Chapter 21: Let's Make a Deal
Only 9 chapters left.
"Steelers win game by huge advantage! But Ghostbusters take home the glory!"
November 26th...
"This is KDKA Morning News"
"Hi and good morning on this Monday morning, a big story as been brewing since Saturday night as the game between the Steelers and the Browns took a interesting turn."
"That's right. Only a half hour into the game reports started coming in emergency services of a strange form traveling up the Monongahela where the Ghostbusters helicopter dubbed Ecto-2 was tracking it that found it heading straight for Heinz Field. When the water broke to reveal a large 40 foot monster when over 50,000 people started fleeing the stadium. However the team of 6 made quick efforts in distracting it and luring it away. While the chase between it and team leader Derek Stewart resulted in portions of the lower decks of the Fort Pitt Bridge to be damaged the group had managed to weaken it enough to destroy it."
"After the creature's destruction clean up crews started arriving to help with the clean of large blobs of slime and to get traffic on West Carson Street moving again. However the Fort Pitt Bridge was closed as for concern over possible structural damage."
"While the group tended to clean up, the events at Heinz Field allowed people back in after a hour long delay for the Steelers to win the game with a 20 to 14 score. When caught up with Derek Stewart who was found later in a laser car wash he said that while he would give a better statement later, but that them winning against the monster foreshadowed the game."
Ghost activity at a unknown rate.
Scientists are still struggling to make heads or tails with the strange activity that has been plaguing a large portion of the Northeast for months now. As activity started around the Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland boards that general activity has been noticeably migrating further East. With the formation and efforts done by the 6 man team of Ghostbusters in Southeast Pennsylvania, much of the activity has been rapidly cleared out but still remains dominate.
Just weeks ago a large monster had arisen from the 3 Rivers and was stopped before narrowly attacking the Heinz Field when packed with sports fans. However a statement from the Ghostbusters have found that most entities seem to leave traces of the toxic source called Black Slime has been increasingly absent from several events. Stating that now physical evidence of black slime was not found after the creature's defeat. Making them think that the energy the hazardous substance gave off, referred to it as dark psychokinetic energy, or Black-Ecto as the Ghostbusters have dubbed it, to being a new leading cause in paranormal activity around areas that have yet ever seen a ghost to suddenly become new hot spots.
"We are standing just on the opposite of the Monongahela River as the final 60 seconds of 2012 comes to a close into the new year. A lot of have shown up around Mount Washington and along the river to see the fireworks show that has had a interesting addition to it. With the Ghostbusters all gathered in one spot waiting for the clock to strike midnight that will signal them start the show."
"10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1!"
KCH-OOOOOOOOMMMMM
6 boson darts closely together soured straight into the sky above the city. Each dart fully charged with a large, bright red glow that could been seen all around the area. The blasts traveled nearly 1000 feet before simultaneously exploding in a shower of fading particle energy. Immediately several fireworks launched off their platforms at The Point signaling the beginning of 2013.
Sony's stocks are way up in the third and fourth quarter of 2012, the entertainment company reportedly having a 30% increase in gain as many people are flocking to buy up Ghostbusters merchandise in the light of the real world world success story that has been making nonstop headlines for months.
"After a grueling battle at the Crown Center Shopping mall, the Ghostbusters have emerged victories. The disturbances started roughly 2 hours ago when several dozen mannequins started attacking shoppers. Only 7 were injured with bruises as the building was put under lock down trapping them inside. Several bangs could be heard from the locked gates as roughly 500 people have gathered in the parking lot but not many fleeing. Many however, while staying back a good distance, waiting for the one group to arrive. Less than a 45 minutes ago the Ghostbusters and police arrived on scene with Washington law enforcement setting up a perimeter around the mall as the Ghostbusters entered through a service entrance. Since then a string of violent events could be heard from inside until the front gate started rising again."
The crowd that had gathered in the parking lot of the mall, now cheering out as they saw the 6 busters step out of the building entrance with Derek holding 2 smoking traps, drowned out any other sound as the team of 6 stood proud and tall for everyone. Derek holding up both traps as if just bagging a big hunt.
"Ghostbusters!"
"Ghostbusters!"
"Ghostbusters!"
Several Months Later…
March 27, 2013, 8:47pm. The Waterfront Dave 'n Busters…
Derek couldn't believe what a time it was to be alive.
If asked where he would be 4 years ago in the future he would of guesstimated. But in less than a year most of the nation now knows him. It had almost been a complete year now since he started this adventure; he had dubbed the day he captured the Westmore Ghost as the day the Ghostbusters truly began and was now almost at its one year anniversary. He was beyond ssurprised, though it was gradual over time, at what he had accomplished. He felt himself standing much taller in pride than he did before all this. Even his body had undergone literal changes over the months. He was a bit more built than he was when he started. Standing more straight, though leaning forward some, his body had definitely developed a new form of muscle that gave him only a slightly chubby look around the waist. Having been tested to be burning roughly 5,000 calories a day. He ate a lot because of this, when at McDonalds he would order two Big Macs, a double cheeseburger, 2 large fry, a thing of ten piece nuggets, a milkshake and large coke just for himself. One would say he was trying to be fat. The problem was that there wasn't any time for that fat to build before he had to suit up again.
That's one thing they all did.
Carrying roughly 200 pounds of gear, each of his team members seemed to be getting use to the weight. Everyone showing signs of increased strength due to the constant exercise.
Though that's been changing. When November came they had gone through some changing times; after the damage done to the stadium area, bridge, road, train line and several crashes along with shipment delays he wasn't that surprised when the city of Pittsburgh wanted to take out a insurance policy on them. It felt just like the video game. But with that bust being televised a lot of people saw that they did and that resulted in more calls. Though while the workflow was high for the 6 of them the jobs seemed to be mellowing out to smaller entities around Class 2s and 3s. December was quiet, he and Leo suspected it was because of the joy of the holiday season that the negative energy black slime needs to feed off if was in much lower amounts than it was 4 months ago.
Now with it being March activity was on a slow rise again. But they were ready.
The funds they were getting from their services to the city was allowing upgrades to be more extensive and more efficient. All three Ectos now had fresh paint and body work but still had a few sponsor stickers on the rear ends. The roof racks had had some changes with new equipment, running boards and a new storage tank now on Ecto-X made it look much more like the Ecto-1A. Their suits had gotten changes, they now had more padding on vital areas where they would be prone to getting hit or land hard on when attacked by a entity. Though with the addition of the Smiths, they had built more gear. Both now had packs that were slightly down graded compared to the others. Each one having a proton pistol connected as Roger, who did have a full fledged pack, still opted to use the Mini Pack when having to jump from the helicopter. Though when on the ground he used the other.
And that has been pretty much it leading up till now.
After the past month of going around doing more steady jobs, he had decided it was time for some actual fun. Thus why Dave 'n Busters was that location of choice. It was a Wednesday night, so there wasn't many people out and about. But when word had it that the Ghostbusters were at Dave 'n Busters, it spread fast. And so Derek stood outside with the Ectos, the X's emergency lights running as Derek stood at in front of the passenger side on his knee with 3 kids around him. All striking a pose like him showing his shoulder patch. Just a across from them was a group of people, some the parents, others people walking around or hearing the Ghostbusters were here and wanted a picture. This would've been the second hour in the row for them.
*FLASH*
"Thank you!" They walk away checking the imagine on their phone.
Derek just nodded as he rubbed a gloved hand across his face as a sigh escaped him. While everyone else inside eating and gaming, he was stuck outside in the cold air making sure no one would mess with the vehicles or equipment. Sighing as what was hopefully the last version, he pops the passenger door open to grab his drink from the holder.
"Note to self," he mutters as he swings the bottle once. "If you get stuck outside have someone else with you to share the pain…" he takes another.
"Uhh… Excuse me?" a new voice called.
Swallowing his drink in the most frustrated way possible he takes a deep breath before turning around. But instead of a person dresses to be on a night in the town, this man was fully decked out in dark gray suit with navy blue trimming. A line of gray went across his side's with a face that's seen the ages of long, hard business. In his right hand was a black briefcase that reflected off the lights of the cars with a overly stuffed folder in the other. The man in question looked like like a CEO for a big business.
Placing the bottle back Derek quickly shook out any sudden, or what he had, tiredness away, "Can I help you,sir?"
"Mr… Derek Stewart?" the man said in a questioning tone.
"Yeeeees?" Derek took a quick swing.
The man's reaction seemed to lighten a bit. Looking more releifed that he finally found what he needed. "My name is Señor Nicolas Adrián. I am a associate with the Parker and Phil Oil Company." he reached down into his suit pocket flicking out a business card with said company's name and logo. Though he didn't care a lot about them Derek still took it for a real quick look over.
"I'm here on behalf of my superiors hoping to discuss something with you."
Putting the card in his pocket Derek took another quick drink. "About what? Because if you are trying to make a offer to buy us I'm not selling."
Nicolas chuckled, "No, no, none of that. It involves more with…" his tone suddenly becoming more grave, "... Black Slime."
Derek paused mid-gulp. His face becoming that if his serious or what the others had dubbed his 'Leader Face' when the situation gets real. Noticing the teen's sudden change Nicolas continued, "For the past several months now, our company has been suffering a crisis unlike anything before it. Our Brooklyn factory had been put under quarantine after several workers started falling ill do to unknown reasons. We had the entire facility cleaned and inspected for any possible contaminants. I will saw it was roughly around the time your… secret became public when the first deaths started happening."
Holding up his briefcase he stepped a around to the front of the car dropping it in the hood. Clicking the latches open he slowly revealed a stack of usual and odd things to see in a business man's case. The normal but was the sealed packet secured to the side. But it was easily a inch thick with how bent the edges were. Opening the folder he steps aside to let the leader see its contents. Various images both colored and black and white made a vast majority of the stack. Sweeping away the first few Derek began looking over for anything of important note. Most of them consisted of people pulling oil drums off of trucks in hazmat suits. Another few of them moving a truck load of k-rail freeway dividers into a warehouse and another of what would look like a crime scene with 7 body bags lines up.
"As you can see," Nicolas pulls out more of the same scene. "For the past four months our refinery in New York has been experiencing an unknown situation. The substance that we were believed to be a different form of oil that was discovered just off the coast of the city has been increasingly causing strange…"
"Activity?"
"Yes. From when we first tried to process it, our equipment all failed. We had tried to repair them and even replace whole sections of the factory but the outcome is the same. After the first month is when we started to notice it take on a reddish tint. At first we thought it was it just settling but that's when the deaths started happening. For weeks our equipment failures to things disappearing were the start then when someone touched the substance. They… floated in the air screaming out before expelling a vast amount of blood before dying. That image," He pulls the one with the 7 bodies, "was the cause of an accident where several barrels were spilled. These men were unfortunately on the path."
Derek just stood there with a blank expression. This wasn't what he was thinking. He thought it would be some random haunting with a poltergeist. But what Nicolas was describing was something completely new to him. When he popped open a compartment in the briefcase, he quickly put on a pair of dirty work gloves before opening it completely. Instead of what you might find all that was there was foam padding that surrounded a jar of a black liquid. Carefully pulling it free he held it out so the emergency lights give enough light to see.
"This is what we've been dealing with." He hands Derek the jar. Taking it in his own he brings it up to face level. Shock overtakes him as he turned and shook the jar.
"Black Slime… But it seems… different. " his voice almost a whisper. It was different, the coloration was a bit lighter even though it was night time and it swished in the jar more like a watered down glue. Their experiments with the stuff had changed the samples over time, but this was new.
"Indeed. You see, one of our technicians tried looking up answers for this and it came to being like that of the video game from years ago. Something we honestly had to look up ourselves to believe. At first we didn't believe it but that was quickly turned. When we heard about the substance being everywhere and what it can and could do, we were under heavy debate on contacting you. After your statement about 'Black-Ecto' my superiors saw it fit that sooner was better than later."
Derek doesn't say anything. He's too fixated on the jar in his hands that shouldn't exist. Thoughts about the monster from the mine surged back as he tried to think of anything to explain this.
"The company is in deep trouble and is at the tipping point of filing for bankruptcy from lawsuits just waiting to be given with the hazard this presents. Many workers are worried of being laid off but do not dare work due to the danger that is around the facility. Without the Brooklyn refinery we are facing major loses in our Northeast sector that can cost upwards of 25 billion dollars. We are hoping you can help us in ridding of this problem."
"So you mean you want the Ghostbusters, us, 5 teens and a pilot, to come up to New York City to investigate why there's so much black slime around?" he nodded.
Derek thought it over, there was no telling what levels of active that kind of slime could suddenly generate. The 5 boroughs should be literal swamps of ghosts by now. He's never been to New York. Buffalo only once but not the Big Apple.
"It… would take some time to get everything situated here. We're still gonna have to be ready for any sudden bursts of activity here unfortunately.
"None at all. And if you do agree to this, the company is willing to pay a hefty amount for your troubles."
Derek arched a brow. While the team only charged enough to pay for gas, food, supplies and rent they still had to make enough to have even cuts for all six of them. With his attention apparently captured, Nicolas went in to further reel him in.
"The company is prepared to give you and your team 30 million to investigate and solve the problem," Nicolas cut him off before he could say anything, "along with any resources you require."
The thought Derek had that moment vaporized faster than the ground under a nuclear bomb being dropped from a tower. In a rare sight, the Pepsi bottles in his hand slipped from his grasp falling and bouncing on the pavement. Complete shock was plastered on his face with a almost cartoonish style freeze.
"30-30-30 m-m-million?" he felt his knees become almost like wet cardboard. Having to hold onto the bull bar to keep himself upright.
"Yes." Nicolas nodded, smiling ever so slightly at the man's reaction.
Having let the initial reality sink in, Derek took a deep breath, grabbed his bottle, and swiftly drank everything that remain. Downing its contents within seconds as he stood back up. "I'll… I'll have to consult with my team first before I can give you a solid answer. You mind if I take these?" Derek grabs the folder and jar.
Nicolas nods, "Please, if they help in telling your team. I will be out here for the time."
With that Nicolas closed back up his briefcase and turned back towards the direction from which he came. Derek only seeing the faint color of his coat as he got further and further. Looking down at the jar and file full of photos, Derek immediately marched forward.
Though he quickly doubled back to grab his bottle and close up the car.
Inside at one of the sports areas of the restaurant part of the building, the team was enjoying themselves with what activities they were name resting from. Though for the sake of it, they all wore their jumpsuits inside since it was nice getting pictures with anyone who wanted one. Some people even trying to beat them in a few games. The Nascar racing game was one, and against all odds, the Smiths would be the only ones to both finish first at the same time.
Afterwards Derek had gone back out to watch over the cars, leaving the 5 of them to go and relax. While Roger was the only old enough to actually drink, the others being mostly over 18, had all gathered in a both next to the pool room. All having their own conversations with drinks while the Smiths were into their second pool game. The first was a warm up for both, but so far, and to Danny's growing frustration, Ben managed to sink almost every ball he had lined up when Danny had only pocketed two.
At the booth, with Rachel on one side and the boys sitting on the other, she was currently held up in reading a medical book on her phone. Because of this job she had to learn on the go most of the time. She still wasn't giving up on her dream of being a doctor. This job while it was supportive to Derek and many was mostly just to help out. Though with the pay she usually got it wasn't all that bad.
Leo on the other hand had a Pke meter out, this time being their usual kind and not his custom one, and was going over the various creatures they've encounter over the months since they started. He had been working on one pain antagonizing project; rework every known creature that the GB Universe knew with what they know. True not all the creatures that they busted were there, probably as just some random ghost, but some, like the slime monsters, animators, and slimers were all added in what he called the 'Protonix Ghost Files' with the word Protonix being taken from Derek's proton pack project name. When he asked his friend what it meant, Derek said that 'Proton, in the terms of GB, is the word used when having some powerful equipment. Protonix on the other hand means something much stronger.'.
Though while he didn't know how strong the packs in the movies, games, shows or comics were compared to theirs, or the fact that his leader was using the name of something that involved stomach acid, the online list was a big fan favorite apparently with thousands reading over their reports and findings. Some comments from other ghost 'hunters' and investigators trading questions and information on things they found that match what most people would see, orbs, shadows, EVPs, mist, it was stiff they would find during more closed based investigations. When a 'haunting' had not fully materialized to where they could trap it.
And Roger was drinking from a tall glass of beer while watching the TV across from him. Taking only a gulp or two after every 2 minutes. It was then that when Roger went to take another drink did he notice Derek coming down the main hallway that he paused he notify the others.
"Hey, Derek." he raised his glass to him, making the teen slow his walk to see where the pilot was located. Seeing the trio he headed back over to the small staircase just behind skipping over every step in 2 little jumps. Making a beeline towards them.
"Enjoying your time out-" He immediately put the jar of slime on the table. The glass making a clunk sound that got all their attention turned to it.
Leo was the first one to immediately grab it, "Where the hell did you get this?" he looked over the substance that seemed a little strange for even itself.
Sliding in Derek took his seat next to Rachel, "I just got a visitor maybe 2 minutes ago, said he's from the Parker and Phil Oil Company, and that have a "situation" that involves this stuff."
"What kind of situation?" Rachel asked eyeing the folder in his hand.
Dropping it onto the table, making the heavy sound of its weight being known to them, he plopped it open. Showing them the vast amounts of pictures taken of the facility and workers. Each one pausing for a moment to take a picture of various things.
"Things disappearing, strange illness, equipment failures, and from it seems a too quiet paranormal activity."
"Then what's with the body bags?" Rachel held out the photo with the 7 bags lined up. "What, were they attacked by the equipment coming to life?"
Derek shook his head, "Killed due to direct contact." This made many heads go up. Leo especially grabbing the photo from his friend to look it over. Taking note if the situation in the background.
"How?"
"Apparently this isn't the first time. That he said was when one guy seemed to touch it, float in the air, leak all his blood out, then die." he moved some of the pictures away to that event. The images being that of stills taken from a security camera. There was about 16 of them all stapled together. Grabbing the bottom his fingers slowly let the top page fall on each other like a flip book. Showing it from the time the man made contact, floated in the air, and collapsed on the ground. The sight being knew to make Rachel nearly choke on her drink she was sipping.
"The date said it was from last August. There's been one or two during then and a accident when transporting barrels of this stuff got spilled. Killing all 7 of them and from what the report said of what the workers around at the time said was they died when covered head to toe within 20 seconds."
It was a bit of a miniature wake up call to them. Everyone minus Leo and Derek trying to get how they have been fighting this same stuff for some time now. But while it's been noted that people aren't stupid enough to go and touch the stuff, it's usually the creatures it spawns that kills them. With them having no real way to destroy it yet they had to result to just collection. But what kind of collecting was happening in New York was driving up red flags.
"We haven't found that kind of concentration of slime before; especially on this scale." Leo waved his Pke over the jar. Letting the sensors scan over the substance for what changes it had over its normal state. "You said they had barrels of this stuff?"
"From apparently the past 4 months. Though I do think it is a lot longer."
It was a fact that they couldn't figure out. Most slime they got was either from monsters or places about to become supercharged. Possibly the only high concentration of slime they know of was at their own headquarters back in Greensville. But if there was so much, why didn't it cause any massive amounts of activity around the area again.
"It's almost if the activity as a whole is like a migrating entity." Leo said thinking out loud. "First it started near the Ohio Valley, then to absorb around Greensville, then around and East of Pittsburgh, and now more Eastward towards the center of the state. If they've been collecting hundreds to possibly thousands of gallons of this slime in one area, the whole New York area should be a literal breeding ground of activity. Except…"
Roger finished, "It isn't."
"It isn't… But with this bubble of something driving this activity, New York could literally explode into a outbreak of ghosts. Maybe unlike anything we have ever seen!"
"Then I guess that means we need to get there as soon as possible."
"Question, how much are they offering?" Roger added, "I mean, I'm one to help out at times, that's why I offered my services to you guys, but traveling back and forth for almost 400 miles between here and the Big Apple, only to fight even more of the stuff we've been fighting for almost a year, with us knowing it has the fullest capabilities if killing anything, I want to make sure the money is talking in this deal."
"I'll let you take a guess."
"600,000?" he asked.
"No."
"900,000?" Danny added.
"No."
"A million?" Rachel joined in. Feeling that shit eating grin just grow on Derek's face.
"Warmer but no."
"Than what the hell is it?" Roger demanded.
The grin reached maximum troll when he finally answered, "Thirty million."
SCRRRRRR
All eyes, or those who weren't just part of a massive spit take, glanced over to pool table to see Ben having dug the pool cue into the table creating a foot long tear. Only that his attention was aimed at Derek after those three words were spoken. Danny had just about fallen over the same way he did in the parking lot. Roger tried cleaning up his mess as Rachel and Leo were the only ones that had some restrain. Some being a understatement.
"Can uhh… can you run that by us again?" Danny said shakingly trying to hold on that table.
"30 million. Along with any potential resources we might need. Possibly some access here and there but we'll have to find out after the deal. However, I said I would only agree to it if all you are on board."
There was a pause. Each person thinking it over; this was big. Something that literally involved packing everything they had up and heading for New York City to investigate a black slime problem with the potential of a 30 million dollar payday. Sure they knew it wouldn't completely even, they all would get paid equally, but most of all of it would go into research and development. They could finally build a proper containment unit to dump all the traps they've collected, which had quickly overwhelmed the storage room at their quarry HQ.
Leo thought it over, "With that much cash, each of use gets a 2 million out of 12 of that, we could finally get the containment unit built, actually have funding put into research in all this ghost business, a better headquarters, so many things.
"So you're in?" Leo nodded.
"Hell," Roger spoke up, "With just 2 million I can get a brand new chopper. I'm gold."
Next was Rachel, who had a more complex thought, "When do we leave and for how long."
Derek thought this over; When was debatable. How long was unknown. They had spent already 5 months away from Greensville up in Pittsburgh, sure they went back and forth, their senior year was still in full swing and they had only just caught up on some of the work. But that was just a 45 minute drive south. New York was almost 400 miles/ a 6 hour drive across the state. They would have to literally pack everything up and set up there.
"I'll have to check with what they have in mind. How long though, I'm thinking maybe a couple of months. Possibly a year. With what the situation there is it's definitely worse than anything we've seen here."
With a sigh of reluctance, she nodded yes.
All eyes went to Danny and Ben as both were chugging down their drinks at a nonstop rate. Though it wasn't that they were thirsty, today wasn't a busy day and they didn't really do much running, but out just waiting to use up as much time as they could. After a few seconds until the ice hit their lips that sat the cups back down. Danny with a satisfying groan and Ben burping out some gas.
With a glance to each other like a silent conversation the nodded, "Let's Roll!"
Derek was a bit surprised and not so. He knew they would want the money over anything else, but their earlier agreement about state jurisdiction over their court order. Even if they did go it was would still have over a year plus on them to continue.
"Alright," he smiled, happy that this team seemed to actually be on board. "I'll go tell him and find out more details."
Sliding out 9f the booth he turned back towards the door. Heading back into the main hallway as he headed for the front entrance. Standing just outside was Nicolas leaning against a pole with a cloud of quickly disappearing smoke from his almost complete cigarette.
Closing the gap he headed through both double doors to step back in he chilled night. Upon seeing the black suit the man quickly stuffed his cigarette into a ash container.
"Mr. Adrián," Derek said to him straight in the eye. The man clearly on the edge of what his answer was gonna be. But he was a bit surprised when Derek held his hand out for a shake. "We're in."
So this chapter I guess will mark the end of the creation story arc as to how the team was form and how their first year together was like. I tried adding a few snippets of side events so that it doesn't look like they have been laying about and are actually getting work done. I'm trying to add in events that while didn't make it fully to the story were still present and could be revisited by someone in the future.
To what I said earlier about this taking place in real life, I, again, had to add more fictional parts such as the fake oil company just as to get something I didn't have to rework with.
The next chapter 9 chapters will be the New York story arc that continues from here on out with sometimes coming back to this one. There will then be 2 more pots following chapter 30 and the story will be completed.