October 31, 2019

11:41 p.m.

The weeps soon died down to quiet hiccups and sniffles. Nathan wiped his tears with his sleeve as he watched Luigi disembark from the elevator and walk toward the Lab. He saw Luigi enter the command center, pocket his phone and appear on Gadd's feed, whereupon the scientist and his mentee briefly conversed in low voices.

Luigi sat down and unbuckled his overalls, allowed Gadd to treat his injuries.

"Uh—Luigi?" uttered Nathan. "Do you—do you wanna talk about it?"

"Maybe later," Luigi replied.

He winced as Gadd dabbed at the gashes and slashes with antiseptic.

"Apologies," said Gadd. "I just don't want you getting an infection."

The Professor then grabbed the bandages, which he securely wrapped around the wounds. When he was finished, Luigi rebuttoned his overalls and accepted another plate of food from his mentor.

Silence hung between the trio as Nathan took the opportunity to finish the last of his sandwiches and then make some more, tuna fish this time.

"Look," Nathan said after a while. "I know something horrible just happened, but I was wondering if—if we could play a game. You know, to take the edge off before Luigi leaps back into it."

A look passed between Gadd and Luigi.

"S—s—sure," said Gadd. "Would you like to go first?"

"Yes, I would," said Nathan, selecting a card. "A romantic, candlelit dinner would be incomplete without blank."

There was another heavy silence before Gadd tossed out an answer.

"A discussion on the theory of relativity," he said.

"Someone playing 'Despacito'," said Luigi.

"A bouncy castle," said Gooigi.

"I—I like Luigi's," said Nathan. "Would you like to go next?"

Luigi chose a card. "All I want for Christmas is blank," he said.

"My very own Starbucks," said Nathan.

"Bagels," said Gadd.

"A gigantic c—k," said Gooigi.

Nathan couldn't resist a snicker.

"What?" asked Gooigi. "It was all I could think of."

"I'll go with Gooigi," said Luigi.

"My turn, then," said Gooigi, plucking a card. "Elon Musk showed off his new blank."

"Jockstrap," said Luigi.

"Miniskirt," said Nathan.

"Crop top," said Gadd.

"Okay—that's a tie," said Gooigi, picking another card, "so, let's do a tiebreaker. Cancel all my meetings. We've got a situation with blank that requires my immediate attention."

"My Discord server," said Gadd.

"My side chick," said Nathan.

Luigi blushed. "My—my gigantic c—k," he said.

Gooigi giggled. Nathan almost fell out of his chair laughing.

"Okay, Luigi. You win," said Gooigi.

"Wow," breathed Luigi as he ate the last bit of food on his plate. "I actually feel a little better. Thanks, Nate."

"You're welcome," said Nathan. "There's something you need to know, however. The friend I called in Sarasaland's capital is dead. I think the Boos got him. And the help he sent is also dead. Our only hope is that I attempt to reach out to Daisy myself, but since you don't want her in the line of fire…"

"No, I don't," said Luigi. "If you can, message her and tell her to stay in her castle, at least until daybreak."

"Got it," said Nathan, doing just that. "Whether or not she'll actually heed my advice is regrettably beyond my control."

"That's Daisy for you," said Luigi.

His face now bore a grimly determined look. "Okay, Professor," he said. "I'm going back in. And I'm not coming out until I deal with King Boo once and for all. You just try and stop me."

Gadd futilely reached out to Luigi as he whirled on his heel and marched out of the Lab.

Softly, the Professor swore. "I can't talk him out of this, can I?"

Nathan solemnly shook his head.

The next few minutes consisted of Nathan and Gadd making small talk or attempting to make small talk as they monitored Luigi on his Skype feed. They watched him battle against ghosts coming at him in droves as Gooigi helped. They watched Polterpup affectionately pounce on him and lick his cheek at certain intervals. They listened to Luigi humming a made-up tune to keep himself together, and they listened to him grunt and huff as he slammed attacking ghosts this way and that.

"We can only pray that he manages to get Mario and Peach out of there alive," said Gadd, "because if King Boo takes them away from Luigi, then that's bound to destroy him."

That's the truth of it, typed King Boo. U guys doing okay?

"We were," Nathan said bitterly.

Well, guess what? Break time's over.

King Boo's feed came back to life, showing an eerily-lit room.

"What are we looking at?" asked Gadd.

"Someone's hotel suite, maybe?" suggested Nathan. "Like a penthouse or something?"

"Whose penthouse?" Gadd wanted to know.

"My guess would be—his fan club president's," said Nathan. "Hellen's."

Gadd shrugged. "Plausible," he said.

Luigi, Polterpup and Gooigi walked into the shot.

"Youngster!" shouted Gadd. "Can you hear us?"

Luigi turned, hurried over to the computer and sat down in front of it. Polterpup jumped into his lap and was soon lavished with pets and rubs.

"I'm close," he said. "I can feel it. Everything's getting more treacherous."

"I agree," said Nathan. "Are you in a penthouse of sorts?"

"Hellen's penthouse," said Luigi, "and I think she has one of my friends stashed inside. Mario, to be more specific. When we were checking in, she was acting really creepy and icky toward him. Like she was trying to flirt with him or something."

"Ick," grimaced Nathan. "You need to capture her [bleep], and quickly."

"And after that, I can defeat King Boo and end this nightmare," said Luigi. "Those gamers he's captured—I don't know if they're also in this hotel or being held somewhere else, but I'm gonna find them, and then I'm gonna free them using my Dark-Light device."

You wish, typed King Boo. Hello, Luigi. Nice of you to join us. I'm actually amazed that you got this far.

Luigi held his Poltergust in steady hands, levelling it at the screen. "Those Smash players have never seen you before in their lives," he said. "Let them go."

Make me.

"I mean it, King Boo," said Luigi. "No more of this madness. Nathan and those Smash players—they have nothing to do with this. Some of them were still in diapers when we first encountered each other. They don't need to answer for something I did. Just let them live their lives. I'll convince them not to go to the police, okay? I don't care what you do to me—just leave Nate, my fans and the Smashers who main me out of it!"

Oh, Luigi, this has everything to do with them. When you ally with someone, you have to deal with their enemies, too. Remember?

"Then I guess it's time for me to deal with my enemy before he goes after anyone else," snapped Luigi. "I'm serious about this, King Boo. Enough of these games. Just you and me, one-on-one. Right here, right now."

Oh, my sweet, sweet Luigi—that sounds like fun. But I have a better idea.

"And what's that?" asked Luigi.

An empire toppled by its enemies will rise again. But one toppled from within—that's gone. Forever.

Gadd jumped slightly as the lights in his Lab blinked on and off.

Shall we play a game, PROFESSOR?

"What are you talking about?" Gadd asked sharply, breaking out in a sweat.

"Professor," Luigi said in a low, urgent tone as Polterpup barked agitatedly. "Whatever he asks you—do not answer. Do not give in."

King Boo then sent the group a .jpg attachment entitled "True Love".

"Nobody click on that," gasped Gadd.

Must I do everything? King Boo typed as he opened the attachment.

It was a black-and-white photo of a teenaged couple, dressed formally and smiling with their arms around each other. The boy in the photo wore a familiar pair of spectacles, a tuft of his hair standing up on end like a candle flame.

"Oh, my holy God," gasped the Professor. "Where did you get this?!"

That isn't relevant right now.

King Boo sent and then opened a second .jpg attachment, simply titled "Touch U Good". It was a photo of the same young couple, sharing an intimate moment.

"Wait—Professor, that's you!" exclaimed Nathan.

Tight-lipped, Gadd nodded.

"But who's the girl?" asked Nathan.

"Nathan," warned Luigi.

"What? I'm just curious," defended Nathan.

Professor, please identify the woman in the photo.

"No!" defied Gadd. "You can't make me!"

Your funeral.

Another video feed appeared, showing someone's computer, presumably King Boo's, as a website URL was typed into an Internet browser.

The browser then showed the home page for some sort of high school Nathan had never heard of before.

Gadd was practically gray in the face.

King Boo then executed some sort of hacking tool which allowed him to access the high-school's yearbook database. He scrolled down to the yearbook for the 1915-16 school year and clicked on it.

There was a closeup of a teenaged Gadd, before the camera panned down to the woman in the photo. The yearbook identified her as Virginia Clarisse Davenport.

Gadd covered his mouth with both hands. "No—no, no…" he uttered.

"Just don't answer, okay?" Luigi told him. "Whatever you do, do not answer."

A third feed popped up, showing a frail and elderly woman in a hospital bed, hooked to a respirator and a host of other machines.

A pained sob escaped Gadd's throat.

"Professor…" Nathan said softly.

"He wasn't supposed to find her," said Gadd.

"The girl in the photo—she's a close friend of yours?" asked Nathan.

Gadd's lips trembled. "She's my high-school sweetheart," he confessed.

Utter silence as his words sank in.

And then King Boo initiated a countdown from one minute.

"Wha—why are you counting down?!" Gadd demanded. "What do you want from me?!"

Oh, I think you know, Professor.

"What do you think I did?" asked Gadd.

I think you know that, too.

"If this is about the ghosts and Boos I've captured over the years, then it was in self-defense!" Gadd said hotly. "I'd never attack them unless they attacked me first!"

Relax, Professor. This isn't about that. It's about something you did to a person you supposedly care about.

"What—what are you…?" Gadd wanted to know.

Luigi, don't you find it strange that the Professor was trapped in the Last Resort along with your friends?

"He told me that he was in the area for a convention," said Luigi.

Ah, but that's only half the story, Luigi. Your dear mentor is keeping something from you.

"No, I'm not!" shouted Gadd. "Don't listen to him, Luigi! He's trying to lure you into his web!"

How do you think I met up with my fan club president, hmm? I was locked in a vault—a vault which only the Professor had access to. The only way for me to wind up in this hotel was for him to personally transport me here. And why—would he want to do that?

"Stop," said Gadd. "Please, stop."

It's amusing that you still think you can give me orders.

"Professor," Luigi said slowly. "What is he talking about?"

Gadd opened his mouth to respond, only for King Boo to beat him to the punch.

You haven't been completely honest with your mentee, Professor. That's about to change. And now—you know precisely what I want from you.

Gadd looked stricken. "N—no…"

You're going to tell Luigi the exact circumstances leading to my escape.

"You're insane! You're…"

The truth—or Virginia's life. Your choice.

"For the love of God!" screamed Gadd. "Kill me, but leave her alone! You don't have to involve her!"

Tick-tock, Professor.

"What does he mean by 'circumstances'?" asked Luigi. "Is there something you're not telling me, Professor?"

"He's messing with your head, my boy," said Gadd. "You can't let him, okay?"

"Messing with his head", you say? You knew that I'd hunt down Luigi and his friends and make them pay the first chance I got. Why, then, would you bring me to this *convention*, knowing the threat I posed? Unless—the lure of fame and fortune was too great. Unless—you were *specifically* asked to bring yours truly.

"'Specifically asked'?!" repeated Luigi. "Professor—he's not suggesting what I think he's suggesting, is he?"

"I'm telling you, this is all part of his game…" Gadd started.

"Don't give me that!" Luigi broke in. "You owe me the truth!"

For once, we agree on something.

"Just—let's just sit down and think about this, okay?" pleaded Gadd. "We can find a way to settle this rigmarole!"

I agree. I just told you how—but it's a special, limited-time offer.

"I'm telling you—what you're about to do—you'll have to live with it for all eternity," warned Gadd. "Please—don't do this to us!"

That's entirely up to you, Professor. And it looks like time is running out.

"Professor." Luigi's voice had hardened. "If King Boo somehow escaped on your watch, then I deserve to know."

Yes, Luigi—did I break out of my prison on the Professor's watch? Or did he enable my escape by falling for the wiles of a beautiful woman?

"Excuse me?" asked Luigi.

That's right. The same woman who invited you to the hotel was the same woman who invited the Professor to this *convention*. You didn't actually think it was just coincidence that you found him sealing in a painting, did you?

Luigi gazed at his mentor, his face flint. Gadd looked at his feet.

Professor—don't you want this to be over?

"I just want you to leave us in peace," Gadd replied, a little tearfully.

I can certainly make that happen, if you only say a few words to Luigi. You know the old saying—the truth will set you free.

The timer was now at 15 seconds. Gadd snatched at his mop of hair.

You'll not only save Luigi and Nathan, but you'll also save your precious Virginia.

"Dear God, what do I do?" murmured Gadd. "Just tell me what to do…"

"Professor, you'd better tell me what the [bleep] you did right now," said Luigi, his eyes flashing.

"I can't…" Gadd said, his voice shaking.

This is your last chance, Professor. Tell him the truth, or watch Virginia die.

At the last possible second, Professor Elvin Gadd finally broke, pounding on his console in frustration.

"I'm sorry," he uttered. "I'm sorry, Luigi. I'm so sorry."

"What did you do?" Luigi demanded of the older man.

"Hellen—she called me personally and told me about the convention she was hosting. And you know how much I enjoy sharing my findings and research with my fellow scientific minds. Anyway, she offered free accommodations at the hotel, and then—she told me—to bring King Boo."

"And you agreed," Luigi said in a low voice.

"Well—not initially," said Gadd. "I tried to talk her out of it, okay? I told her that he was a danger to himself and to others and tried to pique her interest in my other ghosts. But it was like trying to move a brick wall. She assured me that she and her staff would take the necessary precautions. And then she threatened to drop me from the convention unless I agreed to bring King Boo. The lure of necking with other people in my field overpowered everything else, and I—capitulated."

"You mean to tell me that you willingly brought him here?! After everything he did to me?!" Luigi's voice was rising.

"There was an opportunity, and—I couldn't bear to say 'no'," said Gadd.

"That's your excuse?!" charged Luigi. "You saw an opportunity, so you decided to let common sense fall by the wayside?!"

"Well—I…"

"King Boo escaped the first time because of you! You held some godforsaken yard sale for whatever reason, and you decided, 'Hey, let's sell a malevolent ghost locked away in a painting. It's not like he'll somehow escape and cause more chaos!' Well, guess what—he did! He nearly sent the whole world into anarchy! And then you dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night to bail you out and clean up your mess!"

"Luigi, please, calm down," Nathan spoke up.

"I have no intention of calming down!" snapped Luigi. "All of this would've been put to rest eighteen years ago if this so-called 'scientist' had actually been smart for once!"

"Whoa, whoa—that was uncalled for, young man," said Gadd.

"You shut your f—ing mouth!" shouted Luigi, making both Nathan and Gadd jump.

"Wh—what…?" spluttered Gadd.

"This is all your fault, Elvin Gadd! All of it! And here I am, yet again, risking my life and my sanity and adding on countless more years of therapy to save my loved ones from the mess you made! Vicky, her unborn child, Jacqui, Flynn, Elegant, Melanie, Sophie, Emily, Janelle, Noah, Ryder and Rian, not to mention Nathan's friend in Sarasaland—they're all dead because of you! Their blood is on your hands as much as it's on King Boo's!"

"Luigi, please…" Gadd sounded like he was about to cry. "I didn't mean to…"

"Well, you did!" spat Luigi. "I thought you cared about me! But obviously, I was wrong! You don't give a [bleep] about anything or anyone—except your f—ing research! It's always your research! The value of human life is absolutely nothing to you!"

"Now wait a minute, Luigi…" Nathan tried jumping to Gadd's defense.

In response, Luigi whirled on Nathan. "Did you know?" he asked.

"Not in so many words…" Nathan began.

"Don't b.s. me, Nathaniel Turner!" Luigi practically barked. "Did. You. Know?!"

Nathan knew the jig was up. "King Boo confronted us about it earlier, and the Professor made me promise not to tell you."

Luigi's mouth fell open upon hearing this.

"I was waiting for the right time," mumbled Gadd.

There was nasty silence.

And then Luigi exploded.

"God—mit!" he yelled, violently trashing the room he was in. "Everyone I meet is either taking advantage of me or treating me like [bleep]!"

"Luigi, I'm sorry!" Gadd said desperately. "I don't know what else to say!"

"That's all you have to say?! 'Sorry'?!" Luigi railed. "It won't bring back Flynn, Ryder and Rian, and it won't bring back Nathan's friends, his fiancée or his unborn child! If you hadn't been so careless, then they'd still be alive! But hey, it's all in the name of science, isn't it?!"

As Luigi continued to rake Gadd over the coals, Nathan pleaded for calm. Unfortunately, his entreaties fell on deaf ears, as Luigi was too infuriated and too stressed to care anymore. "Orinoco Flow", by Enya, began playing on Nathan's music player over Luigi's rant, and he couldn't lower the volume or mute it.

"You've brought me nothing but terror and trauma, and I'm sick of it!" yelled Luigi. "If anything happens to Mario, Daisy or Peach tonight, then I'm holding you personally responsible! And that goes for you, too, Nathan!"

Nathan was too stunned to formulate a response.

Luigi glared at Gadd. "You are the most incompetent man of science I've ever met," he seethed. "I'll never forgive you for what you've done, and I'll never speak to you again. Have a nice life."

Gadd opened his mouth to make one final plea, but Luigi had already signed out of the chat.

All but one of King Boo's feeds went dark, as well. The one showing Virginia in her hospital bed remained active.

Thank you, Professor, typed King Boo. I know that must've been very difficult for you.

"Well, that's that," said Gadd. "That youngster's trust in me has been completely decimated. Happy now?"

Not yet. 3:D

A chorus of giggling and cackling sounded. Nathan and Gadd watched as several Boos floated into Virginia's hospital room, staring menacingly down at her.

"What are you—what are you doing?" asked Gadd. "I did what you wanted! I told Luigi the truth! I'm begging you—don't hurt her!"

The Boos flew into all of the machines keeping Virginia alive. Gadd grabbed at his hair a second time as alarms began to sound. The elderly woman's eyes snapped open, and the duo could see the pain and confusion in them as her body began to thrash wildly on the bed. To their horror—they could faintly hear her desperately struggling for breath.

"Virginia?" bellowed Gadd. "Virginia!"

He and Nathan heard King Boo laughing mirthlessly.

Close to five minutes elapsed before Virginia's futile struggles ended. As she went limp on the bed, her monitor flatlined, that familiar, droning beep filling the hospital room.

"No!" wailed Gadd. "No, no, no!" He exploded in tears.

"Meet Virginia", by Train, began to play, as if mocking the elderly scientist.

Nathan crossed himself and muttered a prayer.

"You f—ing b—d!" roared Gadd. "You gave me your word!"

And I kept it. You told Luigi the truth, and I allowed Virginia to live. I just never specified how long I'd allow her to live.

Gadd blubbered. "All for nothing," he said dully. "It was all for nothing…"

Indeed. You have no say over who lives or dies anymore. Only *me*.

King Boo's remaining feed lingered on Virginia's body before cutting to black.

Gadd's head fell into his hands, and he began to sob.

"He's right, you know," hiccupped Gadd. "I've been a lousy mentor. Blind—to what I have. I've mocked him. I've laughed at him. I've made jokes at his expense. I've put my interests in the paranormal above human life. I let myself get swayed by that bogus invitation, and now at least twelve people are dead because of it."

"I'll give him some time to cool off," said Nathan, "and then I'll talk to him."

"Why bother? He made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me anymore," said Gadd. "I honestly don't blame him. He should've kicked me to the curb long before then. I leave a big mess everywhere I go."

"That's not true," said Nathan. "You've revolutionized modern paranormal science."

"How? By sucking ghosts into a vacuum cleaner and then shoving them into containment, just because they frightened me when I was a boy?" Gadd poured himself a glass of Scotch as he spoke. "All I've done is convince people that all ghosts deserve to be trapped. I've disgraced this profession, and I've disgraced the lab coat I wear!"

"You made a mistake," said Nathan.

"A mistake that got all of your friends killed," said Gadd. "God, I'm so stupid! I'm a stupid, doddering old man with stupid dreams who never learns!" He broke into a fresh round of sobbing.

"Professor, c'mon," Nathan said consolingly. "This is my fault, too. I participated in the tournament hosted by the Boos, and I won this laptop. I'm just as gullible, and I also deserve Luigi's fury." He sighed. "If I failed as a friend, then I don't know if I can be a good King. I'd abdicate the throne, but there's nobody to abdicate it to. Look, all I'm saying is—we'll share the blame. And if Luigi doesn't want to know me anymore, then I'll main someone else."

Gadd slugged back his Scotch, wiping at his eyes. "Oh, Nathan," he said, "I appreciate that you're trying to make me feel better, but you didn't put Luigi in danger. I did. And I'll take full responsibility." He poured himself another glass.

Nathan looked at the emotionally wrecked Professor before opening Messenger and clicking on Luigi's profile.

I know you're upset and you have every right to be, he wrote, but I think you were way too harsh with the Professor.

He sent the message, not expecting Luigi to answer it.

I don't wanna fight with you, Luigi, he added. Please, let me make this up to you. Let the Professor make it up to you. He's trying to rectify things by guiding you up the hotel, isn't he?

After sending that message, Nathan poured himself some more wine and found a playlist to listen to on his Spotify.

Fifteen to twenty minutes went by. Nathan finished his second plate of sandwiches and debated starting on a third. However, something told him to check on Gadd, so he did.

Gadd was swaying slightly in his chair, and a decanter of Scotch was now beside him.

"You seem rather drunk," observed Nathan.

"Not as drunk as I intend to be," said Gadd.

"You'll be no good to Luigi intoxicated," said Nathan. "C'mon, man. We gotta get it together. We gotta get organized."

"What's the use? I let him down, and I let you down."

"So, that's it, then? One bump in the road, and you're giving up? That's not the Professor Gadd I know."

"That man is dead," Gadd said dejectedly. Sardonically raising his glass, he added, "A toast—to our new King." He downed the drink in one shot and started to pour another.

But Nathan would have none of it. "A driven man who's studied the paranormal for seventy-eight years and counting does not fold at the slightest whiff of adverse circumstances!" he exclaimed. "Now, quit your silly moping, pull your sorry self together and snap out of it!"

"But…"

"No 'buts'!" Nathan said firmly. "I can't believe you're so quick to despair. You're not the only person who's lost a loved one to King Boo! What would Virginia think if she saw you feeling sorry for yourself and drowning your sorrows?"

Gadd hesitated.

Softening his voice, Nathan went on, "You just gotta have a little faith, Professor. I'm sure that Luigi didn't really mean what he said. Maybe after fighting some more ghosts and getting some more elevator buttons, he'll calm down and be willing to hear you out."

Gadd appeared to think it over. "I—I guess you're right," he said. "But will he forgive me?"

"He's lost a significant amount of trust in you," said Nathan, "but give it some time and some hard work, and that trust will be repaired. Helping him save his brother and his unofficial sister-in-law is a good touch-off point."

Nathan saw Gadd's face brighten at his words. And then a peal of laughter tore from him.

"All righty—I'll about do it!" Gadd declared, putting away the decanter of Scotch. "I got us into this, but I'm gonna get us out. I still don't think I deserve forgiveness, though."

Nathan spread his hands. "It's worth a shot," he said.

"True," said Gadd, grabbing himself something to eat.

"Are you still in contact with Luigi?" asked Nathan.

"It appears he discarded the Virtual Boo after—you know. But if push comes to shove, I'll use Messenger or Skype to communicate with him—if he hasn't blocked me."

"I don't think he'd do that," said Nathan. "He would've probably gathered himself before doing that. I mean, it doesn't look like he's unfriended me yet. I sent him a few messages a while ago."

"Hm. That's a relief," said Gadd.

"Wanna work a crossword together?" asked Nathan.

"Why not?" replied Gadd. "It'll make me feel better."

"Same," said Nathan.

He logged onto an online crossword website and created a room for him and Gadd. But just as they were about to start the game, they were startled out of their seats by an incoming Skype call notification.

"It's him," Nathan said quietly as he saw the familiar avatar. "It's Luigi."

Please R&R.