Peter was sitting on the floor of the basement with his back pressed up against the cold brick wall, his legs outstretched before him and his arms crossed together in front of his chest. Steadily his heavy eyes would fall a little further and his head would nod down rhythmically as the potent mixture of boredom and fatigue began to wear against his resolve to keep watch over the opened gateway.

Janine quietly walked down in the basement and curiously peered into the isolated area. Staring at the brightly lit portal only made her heart race with worry and she couldn't help but fear the worst for Egon's fate.

Just as Janine was about to turn around and walk away Peter's voice called out to her. "I know you're there."

Pausing Janine let out a weary sigh and decided to join Peter in his watch. "Ray and Winston are out on a call."

"Is that really all you wanted to tell me? Or is there something else on your pretty little mind?"

Slowly she sat down on the floor beside him and stared at the gateway. "I couldn't leave without knowing Egon would be okay."

Peter gave the normally confident receptionist an empathetic glance as he too was just as worried about Egon. "Yeah. I feel the same way."

"I just wish we knew if he was... If he is alright." She forcibly corrected herself as she pulled her knees up to her chest as she sat on the floor.

Releasing a deep sigh Peter uncrossed his arms and wrapped one around Janine's shoulders without a word. She leaned over against him and let the psychologist hold her in a much needed hug of support as the two sat together and kept vigil over the gateway, waiting for some sign from their missing friend.


Holtzmann and Patty lead the way through the Mercado as the group made their way to the ballroom on the top floor of the hotel. As six Ghostbusters ascended through the hotel the meters began registering higher and higher levels of psychokinetic energy. The air became heavier and colder as the storm outside raged on becoming stronger, louder and the lightning strikes more frequent.

"Sorry about the hike guys." Holtzmann called out as she easily strolled up the lengthy staircase. "If I had my way Egon would've shown up in the heart of Disney World."

Egon blushed a little but didn't respond as he and Ray walked side by side, taking up the rear, with their meters in hand.

"Holtzy," Patty muttered as the group continued their climb. "why didn't we take the elevator like we did last time?"

"Because the storm could affect the power and I don't want to be trapped in an elevator. There's a reason I mentioned Disney World earlier. Anyone else familiar with the lore of the 'Tower of Terror'?"

Erin dismissed the claim. "That's just a story." She thought for a moment before looking to Abby and whispering. "Right? It's not a real story, is it?"

Abby just shrugged her shoulders and whispered back. "No clue."

Holtzmann shouted down the stairwell to her companions. "Made it! Top floor!" She pushed open the door slowly and propped it open as she waited for her team to join her. "It's deserted. Wanna' party?"

"Maybe later." Ray joked as the group passed through the opened door and stood in the hallway. "Which way?"

"This way." Holtzmann pointed as she continued to lead the group. "It was barricaded off due to the ongoing renovations. Me and Patty had to slip under the barricade to get to Egon."

"Yeah," Patty reminisced bitterly. "and we used the elevator both ways!"

The meters in Egon and Ray's hands suddenly let out a painfully loud screech as the devices began to overheat from the heavy activity in the air.

"Shit!" Ray turned off his meter quickly as Egon did the same. "In all my years of studying the paranormal I've NEVER encountered any potential being that could generate so much energy, not even Gozer the Gozerian."

Egon arched an eyebrow at Ray's comment. 'How does Ray have a memory of Gozer?'

Erin was nervous. She had essentially taken the role of the leader of the Ghostbusters but she hadn't developed the confidence to lead the team just yet. Unwilling the pass off on the responsibility and put one of her friends on the line she mentally steeled herself and turned to Egon for guidance.

"Dr. Spengler what should we go to stop this threat?"

"You'll need the proper equipment to neutralize this degree of energy. Your proton packs and traps will not be enough."

"So what do we need?"

"Ray and I need to finish the prototype." Egon's answer was firm and full of the confidence that Erin so desperately wanted. "It goes against my better judgment to leave you alone in such a dangerous location, but without the prototype this world will fall prey to whatever entity is now lurking inside the hotel."

"Then you should go." Erin unsheathed the thrower of her proton pack and held it between her hands. "We'll monitor the situation from here."

Abby pulled out her phone and tossed it to Ray. "We'll call you if anything happens here."

Ray felt just as guilty as Egon for needing to leave the four less experienced Ghostbusters alone, but he knew that Egon was right about the prototype. "Okay. Don't hesitate to call if you need back-up."

"Yeah, right..." Patty unsheathed her own thrower. "That's comforting."

Egon nodded in respectful approval. "We'll return as soon as possible."

As Egon and Ray, the two most experienced paranormal investigators of the group, took their leave of the top floor the remaining Ghostbusters readied themselves for a powerul supernatural encounter waiting for them in the ballroom.

"Come on." Abby motioned toward the barricaded entrance to the ballroom. "We need to know what we're dealing with in there."

Holtzmann flashed a twisted grin. "This is the best part of the job!"

"Exploring the unknown?" Erin asked enthusiastically.

"No, breaking and entering."

"Oh..."


Opting for the elevator over the stairs, willing to risk becoming trapped, Ray and Egon descended to the ground floor of the hotel. Multiple lightning strikes caused the lights to repeatedly flicker and the power to the elevator waver, but it never powered down. Loud thunder shook the building and rumbled through the elevator shaft with an amplified volume.

"I hate this." Ray admitted as the elevator continued to drop. "I wish we didn't have to leave them behind."

"I know Ray, but it's necessary. We must finish the prototype."

"What's your theory? The prototype is supposed to open a gateway, correct? Why would a gateway limit or contain the threat inside the hotel?"

"My theory is that my arrival through the gateway destabilized the naturally occurring levels of psychokinetic energy already flowing through the city, essentially recharging the Ley Lines. By opening the gateway for a second time a majority of the accumulated energy should go directly into powering up the gateway while also simultaneously drawing the excess energy through said gateway."

"You're going to use the gateway to drain the heavy PKE signature," Ray now understood Egon's mentality and the theory itself. The doors to the elevators opened and the duo stepped outside and into the lobby. "and restore the natural balance of energy before a truly malevolent entity can cross through."

"Exactly."

As Ray put his hand on the handle of the front door the two men peered through the glass panels and eyed the heavy deluge of cold rain now bombarding the city in the icy water. Lightning flashed and thunder roared with an ominous cacophony of strength.

"We better build that prototype fast." Ray commented dryly as she stared at the storm with awe. "Time is working against us."

"As it often does."


Holtzmann had no problem pushing aside the wooden construction barricades and clearing a path for herself and her team to follow. The marble floors of the ballroom were shiny and new, as were the marble columns that lined the walls and provided support for the bare and partially rebuilt ceiling. The walls were hollow and the support beams could be seen without the drywall and plaster surface to conceal them.

"Okay, this is where we found Egon." Holtzmann explained as she stood in the same spot where Egon had appeared. "And we were about eight blocks away when the scanner in the car picked up on the strong signal from his arrival."

Patty looked around the ballroom suspiciously. "I still can't believe no one spotted us checking out the top floor without checking in, let alone carrying an unconscious dude out of here without anyone stopping us."

"New York." Holtzmann gave Patty a cheeky look. "What a town!"

Abby shuddered as a powerful chill ran up her spine. "Keep your guard up ladies, I get the feeling we're not alone."

"Too bad our meters burned out." Erin lamented as she looked about the marble room for any unusual activity. "I'd love to get a reading right now."

A massive bolt of lightning flashed across the sky as it struck the roof of the hotel. The entire building trembled violently as a deafening cascade of thunder poured down through the hotel. The Ghostbusters put their hands protectively over their ears as the sound bore down on them like freight train.

Erin looked about the ballroom as she and her team braced themselves during the strike. It was then she saw an impossibly black shadow slinking along the walls behind Holtzmann. The shadow was massive stature and sent a sickening chill through Erin's heart just by looking at it.

"Guys! We're not alone!" Erin called out as she aimed her thrower at the wall. The rest of the Ghostbusters followed suit and circled together, pressing their backs protectively against each other to ensure no one could get jumped. "Get ready..."

...to be continued...