The Motel was closed up tight but the window that Mr. Worth had opened for
Courage the day before was still unlocked. Courage climbed in through the
window and opened the back door. Three small ghosts waited for him to
motion for them to come in before gliding through the door. Courage closed
and locked the door behind them.
They walked to the door at the far end of the large room and found themselves in the middle of a long, dark hallway. The children decided that the best way to search the building would be to split up. One boy and stayed with Courage with the other boy and the girl went the oposite way down the long hallway. The building was dark and felt spookier to Courage now than it had when he had stayed at the motel with Muriel and Eustace.
Courage and the boy were nearly at the end of the hallway when the boy suddenly stopped in his tracks. "The others are calling us." He reached out his hand and Courage held on tight as the little ghost disappeared.
They reappeared behind some boxes where the other two ghosts were waiting for them. The boxes were piled in the corner of a large dimly lit room with two machines in the center. One of the machines was smaller while the other machine looked like a large holding tank. Everything on the larger machine was plated in gold except for the large, empty, clear glass tank in the center. The smaller machine had various lights flashing on it but the larger machine looked dead.
One of the boys floated close to the machine for a better look then returned to where the others were hiding behind the boxes. "I wonder if that little thing is what they used to capture Alena?"
The girl shrugged while the other boy concentrated. "I can sense her energy. She's in that smaller machine."
The girl stared at the machine for a minute or two then said. "We better get back and tell Mr. Worth what we've found."
The others agreed and a second later they disappeared taking Courage with them.
They reappeared in Courage's livingroom but Mr. Worth was still resting. The other children said that everything had been very quiet all evening. Courage looked up at the clock and noticed that it was already 7:15pm. Muriel and Eustace had been asleep for two full days now. Even though they already had all the plants they needed for the antidote, he couldn't help but worry.
He went into the kitchen and searched for something to eat for dinner. One of the children followed him and kept watch over the back door. Courage found lunchmeat, cheese, and bread along with several other things to make a perfect sandwich. He actually found himself missing Eustace's complaints about him sitting at the table while he ate. Courage sighed and took his empty plate to the sink to wash.
A familiar voice startled him as he turned away from the sink. "The children said you found out where Alena was being held."
Courage wagged his tail happily and ran over to give Mr. Worth a hug. Mr. Worth knelt down and hugged Courge back. "I told you not to worry. I didn't let myself get drained too badly."
Mr. Worth straightened up. "Now, let's go get Alena."
Courage gave a worried look toward the livingroom.
Mr. Worth smiled down at him. "We'll be back in plenty of time to wake them up. But Alena may not be so lucky if we don't get there in time."
Courage looked up at him.
Mr. Worth answered his unspoken question. "If she is held in that machine too long before they try to transfer her into the holding tank, then her energy could disappear for good."
Courage gave an understanding nod and soon he and Mr. Worth disappeared with four of the children.
The small group reappeared behind the Katz Motel. This time they weren't alone. Katz had just walked in through the back door followed by the evil looking man that Courage and Mr. Worth had seen the day before.
Mr. Worth motioned for all of them to wait until Katz was far enough in the building that he wouldn't see them sneak in. Once they were sure that it was safe, Courage slipped in through the open back door and motioned for the ghosts to follow. They quickly made their way to the room where the Alena was trapped inside Katz' ghost catcher.
Katz was getting ready to try to transfer the small ghost into the large holding tank. "Once we get this one in the tank, we can drain most of its energy. If this test is successful then we use the ghost catcher to capture the rest of the ghosts."
The evil looking man smiled gleefully. "It's pure genius to use the energy from ghosts to power the Katz Motel!"
Katz' eyes lit up wickedly. "Not only that, but when the energy is drained from the ghosts, they are trapped here in this Motel forever! Think of how much money a haunted Motel can make - -especially when each guest can have their own 'pet ghost' in their room while they stay here!"
Mr. Worth struggled to keep his temper in check. Courage looked up at the ghost and noticed that he was getting very angry. He just hoped that Katz wouldn't notice the eerie red glow that was eminating from Mr. Worth. He turned back to see Katz pick up the ghost catcher and begin attaching various cables from the small machine to the holding tank. Courage turned back to see Mr. Worth talking to the children.
Katz flipped on switch and was about to flip another when Mr. Worth flew angrily out from behind the boxes. "Let that spirit go or else!!!"
Katz tried to point the ghost catcher at Mr. Worth but the cables got in the way.
Mr. Worth had turned an angry red color and was floating toward Katz. "I said LET HER GO!" The anger in Mr. Worth's voice thundered througout the room.
Katz slowly put the ghost catcher down on the floor. "What makes you think I will listen to you? There's nothing you can do to me. You're only a ghost."
Katz appeared perfectly calm but the evil looking man was slowly backing away.
Mr. Worth pointed to the man. "Children, let's give Katz a demonstration."
The four children surrounded the man and began an all too familiar chant. Katz quickly picked up the ghost catcher but Courage had seen enough. He jumped out from behind the boxes and attacked Katz, knocking the ghost catcher out of his hands. Two of the cables came off of the ghost catcher as the machine fell on one of the switches causing a vapor like cloud to flow out of the machine. An instant later, a small girl appeared and weakly moved toward Mr. Worth.
Katz struggled to get free from Courage, but the dog was way to angry. There was a whirlwind cloud of claws, pink paws, and teeth which soon ended in a pile of red and pink fur. Courage extracted himself from the pile of fur leaving a dazed Katz lying in a heap on the ground.
Courage glared at the dazed Katz. "Don't you ever do anything to hurt Muriel or my friends again!!!"
Katz tried to get to his feet but fell back down in a heap. The sound of sirens filled the air and soon the room was filled with police. The evil looking man was brought into the room in handcuffs.
One of the officers picked Katz up by the scruff of his neck and quickly put handcuffs on him.
Katz protested. "You can't arrest me, you have no evidence!"
Courage just grinned as one of the officers searched Katz and pulled a priceless gold coin out of the cat's pocket.
The officer just growled at Katz. "Well, we have this gold coin. We also have your friend's confession. I would say we have plenty of evidence."
Courage quietly slipped away behind the boxes where Mr. Worth and the children were forming a circle around Alena who was still very weak. Courage grinned and joined hands with the ghosts becoming part of the circle. Soon the familiar chant started and the circle disappeared.
They walked to the door at the far end of the large room and found themselves in the middle of a long, dark hallway. The children decided that the best way to search the building would be to split up. One boy and stayed with Courage with the other boy and the girl went the oposite way down the long hallway. The building was dark and felt spookier to Courage now than it had when he had stayed at the motel with Muriel and Eustace.
Courage and the boy were nearly at the end of the hallway when the boy suddenly stopped in his tracks. "The others are calling us." He reached out his hand and Courage held on tight as the little ghost disappeared.
They reappeared behind some boxes where the other two ghosts were waiting for them. The boxes were piled in the corner of a large dimly lit room with two machines in the center. One of the machines was smaller while the other machine looked like a large holding tank. Everything on the larger machine was plated in gold except for the large, empty, clear glass tank in the center. The smaller machine had various lights flashing on it but the larger machine looked dead.
One of the boys floated close to the machine for a better look then returned to where the others were hiding behind the boxes. "I wonder if that little thing is what they used to capture Alena?"
The girl shrugged while the other boy concentrated. "I can sense her energy. She's in that smaller machine."
The girl stared at the machine for a minute or two then said. "We better get back and tell Mr. Worth what we've found."
The others agreed and a second later they disappeared taking Courage with them.
They reappeared in Courage's livingroom but Mr. Worth was still resting. The other children said that everything had been very quiet all evening. Courage looked up at the clock and noticed that it was already 7:15pm. Muriel and Eustace had been asleep for two full days now. Even though they already had all the plants they needed for the antidote, he couldn't help but worry.
He went into the kitchen and searched for something to eat for dinner. One of the children followed him and kept watch over the back door. Courage found lunchmeat, cheese, and bread along with several other things to make a perfect sandwich. He actually found himself missing Eustace's complaints about him sitting at the table while he ate. Courage sighed and took his empty plate to the sink to wash.
A familiar voice startled him as he turned away from the sink. "The children said you found out where Alena was being held."
Courage wagged his tail happily and ran over to give Mr. Worth a hug. Mr. Worth knelt down and hugged Courge back. "I told you not to worry. I didn't let myself get drained too badly."
Mr. Worth straightened up. "Now, let's go get Alena."
Courage gave a worried look toward the livingroom.
Mr. Worth smiled down at him. "We'll be back in plenty of time to wake them up. But Alena may not be so lucky if we don't get there in time."
Courage looked up at him.
Mr. Worth answered his unspoken question. "If she is held in that machine too long before they try to transfer her into the holding tank, then her energy could disappear for good."
Courage gave an understanding nod and soon he and Mr. Worth disappeared with four of the children.
The small group reappeared behind the Katz Motel. This time they weren't alone. Katz had just walked in through the back door followed by the evil looking man that Courage and Mr. Worth had seen the day before.
Mr. Worth motioned for all of them to wait until Katz was far enough in the building that he wouldn't see them sneak in. Once they were sure that it was safe, Courage slipped in through the open back door and motioned for the ghosts to follow. They quickly made their way to the room where the Alena was trapped inside Katz' ghost catcher.
Katz was getting ready to try to transfer the small ghost into the large holding tank. "Once we get this one in the tank, we can drain most of its energy. If this test is successful then we use the ghost catcher to capture the rest of the ghosts."
The evil looking man smiled gleefully. "It's pure genius to use the energy from ghosts to power the Katz Motel!"
Katz' eyes lit up wickedly. "Not only that, but when the energy is drained from the ghosts, they are trapped here in this Motel forever! Think of how much money a haunted Motel can make - -especially when each guest can have their own 'pet ghost' in their room while they stay here!"
Mr. Worth struggled to keep his temper in check. Courage looked up at the ghost and noticed that he was getting very angry. He just hoped that Katz wouldn't notice the eerie red glow that was eminating from Mr. Worth. He turned back to see Katz pick up the ghost catcher and begin attaching various cables from the small machine to the holding tank. Courage turned back to see Mr. Worth talking to the children.
Katz flipped on switch and was about to flip another when Mr. Worth flew angrily out from behind the boxes. "Let that spirit go or else!!!"
Katz tried to point the ghost catcher at Mr. Worth but the cables got in the way.
Mr. Worth had turned an angry red color and was floating toward Katz. "I said LET HER GO!" The anger in Mr. Worth's voice thundered througout the room.
Katz slowly put the ghost catcher down on the floor. "What makes you think I will listen to you? There's nothing you can do to me. You're only a ghost."
Katz appeared perfectly calm but the evil looking man was slowly backing away.
Mr. Worth pointed to the man. "Children, let's give Katz a demonstration."
The four children surrounded the man and began an all too familiar chant. Katz quickly picked up the ghost catcher but Courage had seen enough. He jumped out from behind the boxes and attacked Katz, knocking the ghost catcher out of his hands. Two of the cables came off of the ghost catcher as the machine fell on one of the switches causing a vapor like cloud to flow out of the machine. An instant later, a small girl appeared and weakly moved toward Mr. Worth.
Katz struggled to get free from Courage, but the dog was way to angry. There was a whirlwind cloud of claws, pink paws, and teeth which soon ended in a pile of red and pink fur. Courage extracted himself from the pile of fur leaving a dazed Katz lying in a heap on the ground.
Courage glared at the dazed Katz. "Don't you ever do anything to hurt Muriel or my friends again!!!"
Katz tried to get to his feet but fell back down in a heap. The sound of sirens filled the air and soon the room was filled with police. The evil looking man was brought into the room in handcuffs.
One of the officers picked Katz up by the scruff of his neck and quickly put handcuffs on him.
Katz protested. "You can't arrest me, you have no evidence!"
Courage just grinned as one of the officers searched Katz and pulled a priceless gold coin out of the cat's pocket.
The officer just growled at Katz. "Well, we have this gold coin. We also have your friend's confession. I would say we have plenty of evidence."
Courage quietly slipped away behind the boxes where Mr. Worth and the children were forming a circle around Alena who was still very weak. Courage grinned and joined hands with the ghosts becoming part of the circle. Soon the familiar chant started and the circle disappeared.