Chapter 21: Door Crashing

Starlight Tower

5:51 PM

Dan wrung the water from his suit sleeves, a very sour look on his face as the cold water dripped from the suit cuffs. Sailor Jupiter felt bad over what had happened, her attack backfiring causing the fiasco. As Dan went into the truck to grab a towel to dry off - having them because, well, slime - Egon and Sailor Mercury theorized what happened with the lightning attack as everyone was still processing what just happened, "This invisible wall of ectoplasm is far more powerful than I expected," Egon observed, "It looks as though your powers - no matter how powerful - will just repel due to both of them being negatively charged."

Sailor Mercury was doing a scan on the building as she added her thoughts, "And since Jedite has so much power, the Ghostbusters' equipment doesn't have enough outgoing power to dissipate the wall enough to open the door free of shielding." "Wait a minute," Sailor Mars was getting lost in the explanation, "our powers are used for good. Why wouldn't they work on the wall?"

Egon sighed, "Good, evil… it doesn't matter. All magical and paranormal energies are negatively charged. You take two like charges and place them together, they repel; like two south ends of a magnet getting close to each other. Using your powers against the shield will just bounce off it like a rubber ball off the floor. Intent of energy use and physics of energy are two different concepts."

"Exactly," Sailor Mercury agreed, "What we need to do is find out how we're going to penetrate the wall and the door behind it in less than ten minutes." Egon walked beside her and grabbed Mercury's computer to get a look, "Interesting technology. According to this it'll take several kilowatts of energy to break the barrier open, but then we have to get the doors open."

"After ten minuets of dicking around, me and Winston couldn't get the opening larger than six inches in diameter," everyone turned to Dan as he was putting on a Chicago Blackhawks-branded cap with the bill pointing backwards, his hair still damp and now being slicked back, "If we keep firing until the opening is big enough, we're gonna run outta juice in the packs," he put his hands on his hips, "You got any ideas on boosting power, I'm open for suggestions."

"Yeah," Sailor Venus stated, "you guys don't exactly have a TV tower to tap into this time." "That," Ray interjected, "and we took the Proton Cannon off Ecto-1 before we left," he looked to Egon, "You think we should?"

Egon nodded, "Couldn't hurt. That might work."

Sailor Moon was none too thrilled with the cryptic responses the two scientists gave each other, "We're not about to drive the car into the building, are we?" Everyone started slowly looking at the leader of the Sailor Scouts confused. With the eyes on her she added, "It's just… Ray's driving is still on my mind!" Dan looked at Ray, "What exactly did you do?" Ray's head sunk into his shoulders again as he winced. Sailor Jupiter grunted a bit as she crossed her arms across her chest and answered, "The same thing you did, Daredevil Dan!" Dan looked to her annoyed look and nonchalantly nodded, "Yep, that's Ray, alright." Sailor Jupiter's eyes popped a bit as she was rather surprised at the calm response.

By this time Egon had walked to the back of Ecto-1, grabbed two small carry cases, and brought them to the front of the car. After setting the cases on the hood he popped the latch on the first case and opened it revealing two menacing pistol-like devices in holsters. He started handing them out, "These are called Ectoplasmic Destabilizer Pistols, dubbed after the original Atomic Destabilizing Rifle," Dan and Winston took hold of the weapons and took them out of the holsters to look them over. They had a simple pistol-grip with a canister resting on top of the main housing with a black electronics box on the back. Tubes ran from the canister into the opposite side of the gun's housing next to a set of push buttons labeled, "Prime" and "Degauss". On the electronic box there was a small quick-disconnect port labeled, "Power Recharge". On the one side was a 10-element LED power gauge. The device was heavy and bulky with what looked like a circuit board and 220v 30a buss fuse on the end of the barrel.

Egon continued, handing another set of pistols to Ray and Peter, "After you repaired the original rifle on your trainee mission, Dan, we dismantled the rifle and reengineered the matrix into something of a semi-blast pistol. We took inspiration from a set of experimental equipment we built some years earlier and integrated it into the pistol's matrix. They're ready to test. They launch meson-heavy protons and they should have enough joules of kinetic force along with the proper megaelectron volts to dissipate the ectoplasm expediently."

Four of the five Sailor Scouts and the two cat guardians again looked at Egon like he was growing a tree from his head. Peter noticed the sea of faces and translated, "That's science geek for, 'Blow'd up real good real fast.'" Luna commented as she looked to the heavens, "I knew the Ghostbusters' equipment was dangerous, but I never realized how dangerous the Ghostbusters themselves were!"

"Alright," Dan stated as he turned the weapon in his hand on, "I can wing this," he turned his attention to everyone in front of him, "Okay, here's the plan: Peter, Ray, and Winston fire at the center of the door with throwers. Egon, you and me will use our Ecto-Goggles and fire at the edges of the opening," He looked more attentively at the Sailor Scouts as he addressed them, "Once Egon gives the signal, all of you need to focus all of your powers into one attack at the same time."

The Scouts recoiled in shock, Sailor Mercury voicing her concern first, "At the same time?" "Isn't that, oh, I donno," Sailor Mars said with vinegar in her voice, "overkill?" "Hey, Fireball, I don't like it either," Winston stated back, him grabbing his thrower, "but if this is what I think it is, we only got one shot at this!" "Correct," Egon concluded with confidence, "The sheer kinetic force of your combined attacks should overwhelm whatever we can't dissipate."

Dan looked to his watch and took note of the time. Time was short, "We got three minutes, guys. Positions." Egon and Dan stood behind the vehicles with Ecto-Goggles over their eyes. Egon called out another part of the plan, "To my ascertain we'll need to drop the accumulation levels to approximately 9.25. From there the opening should be wide enough. Ready?"

Peter, Ray, and Winston knelt down between the front grills of the vehicles and aimed their throwers, their packs activating with a whir. The Scouts lined up behind them in a flying V-like pattern with Sailor Moon in front to await Egon's order. All of them called out in unison, "Ready!" Egon activated the pistol. A click and ping came from the weapon as both him and Dan braced themselves. He took a deep breath…

"FIRE!" The three Ghostbusters on the ground fired their streams. In Dan and Egon's POV a small hole again formed in the dead center of the doors. Egon began firing first followed by Dan. Dan's first shot taken with the pistol was so powerful it nearly dislocated his shoulder. The shockwave traveled up his arm and aggravated the injury in his dominant arm causing him to scream in pain, "Motherfucker!"

Sailor Jupiter heard him scream out, but almost as immediately she felt a sharp ache in her right arm. She grabbed her arm, gasping in pain. Sailor Venus was standing immediately behind her in the formation and saw this, "Jupiter, what's wrong?" The pain confused Sailor Jupiter upon being asked. She let go of her arm and looked back to her fellow Scout puzzled, "I donno! It was like I felt Dan's arm hurt!"

Egon saw his junior holding his arm. Even though he knew what just happened hurt him, he stressed the matter, "Daniel, keep firing! We have to get those readings down!"

In the firing line Peter asked out loud, "Time?"

Ray quickly looked to his watch while continuing his fire, "Two minutes!"

Egon was firing away, but was having difficulty consistently hitting the same spot. Dan on the other hand - once acclimating to the recoil - kept hitting the same spot with each pull of the trigger. The opening grew bigger with each shot. Peter was beginning to sweat, as did the two other Ghostbusters with him firing away. He called out again, "Time?"

Ray answered again, "One minute!"

"This is gonna be close!" Winston exclaimed.

Peter yelled out toward Dan, "Reading?"

"10.1! 9.35! 8.502!" Dan turned back and yelled out to the Sailor Scouts, "Girls, let'er rip!"

The Sailor Scouts began calling forth their powers. Their energies began to loom around them as they all closed their eyes and concentrated. Each of them glowed in their respective hues as they readied themselves. From nowhere a scepter-like device began to form in Sailor Moon's hands, her beginning to wave it around as she began the attack's charge-up. All of the other Scouts began shouting out their phrases to help harness their energies…

"Mercury Star Power!"

"Mars Star Power!"

"Venus Star Power!"

"Jupiter Star Power!"

Sailor Moon finished her charge-up, uttering the phase that made the device in her hands activate, "Moon Scepter Elimination!" Each of the Scouts held out their hands and laid it onto the scepter, their powers transferring to the device concentrating at the head. A spiraling light shot from the end of the scepter. The immense light caught the Ghostbusters' attention causing them to turn their heads and witness the power that Sailor Moon and the other Scouts possessed and controlled. Ray's eyes went wide as all 5 girls glowed before his eyes, "Holy…"

From the end of the scepter shot a crescent-moon shaped projectile, its formation throwing a hard turbulent wind in the Scouts' direction. Dan turned just in time to see the projectile fly past, him screaming out, "HIT THE DECK!" Him and Egon dropped behind the vehicles as Peter, Ray, Winston, and the Sailor Scouts stopped what they were doing and threw themselves to the asphalt. Luna and Artemis were already under Ecto-1 when the attack began. A bright and brilliant flash emerged as an explosion appeared along with it. The front doors as well as part of the front facade of the building were gone.

Dan and Egon immediately got up and started helping the Sailor Scouts and their fellow Ghostbusters up from under the building debris. With 10 seconds left all of them made it into the building, Dan coming up last inside. Dan doubled over like the rest of the Ghostbusters and Sailor Scouts panting over the panic they were feeling. Sailor Jupiter stood straight as she looked at the door… Well, it was less of a door and more of a big hole, "I guess the direct approach didn't work this time." Dan followed suit standing upright, removing his Ecto-Goggles as he spoke, "I'm surprised that worked at all."

Ray stood and looked at the entryway they just jointly created, "Wow, the amount of power you girls hold is astounding! From the concussive wave of that attack - without any interference from opposing forces like the energy shield - you could have easily knocked this building down!" Sailor Venus didn't feel comfortable with that observation, her rolling her eyes terror, "Great. That was all I needed to hear to sleep at night!"

Egon was pulling off his pair of Ecto-Goggles as he added, "From what I recorded with the goggles, I'd go even further as to state they could stop a moving meteor." Sailor Moon scoffed at the idea, "At what point would we need to stop a meteor?" "If there's anything I learned on this job," Winston said as he holsered his thrower, "anything is a possibility."

By this time Sailor Mercury walked back to the opening in the building and knelt down, Luna and Artemis approaching the outer part of the building, "It looks like this is where we part." "Are you sure you want us to stay behind?" Luna asked the teenager, "I don't feel comfortable leaving you behind in this chaos."

Dan walked from behind and knelt down beside Sailor Mercury, "Jedite was clear: The ten of us; five Sailor Scouts; five Ghostbusters. To avoid a risk…" he shrugged. Luna didn't like the answer, but she knew both Sailor Mercury and the Ghostbuster besider her were correct. She sighed, "You be careful in there. All of you."

Dan saluted mockingly, "Yes, Ma'am!"

Luna was rather perturbed at the man's lack of seriousness of the situation, "Why are you Ghostbusters so nonchalant about this?" "The truth is," Dan explained, using his thumb to point behind him to his superiors, "if there's anything I learned from these jokers, you gotta laugh at death," He stood and helped Sailor Mercury to her own feet as he concluded, "'cause death sure as hell is rolling on the floor laughing at you." Luna heard that and realized how hard it was to be a Ghostbuster. From what she knew of the company's history, they faced death more times than most people could even imagine. Not even the Sailor Scouts faced death as many times the Ghostbusters have in their 10 years of operation. Dan was still a newer member, but clearly understood the risk of the job. Death is not something normal people handled well without a coping mechanism. Nevertheless she watched as they walked deeper into the lobby of Starlight Tower seeking their target. Artemis noticed the worry on his counterpart's brow as he attempted to quell her fears, "Don't worry about the Scouts, Luna; they're in good hands."

Luna sighed again, "I hope so, Artemis."

Egon had retrieved his PKE meter and scanned the lobby of the building attempting to locate some kind of indication of Jedite's whereabouts, Sailor Mercury joining him with her minicomputer shortly after. The Sailor Scouts fanned out slightly as they looked around. Individually, the Ghostbusters thought it was pertinent to keep an eye on the Scouts so each of them decided to split off and accompany each of the Scouts as they wandered the lobby. Ray walked beside Sailor Venus as he commented, "Okay, so where is he?"

"Right here."

Everyone jumped as he found Jedite's projection standing before the information desk. Peter felt Sailor Moon grab his arm as she hid behind him. Seeing the petrified look of terror on the young Sailor Soldier's face from the corner of his eye, the psychologist attempted to add some levity to the situation, "Speak of the Devil."

Sailor Mars was doing the same thing to Winston as she spoke up, a clear tremble in her voice, "Literally!"

Dan got closest to Jedite's projection as he squared his shoulders and looked the humanoid remnant in the eye, Sailor Jupiter trailing behind him with hesitation. The youngest Ghostbuster spoke sternly, "Alright, you got us here. What the hell do you want from us?"

A smirk appeared on Jedite's face, him crossing his arms and giving a small chuckle, "A question. Long before your technologies; long before your World Wars; before your Jesus Christ I awaited a question. The beginning of new ideas and new adventures - destiny - started with a question."

The philosophical rhetoric made Dan look at the form of the man before him with a confused eyebrow raised, "What the hell are you? A refugee from the Q Continuum?" Jedite couldn't help but make his smirk more prominent. He felt as though this was going to be more fun than he could have ever imagined. He decided to break it down simply, "As I said before, I have a Challenge. You past the first test getting inside. Your next test is to reach the top of this very tower before your local clock strikes midnight. Once there, you will fight; fight for your lives!"

Sailor Venus heard the conditions and didn't seem too impressed, "That's it?" Winston agreed with his own eyebrow raised, his experience quashing a fear, "Except for walking to stairs, that doesn't sound too hard."

"Ah, but I have two other conditions," Jedite's smirk suddenly became more sinister, him holding up an index finger indicating everyone to wait a moment, "First, I have - as you know - captured more than 25 people from the park you've been nosing around in. They have been placed on several levels throughout the building for you to locate."

The Scouts and the Ghostbusters equally didn't like this condition. Not only was it going to be a long walk up the stairs - knowing damn well Jedite was going to disable the elevators or at the least make them a death trap - but now they had to seek out the people the Ghostbusters were originally called out to investigate. Sailor Mercury vocally expressed her worry, "Oh, no!" Egon had to immediately know, "What's your last condition?"

Jedite's smirk finally turned into a smile. The dark folds in his ectoplasmic form's face was one of pure unfiltered evil. He threw his hand up causing an eerie green and red light to suddenly engulf the Ghostbusters and the Sailor Scouts. The world suddenly went dark…