Abby lay in the darkness, everything hurt but especially her head. Something had clocked her hard on the back of the head. She had managed to grab the radio she didn't know how long after she fell. She tried to open her eyes but they refused to co-operate.
She didn't know where Jillian was, she thought she had heard a scream in the confusion as she fell but she couldn't be sure.
Abby kept struggling to keep her eyes open but it was a losing battle. The nurses at the hospital would be pissed if they knew. They had told her to take it easy, know she had her second head injury in a few days.
Abby tried hard to keep herself from slipping into unconsciousness. She had to find Jillian. She had no idea how much of her message Patty and Erin had heard. Abby tried hard to pull herself forward again.
She heard a laugh behind her. Abby didn't even try to turn around she just tried to keep pulling herself forward, even as she felt herself slipping out of consciousness. Abby felt a hand grab her ankle pulling her back with ease.
Abby couldn't fight it anymore, and succumbed to the darkness.
Erin and Patty were moving slowly through the dark tunnels, torches wildly moving about every corner. They hadn't spoken since arriving down in the tunnels. The voices had just echoed around and neither of them wanted whoever was down here to find them.
They both thought they could hear someone else moving in the tunnels but again were unsure if it was just the noises of the building.
Patty suddenly grabbed Erin's hand making her jump. Patty nodded down towards the floor, illuminating with her torch a small blood stain on the floor.
Erin couldn't help but shiver. Lying beside the blood was Abby's torch and radio.
"Where are they now?" Erin whispered.
"We need to get out, call the mayor." Patty quietly replied.
Erin couldn't stop staring at the blood, Patty was still looking around. As her torch passed by a corner, the light caught on the eyes of someone peeking around the corner. Patty quickly moved her torch back to the corner but whoever had been standing there was now gone.
Patty thought she heard a laugh echoing down the tunnels. She pulled on Erin's sleeve.
"Erin." She hissed, "We need to go."
"Do you think….she can't be….can she?" Erin garbled.
Patty turned back to the corner and saw three translucent figures standing there.
"Erin." She demanded, grabbing her arm roughly, and pulling her as she backed away.
The three ghosts disappeared, this unnerved Patty even more. They had to get out of here right now. They had to get backup there was no way they could explore these tunnels alone. It was their best chance of finding Abby and Jillian alive.
Patty turned to start running back but as she turned something hard hit her head sending her falling hard to the floor.
Erin couldn't help but let out a small scream as Patty fell. Erin looked at the tall man standing in front of her. He smiled as he dropped the pipe he had hit Patty with.
"Hello pretty little thing." He smiled.
Erin began to back away. "Where's Abby and Jillian?" She demanded, despite how badly she was shaking.
He laughed, and pulled a long knife out of his pocket.
"All four ghostbusters what a price." He smiled, continuing to follow Erin.
Erin pulled out her proton gun, "I can send you back to whatever hell you came from."
"You'd never kill this mortal body, little girl."
Erin couldn't help but gulp.
"She brought you all to me, so we can all rise." He laughed, continuing to approach Erin.
Erin didn't know what to do, she couldn't kill this man. He was an innocent completely unaware of what this ghost inside him was doing.
"If you come with me easy, I'll make it quick." He smiled, extending his hand.
Erin shook her head still backing away.
"If you run Erin, it'll be worse for you when I catch you."
Erin was still shaking she didn't know what to do. She knew Patty had told her the tunnels were miles she could be lost down here for days and die anyway. Even if she did get out she had no idea where Abby and Jillian were. She would be abandoning her friends to certain death.
Suddenly a large shot made Erin jump. She breathed heavily looking around for some sort of injury on her. She looked up and saw the man collapsing to his knees, blood pouring out of his stomach.
He turned gasping to look at Jillian who was standing there with a gun in her hands.
"But Rowan said…" he gasped before collapsing.
Jillian grabbed out her proton pack as the ghost rose from his body and pulled it in to the ghost trap.
Jillian stood still staring for a moment, she seemed dazed. She shook herself and ran over to Erin who had sunk to the ground.
"Jillian, what did you do?" Erin gasped, as Jillian grabbed her hands, looking her over.
"I panicked, I don't know, I…" Jillian faltered, looking back at the dead man behind her.
"Where's Abby?" Erin asked gently.
Jillian nodded back towards the direction she had come from.
"Erin, I killed a man." She suddenly said. "Not a ghost but a real person."
"We need to get Patty and Abby and get out of here." Erin replied, she didn't want to respond to Jillian right now.
She knew that Jillian had been afraid, she had saved her life but a man was now dead.
Erin stood taking Jillian's hand and the two moved in silence to first check on Patty who was slowly coming too, then down towards the area where Abby lay.
Erin couldn't help but gasp as they came in the small alcove. It was lit with candles, Abby lay splayed out in the centre. On the walls were pictures of the women he had killed and of all the ghostbusters.
Erin couldn't help but worry about his last words. She hoped it just meant he had been in contact with Rowan on the other side and that he was not back to haunt them once more.
Jillian was now visibly shaking, as Erin bent down to gently shake Abby. Erin felt relieve flood her as Abby began to come too very easily. She would still need to go to the hospital but at least she was waking.
Jillian was practically hyperventilating in the corner. Erin didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to say. Jillian had killed a man, she had the depossesion device and whatever reason hadn't used it.
She knew it was of her first ever busts. Everything had been so intense and confusing. Erin knew she had to be there for her right now.
She came over putting her arm around Jillian.
"Hey, hey," she quietly said, "It's going to be okay."
Jillian pushed her away hard. "No, it's not."
"What's happening?" Abby's groggy voice interrupted.
The sirens were blaring as the four of them stepped out into the cool night. Abby and Patty were both immediately pulled away to ambulances.
Erin stood watching as the police and Mayor's goons headed into the hospital, to ensure the building was clear. Also to retrieve the body.
Jillian was now standing aside from everyone. After Abby had woken up, she had seemed to go into a sort of trance. She had barely said a word.
The mayor's car came pulling in and high speed.
He immediately got out and started asking questions of everyone he based. Erin watched as he approached Jillian. She was about to rush over when she saw Jillian fall into his arms for a hug, tears streaming down her face.
Erin kept her distant, watching as the Mayor seemed to be overing Jillian comfort and reassurance. As they broke from their hug, he made eye contact with Erin. His facial expression made it clear she was going to get no such treatment.
He gently gave Jillian a pat on the shoulder, indicating for her to go to his car. He marched over to Erin, the fury on his face building with each step.
"What the hell were you thinking?" He growled as he got into earshot, grabbing Erin roughly by the arm.
"What do you mean, you fucking approved it?" Erin winced.
"I did no such thing."
"Abby called you before we went in." Erin argued.
"That never happened."
"You literally pay for us."
"Not anymore. Your funding was terminated this morning."
Erin stared at him in shock, of course she knew he would trying to cover his back but he had done it all so quickly. She was not used to him being any where near this organised.
"It was an accident." Erin mumbled
"Of course, but once again your actions have hurt Jillian."
"She chose to be with us."
"You should have never allowed her to." He snapped, "Anyone could have told you it would have been a bad idea in her mental state."
Erin bit her lip, trying hard to stop tears streaming down her face.
"Take your equipment and go. I'll contact you later." He said, turning away before Erin could say anything else.
Erin wanted to run to the car, but forced herself to just walk quickly. She threw her pack down in the back, and collapsed in the front seat as tears began to fall. The tears were rage and hurt.
She couldn't believe all that was happening, how quickly things had once again fallen apart.
She knew she still needed to go and get the rest of the equipment. She didn't even know if Abby and Patty were going to hospital.
She just needed a quiet moment on her own.
She took deep steadying breathes, as she titled her head back, letting her eyes close.
A knock on the window nearly made her scream.
She jolted up to see Patty standing there.
Erin jumped out of the car as quickly as she could, nearly hitting Patty with the door as it flung open.
"What's going…" Patty started, but stopped as Erin wrapped her arms around her, sobbing into her chest.
Patty didn't say anything instead she just held Erin as she sobbed, allowing her to let it all out.
Abby quietly approached, giving Patty a quizzical look.
Erin slowly pulled away, wiping her face with her hand. She felt pathetic for collapsing like this. She knew the others wouldn't see it that way, but to her it felt like she was being weak.
"What's wrong?" Abby asked, gently rubbing Erin's back.
"It's all over." Erin sobbed.
"What do you mean?" Patty asked.
"Jillian killed him, that man that was possessed. The mayor has cut our funding, severed all ties."
"Where's Jillian?" Patty asked.
"She went with him."
"Willingly?" Abby prompted.
"Yes, he blames us not her. He told us to go." Erin sighed.
"Okay, then let's go." Patty said, turning to go and grab the proton packs from where they had been dumped outside the hospital.
"It's okay, Erin." Abby gently said.
"No, it's not, we fucked up."
"But we are alive, and we captured a serial killer ghost." Abby replied.
Erin let out a bitter laugh, "A man is dead, all those women are dead."
"Let's get back to the firehouse." Patty whispered, gently placing her hand on Erin's shoulder.
Erin folded her arms, hugging herself tightly, as she pulled away from Patty's touch.
"I'm going home Patty." Erin soberly replied.
Erin turned and left both Patty and Abby standing shocked by the car.
"What do we do?" Abby said, lip quivering.
"First things we go dumb all this stuff at the firehouse, then…." Patty faltered.
"Then we drink." Abby sniffed, getting in the car and slamming the door.