The team gathered around as a new voice began to stream from the laptop.

"In the early 1930's, an epidemic of tuberculosis known as the "White Plague" took the eastern United States by storm. But one of the most inflicted areas was the Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky."

"Well, duh," said Eddy. "We already know that part."

"Shhh!" said Starfire. The voice continued.

"At the peak of the epidemic, this hospital was overflowing with the highly contagious lung infection, and nobody was safe. Men, women, children, and even doctors succumbed to the life-threatening disease, and on average, one person would be dead every hour."

Then a paranormal expert came on screen. "In the thirty-seven years that the White Plague was in effect, it is said that an estimated 36,000 people died in that hospital. And according to witnesses, some of them just don't want to leave."

Then a few of the area's security guards began to speak.

"I have seen shadows of other people down the halls. I have seen orbs of dark light that just swallow up all the light and just smother you when they run into you."

"There have been people that have seen a man in a white lab coat walking down the halls, and they say that's the ghost of one of the doctors who got sick."

"There have also been reports of what they call "shadow people," and children playing with balls on the fifth floor of the building. But one of the most interesting deaths of all is that of a nurse only identified as "Mary," who was found to be hanged in room 502."

"Hanged?" asked Ichigo. "As in. . .?"

"They don't mean coat hangers, if that's what you're thinking," said Zoro.

"Hey, the instructions go on," said Eddy. The audio had ended, so Eddy read them out loud. "Your job is to visit the four areas of the hospital that have been reported as the most haunted, and as a team, determine which area has the most paranormal activity, or "the Heart of the Haunting." Your progress on the first four missions will determine the outcome of the fifth and final mission."

"Okay, what's the first mission?" asked Numbuh Five.

"Well, let's see . . . " said Eddy, clicking on a lit-up "1" on the screen. He read the new instructions out loud. "Your first mission is for two teammates to enter the hospital and travel to room 418, where it is said that two patients made a death pact. You will re-enact a familiar scene in the room to coax the spirits out."

"Oh, how exciting!" said Starfire. "And yet . . . how chilling. Who shall be going?"

Without saying anything, Zoro raised his hand.

"I'll go," said Ichigo, also raising her hand. "Might as well get it over with."

"Okay, the two selected team members must suit up in the spirit-monitoring equipment, and one member must bring the already supplied EFM," read Eddy.

"Okay . . . " said Ichigo as Numbuh Five helped her put her equipment on.

"What the hell is an EFM?" asked Zoro, digging through the spare equipment. "Is it this thing?" he asked, holding up a small object with a meter.

"Yeah, that's it," said Numbuh Five.

"Hey, my friend Ed has one of those," said Eddy. "Aw man, if I had known, I would've brought his."

By this time, Zoro and Ichigo were both hooked up to their equipment. They each had a video camera, and a small headset with a microphone and a small light.

"Okay, you guys ready?" asked Eddy.

"Yep," said Zoro, already heading out the Base Camp door.

"Wait for your teammate, idiot!" Eddy called after him.

Ichigo quickly followed Zoro out into the darkness.

"Please be careful!" called Starfire.

---

"Okay," said Zoro. "We're inside."

The two had just stepped into the old abandoned hospital. Zoro seemed just fine, but Ichigo was already shaking.

"Roger," said Eddy over the headset. "Now head up the stairs and confirm your position when you reach the fourth floor."

Zoro led the way up the rickety stairs. It was amazing. They had only been in there for about two minutes, and Ichigo already wanted out. Every time she heard a noise, she jumped, causing her to almost fall down the stairs.

"Are you guys at the fourth floor yet?" Eddy asked after a while.

By this time, Zoro and Ichigo were standing in front of a door with a faded "4" on the front.

"Yes," they said together.

"Okay, go in and head left down the hall until you reach room number 418," Eddy instructed.

Zoro and Ichigo entered the dark hallway.

"436," Zoro read one of the doors.

"So it's way down there?" asked Ichigo, pointing down the hall.

"Looks like it," said Zoro, beginning to walk.

Further down the hall, the two reached room 418. There wasn't much inside. Just a few rundown chairs and a desk, along with a very old bed in the middle of the room.

"We're in," Zoro said through the microphone.

"Good," said Eddy on the other end. "You will now re-enact a scene familiar to the spirits in an attempt to coax them out. Ichigo, sit on the bed with your back against the headboard."

Ichigo looked at the bed. It looked so beat up, she was scared that it might break if she sat on it. "Me get on . . . that thing?" she squeaked.

"Look, the faster we do this, the faster we get out of here," said Zoro. Now even he sounded a little edgy. "Just do it."

"O-okay . . . " said Ichigo. She slowly got on the bed and carefully rested her back on the metal headboard.

"Now ready the EFM, Zoro," said Eddy. "If any spirits come near the bed, we'll be able to see them."

On the other end, Eddy, Numbuh Five, and Starfire were staring at the computer screen. They were looking at the infrared footage coming from Zoro's video camera.

"Ooh, pretty!" said Starfire, staring at the colors.

"Okay, what's what?" asked Eddy.

"The red part is Ichigo," explained Numbuh Five. "It's red because of her body heat. If any spirits come near the bed, it will also be red."

"Now what?" Ichigo's voice asked.

"Just wait there for a second," said Eddy. "We'll see if anything happens."

Ichigo tried to steady her breathing on the cold bed. But the thought that somebody probably died in this bed just freaked her out even more. Zoro just kept his eyes on the EFM, trying hard not to look around the creepy room.

Creak . . .

"What was that?" Ichigo asked, jumping.

Zoro's head jerked up.

"What was what?" Eddy asked.

"Something creaked," said Zoro. "I think somebody's moving the bed."

CLUNK!

Zoro looked behind him. One of the chairs had been knocked over.

"What's happening now?" asked Eddy.

Suddenly, Ichigo wrapped her arms around her body. "Brr . . . " she muttered. "I'm cold . . . "

"Hey, yeah," said Zoro. "Why's it so chilly now . . . ?" As he said this, he happened to glance down at the EFM . . .

"WHOA!"

Both sides got quite a surprise.

"We just saw something move next to the bed!" Eddy said through the microphone.

"Yeah, the needle on this thing just jumped," said Zoro. "What does that mean?"

"It means it detected something else in the room, fool!" said Numbuh Five.

Just then, new instructions appeared on the computer screen. "Zoro, your mission is complete," Eddy read. "You can come back to Base Camp."

"What about me?" Ichigo half-whined.

"Uh . . . I think you gotta stay there," said Eddy.

"WHAT?"

"Fine by me," said Zoro. "See ya." He then proceeded to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" said Ichigo. "Don't leave me here alone!"

But it was too late. Zoro was gone. Ichigo was all alone in room 418, still sitting on the bed.

---

As Zoro made his way down the hall, it wasn't so bad at first. But as he continued down the long hall . . .

"Hee hee hee . . . "

Zoro stopped. Was that a kid giggling? He started walking again, his pace quickening.

"Hee hee hee . . . "

There it was again! Now Zoro was at the stairs. He tried to keep his steady stride as he carefully went down, but then . . .

"Hee hee hee . . . "

That did it. Zoro ran out of the hospital and back to Base Camp. He was panting as he reentered the trailer.

---

"Geez dude, you're a mess," said Eddy.

"Not my fault . . . " Zoro grumbled. "I kept hearing some giggling in the halls."

"Uh, guys?" Ichigo's voice came in on the microphone. "Can I come back now?"

"Just one more minute," said Eddy.

---

Ichigo was getting more and more freaked out. She kept hearing that same creaking sound. It couldn't have been Zoro making it, because she had heard his voice over the microphone. He was back at base camp. So then, who . . . ?

Creak . . .

Ichigo, whimpering, put her hands on her head and closed her eyes. She had to make sure that her cat ears didn't pop up. That would make things ten times worse!

---

"Do you think she's all right in there?" asked Starfire.

"Ah, she's fine," said Zoro.

"Way to show some concern, dude," said Numbuh Five.

"Don't tell me what to do, brat," said Zoro.

"Aw, just shut up, dude," Numbuh Five shot back.

"YOU SHUT UP!" Zoro suddenly shouted.

"Friends, please!" said Starfire. "We can't hear Ichigo."

"Okay," Eddy said into the microphone. "Ichigo, your mission is complete. You can return to Base Camp."

---

"Finally!" said Ichigo, shakily getting off the bed. She was more than ready to get out of there.

Ichigo quickly made her way to the door and down the hall. She wanted out. Now. But halfway through the hall, she stopped.

Eddy heard a gasp through his headset. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"There's a red ball in the middle of the hallway," Ichigo's shaky voice responded. "I know that wasn't here before."

"Never mind it," said Eddy. "Just carefully head back to Base Camp."

Ichigo's pace, like Zoro's, quickened when she reached the stairs. Before she knew it, she was opening the Base Camp's door, also panting.

"All right," Eddy said as Ichigo entered. "First mission complete."

"That was creepy . . . " said Ichigo.

"I just want to know where that damn giggling was coming from," said Zoro.

"Oh!" said Starfire, looking at the computer screen. "It seems that we have a new mission."

"Oh, good!" said Eddy. He looked at the screen. A big "2" had lit up on the monitor. Eddy took the mouse and clicked on the 2. "Let's see what we've got next . . . "