All rights reserved to Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Columbia Pictures. The Spengler Twins, and Eric Stantz are trademarks of Fritz Baugh. Jessica Venkman, Choncita and Rose Rivera are trademarks of Rosey Collins. This follows year Twenty Two (2005) of the Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline. Which can be found at . Lyrics from Spook Central and Top Hits Online.
Syren Call
Chapter One
Manhattan, stowed away in a garage somewhere was a man delving through various boxes, many maked with scrawled writing such as 'Peter's Stuff' or 'Ghostbusters things' or even 'Firehouse junk'. The man was none other then 50 year old Dr. Peter Venkman, charter member of the Ghostbusters (and if anyone said his hair was dyed, he's sock it to them). Presently he was digging through several old boxes of things he'd had in storage in LA after the breakup of Ghostbusters International in the fall of 1991, after that he'd kept the stuff in storage until he eventually moved back to New York, but was yet to really go through them, and he had not been expecting the emotional trip down memory lane that he'd currently been experiencing.
"Peter? Are you still out here?" A voice called, it was Dana.
"Yeah..." He shouted back and a moment later Dana Venkman walked through the door and into the garage, peering down at her husband who was sat on the floor in his old sweats. "Look what I found." He added, showing here a faded and yellowed newspaper, it was dated January 1st, 1989 and the banner headline read:
Ghostbusters Save New York - Again!
Paranormal experts defeat haunted painting on New Years' Day!
"Wow." Dana breathed as she took the newspaper. "You'd better not show this to Oscar, he'd either frame it from hero worship or destory it as it has a baby picture of him." She smiled.
"Meh, the kiddo doesn't like it..." He trailed off. "Speaking of which...where is he? It's saturday and I thought the guys from Mood Slime were coming over for band practice this afternoon."
"Doing what now?" Asked one Oscar (Wallance) Venkman, devouring a sandwich.
"Band practice." Peter replied simply.
"They're gonna be over in an hour...Tim's van finally broke down." Oscar returned.
"Only now?" Dana asked exasperately.
"Incredible, isn't it?" Oscar grinned.
"Don't sell short the accomplished mechanic..." Peter replied curtly as he delved through some more stuff in one of the boxes he'd opened. "Ray managed to keep stuff together for a year before it exploded or fell apart...or shot at us..." Oscar, his attention no longer being devided by his now devoured sandwich turned his attention to one of the boxes marked as 'Firehouse Junk' and opened it, within he found a Hula Girl lamp, a New York Yankees baseball cap, an old photograph of the guys and Janine, one of Peter's old (And too small) brown jumpsuits and a few audio casettes, one of which bore a woman holding a microphone, she seemed to be the epitamy of 80's style with full blond hair and eccentric makeup...mind you...not so eccentric when compared to his friend Danny's mascara or even his other friend Ella's make up, the members of Mood Slime had caused more then one bit of trouble in Oscar's life through asscociation alone.
"Hey Dad, it okay if I have some of these old tapes?" Oscar asked, looking back at his father who was going through a very large looking photo albumn.
"What? Oh, yeah, sure." Peter replied distractedly.
"Is that Janine?" Dana asked, pointing to a redhead with glasses she didn't recognise.
"Uh-huh..." Peter nodded. "That would be back in 1990...back when that Lotsabucks bitch was doing her dirty work..." Peter's expression changed from wistful memory to anger for a few moments before reverting back. "But even she couldn't keep those two crazy kids apart." He added happily. Oscar had dug all of the tapes out of the box and carried them into the house.
"You decided how much stuff you're getting rid off?" Dana asked as she studied some more of the photographs, including a very old shot of the four Ghostbusters and Janine outside the Firehouse, celebrating a successful return in 1986.
Chapter Two
Five hours had past and it was getting on for nine 'o' clock in the evening. Mood Slime had finished their performance in rattling the neighbourhood windows for the evening and only one person had come out to complain, and that was due to the band's van backfiring like a shotgun as it made it's way back to more denser streets of Manhattan. Peter meandered up the staircase, Jessica was busy watching a DVD of North by Northwest in her room and Oscar had been working on some new song which had the lyrics which went something like "...It only matters how we feel...". Peter paused for a moment, there was guitar music on the landing, but not the recognisable tones of that which belong to his son. He shook his head and continued along the short hallway, aiming for the bedroom he shared with Dana, however, as he was passing the door to Oscar's room he stiffened and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. There was a guitar riff which was so eighties...must've been one of the tapes Oscar had dug out of Peter's stuff earlier that day...but there was something so naggingly familiar about that song. Then it broke into lyrics.
"...Out all day trying to make my way...just trying to make ends meet..." Peter then moved towards te door and then began top knock loudly on it.
"Oscar? Hello?" There was no reply, he then tried the handle and the door opened, much to the surprise of Oscar who was there on the bed, twidling a pen in his hand as he considered what he'd written. Peter quickly moved over and hit the STOP/EJECT button on Oscar's stereo system which spat out the tape as if it had gotten a bad taste from it.
"Hey!" Oscar shouted, his face turning into a scowl.
"Oscar, I'm sorry, but where did you get this?" Peter asked, holding up the tape.
"What's it to you?" Oscar snarled with uncharacteristic anger.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What do you think? You barged into my room and turned off my music!"
"I'm sorry, but..."
"Get out." Oscar replied coldly and roughly ushered Peter through the door, slamming it behind him and leaving a bewildered Peter to stand there in the hallway, and thus scrutinized by his daughter.
"You didn't stop his music, did you?" She asked.
"It's not as simple as that." Peter replied. "This thing's dangerous." He held up the cassette.
"Yeah...looking at the fact it's nearly a decade old...pop music truely is dangerous...but try explaining that to Mount Oscar..." She replied flippantly. "Look," She sighed. "He'll probably feel stupid over it in the morning, okay?" She then closed her door and returned to her film viewing, leaving Peter Venkman to stare down at the mocking face of Shanna O' Callahan.
Unfortunately, Jessica was wrong. She stared in some surprise as Oscar glowered over his bowl of cereal at Peter the next morning, shooting his beloved step father daggers from his eyes. Dana had picked up on this as well.
"Hon, do you want me to drop you off at school?" She asked.
"No thanks." Oscar replied dully. He then shrugged his backpack onto his back and left the room, leaving both Dana and Jessica with perplexed expressions on their faces.
"Is he actually going through a late mental change of puberty?" Jessica asked.
"Jessica." Dana replied in a low voice.
"I'll handle it." Peter replied quietly, he then got up and walked into his study. He closed the door behind him and sat down in his chair, an expression of deep thought on his face.
Grumpiness, a resentment of me, a sudden independence of everyone he knows...yeah, sounds like a teenage foul mood to me...if it weren't for the damn tape... He thought, studying the Proton Pack which was held in a glass case in one corner, the silver plate with the word: BETSY glinted from the pack's Particle Thrower. I'll pick the guy up after school, see if he's still in a foul mood...if so...then I'm calling Egon.
Jessica and Dana heard the door close and then Peter re-enter the kitchen.
"C'mon Jess, want to be late for school?" Peter asked, Dana noted that he seemed a little distracted.
"Well, it's not like I want to go, there's this bitc...err...girl, Amber, she's such a drama queen..." Jessica replied with a sour expression.
"I bet she is, c'mon, I'll drive you to school." Peter replied.
"O...kay..." Jessica replied, a little surprised, however she shook it off with a shrug and vanished to grab her school bag.
"I'll pick up Oscar this afternoon." Peter informed Dana once Jessica was out of ear shot.
"Everything okay, you could cut the tension between you two with a proton beam." Dana asked.
"I...I don't know...I'll tell you later if anything happens."
"Peter..." Dana replied, turning her full attention on him.
"Yes?" Peter asked.
"I don't like it when you have something to tell me, but only later, is there a problem with our son?" She asked, narrowing her gaze at him.
"I think there might've been something wrong with one of my tapes..." Dana continued to look at him. "Spiritually..." He added and understanding dawned on her face.
"Okay, but if he's being affected by whatever demon is inhabiting your old tapes Peter, I'll burn the lot."
"I'd gladly help." peter added, cracking a smile which wasn't quite it's usual wattage.
Chapter Three
Peter's hope dropped from little to absolutely none when he saw Oscar standing near the school gates that afternoon, if it were possible, Peter could've sworn a small thundercloud would be following his step son, who's whole demeanor was completely off, he was sagging, a frown on his face that caused many a worried look, it was almost as if someone had performed a brain transplant with someone completely different. But still, Peter had to try, he pulled the car over to the curb, only a few feet away from Oscar.
"Oscar, c'mon, I'm picking you up today!" Peter shouted, for a moment, the old Oscar seemed to return in the sheer surprise that was shown on the youth's face, however, Peter's suddenly resurrected hope was dashed when the frown returned, even more to the point that it was being held even with recognition of who Peter was in Oscar's eyes. "Oh crap..." Peter muttered and collapsed back into the seat, wishing the world would swallow him up. "One tape...just one tape! Why'd he have to pick the Shanna one?" Peter moaned as he rubbed his forehead, he then pulled himself together, took the key from the ignition and climbed out of the car. He locked it up and walked over to where Oscar fumed. "C'mon Oscar, let's get going."
"Why?" Oscar favoured his father with the 'evil eye'.
"Because school is over and I don't want you wandering the streets of New York while you're in this foul mood of yours." Peter retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I've got band practice later, I'll be with people who aren't out to steal my stuff." Oscar replied coldly and then ran off. For a moment Peter had been left momentarily stunned by the utter contempt Oscar had in his voice, however, he shook it off and took off after him, only to find the street around the corner completely devoid of his son. "Dammit." He cursed under his voice and jogged back over to his car, unlocked it and jumped into the driver's seat, he had to think fast, it seemed pretty evident that Oscar was not himself.
Peter found himself outside of Hook and Ladder No. 8, the former FDNY Firhouse which served as Ghostbusters Headquarters. He wasn't looking forward to this, though, he wasn't sure what he was looking foward to less, explaining the situation to Egon, or Dana. Deciding he'd at least get Egon's opinion on his side he climbed out of the car and locked it, and the proceeded across the street into the Firehouse. What he found in the garage was something he wasn't expecting. Janine and Slimer were both ontop of Janine's desk, below were the two children known to most as the Spengler Twins, but to some as two hellspawn. Presently, the two children held out what looked like a butterfly net with electrical implants.
"John, if I find out this was your doing, you will be grounded for a month, you hear me?" Janine fumed from atop her desk. Peter walked along and peered at the odd scene.
"I thought I told everyone that I was done with target practice?" Peter asked as he slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers.
"Dr. V, this isn't the time to be joking, get off the floor." Janine warned.
"You don't want to go crush Theraphosa leblondi." Eden replied in what Peter only hoped was mock horror...but he had a nasty feeling she was being serious...hell, since when had Eden Spengler cracked a joke?
"Therapy Blondi?" Peter asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
"No, Theraphosa leblondi." Eden Spengler corrected. "Otherwise known as the Goliath Bird Eating Spider...the world's largest known spider."
"Oh..." Peter nodded, he then realised what was said and made a quick dart for the filing cabinets. "Okay, just for my own information, just whose idea was it to bring a tarantula into the Firehouse?" Peter asked, a tremor in his voice he would've wished wasn't there.
"Egon was looking after it for some professor friend of his at Columbia who's only just gone on vacation...only two little children who shall go nameless opened the case it was in, Egon's been busy shutting all the escape routes so that it doesn't get out and give some pedestrian a heart attack...." Janine replied, favouring her children with a very dark look.
"It wouldn't have panicked if you hadn't screamed, mother." Eden replied matter-of-factly.
"It was a giant spider, on the lose, in the lab...I don't think any one of us wouldn't reacted in fright." Janine replied tartly. "...is it still under there?" She asked.
"I think so..." John replied.
"You think so?" Peter asked incredulously. "Can't you tell? I mean, saying 'you think so' is not a good way to convince a man he's not about to get a shock which'll give him a heart attack." Peter replied.
"Well..." John paused in thought. "I could use a flashlight...or one of the Ectoscopes..."
"There's a great big maglite in my desk." Peter replied, and a moment later John pushed through the swinging gate into Peter's old office and began to ruffel through the drawers.
"There better not be any 'P...O...R...M' in there, Dr. V." Janine warned.
"Honest! I cleaned out the drawer last time I was here...I've already had the lecture from Spengs about the...you-know-what." Peter defended himself.
"You don't have to stay up there, it's only really harmful to birds." Eden replied as she studied a nook near the basement stairs.
"I think I'll stay up here for now." Both Peter and Janine said in unison.
"What did you want to see Egon for?" Janine asked as John and Eden continued their searching.
"Err...I wanted to talk to him about...err...Oscar." At the mention of his step-son's name, Janine's expression changed to that of worry.
"Is he okay?" She asked.
"I don't think so...he's been acting funny ever since...ever since he found a tape of Shanna O' Callahan..." Peter finally replied.
"You still had one?" She asked incredulously.
"I didn't even know I had it, it was in a bunch of stuff I hadn't opened since I packed it in 1991...if I knew it was there I wouldn't have let Oscar get at it." Peter replied defensively. "I love that boy as if he were my natural son, do you think I'd willingly endanger his life like that?"
"No." Janine replied solumnly.
"Good...anyway...he's been acting weird since last evening and I wanted to talk to Egon...I would've thought that bitc...er...Banshee's spell would've been broken when we trapped her."
"Well, some cases have shown that a mystical presence can remain, even if recorded onto magnetic tape, similar to the 'Ring' myth of Japan." Eden replied in a short break from her search.
"Okay, that is just too creepy, how do you even know about the Ring?" Peter asked.
"We have HBO and Sky...it was bound to come up." Eden smiled.
"Sometimes I regret ever letting Ray convince me to get that 'dish." Peter moaned and leant his head against the cool metal of the filing cabinet.
"Well, once we've got that eight legged freak back in it's box, you can talk to Egon." Janine you please not tell Dana...at least not yet...I'm responsible for this...I should tell her." Peter asked.
"Okay Dr. V." Janine replied. "But it's on your own head if she explodes."
"AHA!" Eden exclaimed in triumph, he brother ran through the swing gate, carrying the maglite and turned it on, shining the bright beam into a dark crevice in the base of Janine's desk.
"Yeah, that's it." John replied. He then collected a box from the top of the desk and handed it to Eden. "Okay, you catch, I scare."
"No way, if anything else it is the one who released it who should catch it." Eden replied in dark tones.
"I knew it!" Janine remarked.
"Eden!" John protested.
"Once this is over, you're grounded for a month, Johnathan Christopher Spengler." Janine replied.
"Mom!" John protested.
"Just get the damn spider in the box already." Peter replied flippantly from where he was casually lying across the filing cabinets.
"Fine." John muttered, he took the box from Eden and set it down over the hole while Eden moved around to the back of the desk, slid out one of the bottom drawers and flashed the maglite in several times. Something dark and very big scuttled about and then shot out of the hole...and into the box John held, he then placed a tight lid over it and began to carry the creature up the stairs.
"Thank Adonai for that." Janine muttered as she climbed down from her desk, Peter effortlessly slid off of the filing cabinets a moment later, replacing the paper tray and table lamp he'd dislodged.
Peter jogged up the spiral staircase and walked across to the closed double doors of the lab, he knocked and waited for an answer.
"Enter." The disembodied voice of Professor Egon Spengler replied and Peter opened the door...
...only to be brought to a dead stop as soon as he saw Egon.
"Egon?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes." Egon replied, a slight hint of irritance in his voice.
"Wha...what happened to your hair?" Peter asked, restraining the urge to point at the physicist's hair which for some reason was now navy blue.
"Johnathan and Eden thought it would be interesting to compare hair gel with pyschomagnetheric ectoplasm, and then try the combination of the two on me while I was asleep." Egon explained.
"Oh." Peter replied, surpressing a laugh. "The spider's been caught, by the way."
"Thank goodness." Egon sighed and sat down. "Is there something you wanted?" He asked.
"Erm...yeah...if a tape cassett held the hypnotic suggestions of a err...Banshee...which was then trapped, could they still capture people." Peter asked, causing one of Egon's eyebrows to raise.
"It's possible, why...what have you done?" Egon asked with a hint of amusement.
"More like what I didn't do...I was going through some of my stuff which I hadn't opened since I'd packed back in 1991...Oscar found a bunch of tapes...one of them was by our 'favourite' Irish pop singer..."
"Shanna." Egon replied, nodding. "Peter, what have you done?" He asked.
"I think Oscar's hooked on Shanna...and I mean in the way I was."
"Oh Peter..." Egon shook his head in dismay. "Can't you destroy anything that's even remotely dangerous?"
"Egon, if I knew I had the tape in there, it would've been gone a long time ago...I only missed it as I was...well...just chucking stuff into the boxes...I was kinda preoccupied in my arrogance at the time." Peter replied in defence.
"I recall." Egon noted, he then sat down on one of the stools in the room and placed a petri dish on the work bench beside him. "Very well, so it would seem there was one of the last few tapes in your possession, how did it come into your possession?"
"I think I bought it from my friend at Insanity Records...a little while after the stereo...and the vynyl...went kablewie."
"Indeed...and as your friend was selling you musical recordings before the intended retail date, it meant he would be the only way you could purchase the single before the general release of Shanna's single the day after the concert at Carnegie Hall." Egon noted.
"Yeah...and thankfully we got that 'exclusive screening' which meant we could stop her a day before she went public...I would've hated to have to bust her after she'd gotten everyone hooked on her...sounds like that one episode of Angel with that fake god...Jasmine."
"I'm sure Ray would appreciate that remark more then I would." Egon returned with a smile, he then cleared his throat and assumed an expression of professional concentration. "Based on your belief that Oscar has been snared by Shana's magic, what symptoms has he exhibited that you have witnessed?"
"Well...he's been rude, secretive...resents me..." Peter reported.
"Against my better judgement, isn't it possible he may be displaying the symptoms of a mood swing brought on by a hormonal imbalance?" Egon asked.
"Egon, that's not even funny, you know Oscar...he wouldn't do stuff like that unless there was something wrong..." Peter replied. "I sometimes need to remind myself of how bad a kid his age could be..."
"I know, Peter." Egon nodded. "We have all been blessed by good children, possibly in bringing them up, we've adapted the lessons we learnt from our parents in order to compensate for what problems they may have experience." Egon added grimly.
"Yeah...like Dad." Peter muttered.
"Or aiming for a simple educational upbringing." Egon added. "However, if Oscar is under the affects of the banshee's spell, this creates a specific problem of it's own. You will remember that we caused Shanna to revert back to her true form because I amplified the feedback."
"Yeah." Peter nodded, it was now at the point where he didn't even notice Egon's blue hair, the physicist was in a serious discussion.
"However, we can't perfom that again, at least not under the same set of circumstances, Shanna is encarcerated within the Ecto Containment Unit, and I am strongly against letting anything above a Class III, with some exceptions, out of the Containment Unit." Egon explained.
"Yeah...I know...and Roland knows from back when he was obsessed with that Cyren chick...what is it with Irish ghosts going into pop anyway?" Peter asked in the rhetorical, his eyes then suddenly flashed with curiosity. "You know, I never really asked...but how come I was the only one out of the four of us to get caught by Shanna? I thought Banshees went after all men?" At the question, Egon cleared his throat again.
"Interesting enough...I don't believe I actually examined that at the time...it could be as simple as musical inclination, as you are well aware, I am not a fan of rock and roll...unless the situation requires it, however that would not explain for Ray and Winston remaining immune...I don't believe it is due to ectoplasmic conditioning...I can only assume that this specific Banshee was attuned to ensnaring those with low will power and some with an affinity towards the...ahem...'fairer sex'. Egon explained.
"That's your professional opinion?" Peter asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Let's just not go there."
"Agreed." Egon replied, he then removed his glasses to give them a quick polish. "Using one of my audio sequencing programs I can attempt to cause a forced reverse feedback on Shanna's Spell. However, I will need the audio tape so I can make a recording for the process."
"I can get it from home."
"Excellent, however Peter, I cannot promice this will work, using forced feedback when Shanna was about to sing was one thing, it is another when the Banshee herself is not present."
"We gotta do something, it's better then nothing..." Peter replied.
"Very well, I'll start setting up the equipment, you must bring the tape here, only then we can see if the plan is successful or not.
Chapter Four
Peter pulled his car onto the driveway outside his house and killed the engine. He signed and sat there for a few minutes, how was he gonna tell Dana and Jessica that Oscar was under the spell of a Banshee he'd been controlled by himself? Deciding he wasn't going to get accomplished by sitting in the car feeling sorry for himself he climed out, locked the car and walked along to the front door. As soon as he slid the key into the lock the door suddenly opened, threatening to take his hand off at the wrist, it was Dana, and she looked worried, and so did his daughter, Jessica, and the three members of the rock band Mood Slime who weren't related to the Venkman family.
"Before anyone talks, does this have anything to do with Oscar?" Peter asked.
"Yeah." Replied Tim Price, Mood Slime's second guitarist.
"Okay..." Peter nodded thoughtfully, Dana allowed him to enter the hallway and then turned her attention to him.
"Peter, please be honest with me...is there something wrong with Oscar?" Dana asked, she hadn't looked this worried in a long time.
"I didn't want to say anything until I'd talked to Egon...I didn't want to get you worried if it wasn't anything to worry about...but it looks like you guys have already had your own showing of 'the new Oscar'." Peter replied.
"Yeah." Jessica replied.
"Peter, what's wrong with him? From what Danny, Ella, Tim and Jessica have been saying is that he's possesed."
"It's not so much as possession as an infatuation...do remember a woman named Shanna?"
"I don't really remember, wasn't she that pop star the newspapers were saying was going to be big, but then she just vanished?" Dana asked.
"She was a Banshee." Peter explained.
"Ah," Dana nodded. "Now you're making more sense."
"Ghosts going into the music biz?" Ella Stephens, Mood Slime's basist asked skeptically.
"It's not something that died out...that singer, Syren, was an Irish spirit..." Peter explained. "There was this Shanna tape in that box of stuff Oscar went through yesterday...I completely forgot about it, I must've thrown it in there on the tail end of the liquidation order when I moved out of the Firehouse...I never even went through the stuff when I had it stored at Uncle Alf's place for those two months...I swear Dana, if I knew it was in there I would've have let him go through it."
Dana placed a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder.
"I believe you." She replied.
"Well, at least that explains why he acted so weird at band practice." Tim replied.
"What happened at band practice?" Peter asked, preparing himself for anything.
"Well," Ella began, "We'd set up in one of the music rooms at school...they'd finally had an opening and as much as we like praticing either in your garage or Tim's, the school's got proper recording equipment...anyway...we'd set up all our equipment to start practicing this new song Danny's come up with..."
"Birds of a feather f--k together, it's a song about two..." Danny Hart, Mood Slime's drummer began.
"I get the idea." Peter interupted, much to the unspoken relief of his wife, daughter, Tim and Ella.
"Oscar came in at the right time, as we'd arranged...but he seemed...I dunno..."
"Like he had a plan of his own." Tim suggested.
"Yeah!" Ella agreed. "He had this sorta smile on his face and then said...and I quote: 'Guys, I was wondering if maybe we tried something a little different today...I'm sure Danny's song will do well, but maybe you should hear this?'. He then took out a tape with this weird looking blond with the words 'Shanna O' Callahan - Love Makes Me Live'."
"I didn't like the look of it." Danny replied.
"Danny, you don't like anything that might in some way be more attractive then you." Tim returned with a roll of his eyes.
"Well...yeah...I guess." Danny shrugged.
"We asked why he'd brought it with him and said he wanted to do a cover version of it...after we'd listened to the original."
"I said to Oscar that I didn't know how Tim and Danny felt, but I didn't feel like we were ready to do any covers...apart from the fact that's what pop musicians usually do if they're out of anything original..." She said scathingly. "We still had a lot of stuff by Danny...and Oscar himself to work on and get through..."
"He didn't take it lightly." Danny replied.
"He said something to the affect of: 'Why can't we cover her song? It's brilliant! It's original...it's...'."
"80's Pop...I said."
"He didn't take that lightly either." Danny continued.
"It was kinda hard to work out, but before he stormed out of the room he said something about us not truely appreciating an 80's idol...but we'd never heard of this Shanna character until today...we decided to come over here and see if anyone else had seen Oscar acting weird." Tim reported.
"I'm glad you did, with him being in such close quarters with the Ghostbusters, we all should try to tell someone if anyone we know is acting funny...you kids did good...you don't know where he is now, do you?" Peter asked. Ella, Danny and Tim all shook their heads.
"No, as soon as we got out onto the street he was gone, like he vanished into thin air." Ella replied with a shrug.
"He's out on the streets of Manhattan, alone? Peter, we should called the NYPD." Dana replied, obviously worried for her son's welfare.
"I really doubt they could do much to help...even if they find him, what can they hold him on? Dangerous obsession with a unsuccesful pop singer who was an Irish spook..."
"They could at least hold him because his parents are worried about him." Dana replied forcfully.
"Okay...I'll call Eduardo's brother, Carlos...tell him the story, ask him to take the lead if he sees Oscar or hears something over the police scanner...guys, if you can do it, search Oscar's regular haunts...and not so regular haunts...can you do that?" The three remaining members of Mood Slime nodded and Peter turned back to his wife. "What do you want to do?"
"I'll call Kate...my parents...see if I can locate your father...he's still doing time for the Enron incident, isn't he?"
"Yeah." Peter agreed.
Chapter Five
Dana punched in the number she'd been given by Kate and waited for the phone to pick up on the other end, she checked her watch as the international call was made, it was just after five PM, ten in the evening in England.
"Hello? Wallance Residence?" A voice replied. Figures Andre would hire a nanny. Dana smiled dryly to herself.
"Can I speak to Mrs. Wallance?" Dana asked.
"Who may I say is calling?" The woman asked.
"Dana Barrett, I'm a friend of Kate's." Dana didn't fell like telling this stranger that she was Andre's ex-wife.
"One moment please." The woman replied, and an instant later Dana was grimacing slightly when she heard Kate's happy, but rather piercing voice on the other end of the transatlantic line.
"Dana! It's good to hear from you, it's been a while since we last talked."
"It has...Kate...this might seem a little...strange...but has Oscar phoned you recently?" There was a brief pause on the other end of the line.
"Oscar? No, I haven't heard from him since he called on Hayden's birthday to wish him well...is there something wrong?"
"It's just...Oscar's gone missing...a banshee's spell has made him become obssessed with a pop rock musician and we're trying to find him...I thought he might've called as I think he's starting to feel alienated from his friends and family."
"I'm sorry to hear that...no, he hasn't called of recent, should I phone you if he does?" Kate asked, sincerity in her voice.
"If he does, then that would be very helpful." Dana replied.
"I'll do my best...I hope eveything goes okay if he doesn't phone...good thing Andre's not here at present...I don't think he'd take it well...or have anything pleasent to say about Peter."
"Technically speaking it could be said that this is Peter's fault...but you remember how upset he was in the months after the company shut down, I'm not blaming him for being upset when he packed his things...and so I'm not blaming him for this."
"Well, I hope everything is okay...I don't want to know that something bad happened to him...I wouldn't look forward to telling Hayden, Lars, Emilia...or Andre...if anything unfortunate happened...good luck."
"Thanks Kate, I'll try contact you if there's any update, bye."
"Bye poppet." Kate range off, the last word leaving a slight distaste in Dana's throat. Once she hung up the phoneset, Dana drew her arms in and hugged herself, she'd already called her parents, and managed to track down Charlie Venkman, neither elder geeneration had received any calls from their grandson (In Charlie's case, technically step-grandson...grandson once removed...or something...). Until she received word from Danny, Ella and Tim, she'd have to wait and hope that her son was alright.
As soon as Dana heard the door slam shut she leapt from one of the chairs in the lounge and turnd to face the door...only to be confronted by...
"It's only me." Jessica replied tiredly, she'd been out checking some of Oscar's regular haunts...like the school, the Firehouse (It was worth a try) and of course, the local Golden Arches. "I mean...why couldn't Oscar go emo? At least he'd only be depressed all the time." She replied as she dumped a backpack on the staircase.
"It's not his nature..." Dana said, trying not to: A) Smile at the memory of her son, he wasn't completely gone...yet. B) Cry at the fact he's been missing for two hours now.
"Sorry." Jessica shrugged. "Anyway...I'm just in to grab a bite before I head out again and call by the Firehouse to see how Dad and Egon are doing."
"Yeah...I just wish I could be out there...of all people I should be searching for my own son!" Dana replied as she sat back down in the chair.
"Mom...he's not pissed off at you..." Jeccia replied matter-of-factly.
"Language, Jessica." Dana replied sternly. Jessica rolled her eyes, not exactly the most important thing to worry about at present...but maybe a good distraction for her father.
"He's not angry at you...maybe he'll stop by sooner or later...besides...if you were at the Firehouse, then it'd be great...he finally comes back here, and the lights are on but nobody's home."
"I suppose." Dana replied reluctantly.
"Besides...if everything goes okay at the Firehouse, we should be able to get Oscar on the PKE Meters." Jessica replied. "Egon's a genious...he can think of anything."
"I bet your father is thinking the exact same thing." Dana replied.
Chapter Six
"Out all day trying to make my way...Just trying to make ends meet...Working away to reach the day...When I can walk to my own beat...Cause there's love on the streets tonight...I won't sleep 'til I get it right...But I know that lightning will strike...Cause there's love ... there's love ... there's love...On the streets tonight..." The lyrics then gave way to a saxaphone riff while Egon waited for the song to finish. "Working 9 to 5...trying to stay alive, dodging each ball life throws...working away just to reach the day where my independence grows...and it's love on the streets tonight...I won't sleep 'til I get it right...But I know that lightning will strike...Cause there's love...there's love...there's love on the street tonight...and because...there's love...there's love...there's love...on the streets tonight...love on the streets tonight!"
With the song finished, Egon leaned forward to hit the stop button. He then reached over to the computer's keyboard and began to type, bringing up a program. As the program booted up, Peter entered the lab.
"How's it going?" He asked. Egon looked up and rotated the stool to face Peter.
"It's going as I anticipated, first I recorded a digital version of the song from the audio tape, then I saved a seperate copy should the one I'm working on be corrupted...after that, I ran it through a base program which prepared the file for forced reverse feedback...now I'm about to use some sound software to begin the forced feedback...it should take about an hour to complete." Egon explained. "It was interesting to find that the cassett still held an PKE trace." He added, Peter then took a glance at his watch, it was just after six in the evening.
"Is there any way we could speed this up a little...it's already six and I don't know if he could be doing something stupid or lying in a ditch somewhere." Peter replied, exasperated.
"Peter," Egon began in a level, but understanding tone. "This is a complex process, I will try to make it as short as possible, but there are variables which are out of my control...however...I have been working on something else while the digital rendition of the song was recorded." He then stood up, strode across the room and picked up two PKE Meters, he then turned and held them up. "I trust you remember the set of scans of the biorythms of other GBI employees and known relatives that was taken three months ago?"
"Yeah, one of the few times Carl Rivera would willingly allow himself to come to the Firehouse..." Peter replied sarcastically.
"Indeed...as you should be well aware, Oscar had a biorythem scan at the same time, while we did have an older copy of his on record..."
"Back when Vigo was doing his thing..." Peter nodded.
"It was decided to update his...with that in mind, I have taken the liberty of downloading Oscar's biorythem onto these two PKE Meters, and I will download it onto another four while I wait for the program to finish."
"Sounds good, Egon." Peter nodded and sat down. "Egon, you'd be honest with me right? Did I just make the biggest mistake of me life?"
"Not the biggest..." Egon remarked, with a smirk. "However, it is by no means your best achievement...but the point remains that you are only guilty for being human...to 'err' is to be human as they say...and I have faith that this situation can be remedied, with your help."
"Thanks Spengs...you know how to make a guy feel better." Peter smirked.
"Trust me...I've had more then enough years worth of practice to be able to deduce the best way of bringing you out of a foul mood...sometimes when you could've set a world record on a breathalyser." Egon noted dryly. "I will inform you as soon as the music file has been prepared...I trust Raymond and Winston should've arrived back from the franchise conference in Pennsylvania by now."
"Thanks." Peter replied and got up to leave the room, passing Ray who was entering the lab.
"I came as soon as I heard." Ray reported, although his external appearance suggested he should've had at least seven hours worth of sleep once he'd gotten home, his mind seemed to be in high gear as ever, no less when one of the kids was in trouble. After his own experiences, and hearing those of his fellow team mates, he figured he wanted to avoid any of the Ghostbusters' kids suffering like he and his team mates did in their childhoods.
"Good to see you've arrived so soon, I assume you and Winston aren't too tired from the trip?" Egon asked as he looked up.
"Any other day, maybe...but you know how we are when one of us is missing...it's like we get some added strength." Ray replied with a smile, although Egon could see him looking at his own blue hair every few seconds.
"Indeed." Egon mused. "However, it will help scale up the odds in finding Oscar now that you and Winston are back, I've already programmed two of the PKE Meters for Oscar's biorythem, and I'll program a further four for the other search parties."
"Sounds good Egon, just give me or Winton a shout if you need us." Ray replied as he turned to leave the room.
"I will." However, as Egon turned back to his work, Ray's head reappeared in the doorway.
"Ectoplasm and hair gel?" He asked.
Jessica walked down the sidewalk which would take her to a bar known soley as "The Room Rocked". It'd been one of the places Ella had suggested they try as it was one of the places Oscar hung out with the rock crowd. She hadn't exactly wanted to go to this particular corner of Greenwich Village, but it wasn't exactly much of a choice when her brother was missing. She turned the corner and slowed to a stop, she had received her first glimpse of "The Room Rocked". The place was built into an old basement pub, bright neon lights filled the only windows on street level and a large neon sign above the door, shaped like a guitar with the lettering down the neck, read: The Room Rocked, which had the words flashing in sequence, THE. ROOM. ROCKED. Shaking her head and stealing herself for...well...practically anything, Jessica walked along to the bar and climbed down the staircase and pushed open the door. As it was only a quarter past six in the afternoon, the place was pretty deserted, though audible rock music filtered from a stereo system until the live acts appeared. Jessica hoped that they could try get a break soon, it had been around twenty minutes since she'd left her mother at the house and she hated leaving her alone. Jessica looked around her surroundings, there was a man stood by the door eying her skeptically.
"How old are you?" He asked, he appeared to be in his 20s, but dressed in the fashion of a rocker.
"12 years old...not that you have any right to know." Jessica replied tartilly, with all the important stuff that was going on, she didn't need to be slowed down by some guy asking how old she was to know whether or not she'd be drinking, not that she would for a while, anyway.
"You can buy soda at the bar, but that's it...and I'm keeping an eye on you."
"Look, I don't really care about beer...I just want to talk to someone in charge."
"Talk to Oliver over at the bar...he's the owner of this place." The doorman replied, jerking a thumb at a reasonably dressed man in his 50s with grey hair pulled back into a ponytail, for the owner of a rock bar he seemed unusually pleasent looking. Jessica approached the man and removed something from her wallet.
"Er...excuse me...can you help me? I'm looking for this guy...Oscar Venkman...might go by the name Wallance...he went missing about three hours ago and we've been checking all his regular haunts." The man gently took the photo and studied it, frowning for a moment.
"Oh aye, I've seen him." The man replied with a slight Irish brogue. "The lad came in here...oh, about an hour ago...seemed mighty down, he's usually beaming like he had the luck of the Irish when he's in here...he didn't seem to have his wee friends with him either. I don't think he's left, you can't go unnnoticed when you're in a place like this at this time with it being so quiet."
"Thanks." Jessica beamed honestly, it just went to show you that not all sterotypes are true to form. She walked along into the back of the place, passing several booths as she went until she came upon one, shrouded in murky gloom and holding Oscar who was haunched over his soda, contemplating whether to glower at it or drink it out of pity. Even from a distance he seemed so different, his face was covered in so much shadow that hey eyes were simply pools of darkness. "There you are, Mom and Dad've been worried sick." Jessica replied. "I mean, just what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Jess?" Oscar spluttered in surprise, but then she watched as a sort of haze decended over his blue eyes. "Did he send you?"
"'He'?" Jessica echoed. "You mean Dad?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Yeah...him."
"You could say that...c'mon Oscar, this is stupid, you're not acting right...that tape you listened to is got you all wacked out of your head...I think you'd be safer listening to Marlyn Mansen then this...this...Sanna? Sada...Shadda..."
"Shanna." Oscar replied coldly.
"Shanna woman...that's what Dad tried to tell you, she's a banshee...she cast a spell over anyone who heard her music so they'd be obsessed with her."
"So, Dad's been telling everyone? Huh, figues, can't keep his big mouth shut."
"Oscar! You love Dad, how can you say that?!" Jessica replied incredulously. "Oh sorry, I forgot, he's only your father when it suits you." Jessica then paused as she realised what she'd said "D'oh...of course, the stupid tape..." Jessica chasticed herself.
"He's not my father...my father is that opera loving prick, and he wouldn't approve of Shanna either." Oscar spat.
"Oscar, if anyone of your two dads would really understand your love for rock music...it's Dad...erm...Peter...c'mon, listen to yourself!" Jessica retorted.
"HE'S NOT MY FATHER!!!" Oscar bellowed, sprang from his booth and sprinted towards the exit, Jessica in hot persuit. He barged through the door, provoking a surprised cry from the doorman and a look of worry from the owner, Jessica ran through the door and up onto the street, spinning around to see where Oscar had run off to...but he'd vanished.
How does he do that? She thought, the door bandged opene behind her.
"Ev'rything okay?" The owner asked as he and the doorman exited the bar.
"Not really...but there's little more you can help with...thanks anyway...I gotta get home." Jessica waved her thanks and jogged off towards the nearest Subway Station.
Chapter Seven
Jessica pushed the door closed as she entered the Firehouse, only to find Garrett Miller, Roland Jackson, Kylie Griffin, her boyfriend Eduardo Reviera, his nephew Kevin and Eduardo and Kylie's daughter Conchita in the garage (One year old Rose was being watched over by Eden and John in the rec room), the first four people were dressed in their uniforms, apparantly ready to head off on a call.
"You see your brother?" Asked Kylie, obviously concerned for the elder Venkman sibling's wellbeing.
"Yeah...he was at a bar that Ella said he stopped by now and then...but we kinda had an argument, and when I ran outside to follow him, he was gone." Jessica explained.
"Great." Garrett muttered.
"We were just about to head out and look for him, Kylie and Eduardo are taking Ecto-1 while Garrett and I are gonna cover things in my mustang...I hear Dr. Stantz and Mr. Zeddemore are here and that they're gonna cover things from the air in Ecto-2.
"Okay...but he could be anywhere." Jessica replied. "Hell, he could even be in New Jersey now."
"Still better then doing nothing." Roland replied sympathetically. He then rubbed Jessica's head playfully and helped wheel Garrett out of the Firehouse.
"Is Dad still here?" Jessica asked the remaining two members of the Extreme Ghostbusters.
"I think he's with Egon upstairs in the lab." Kylie shrugged. "If not...try the basement."
"Thanks." Jessica waved and climbed the staircase, passing the Spengler Twins, and a large, covered object about the size of a fish tank which was sat on the coffee table in front of the rec room TV. Jessica paused for a moment but shrugged, anything unusual going on at the Firehouse was a low priority until she got her brother back. She climbed the spiral staircase and approached the lab, she could hear her father and Egon's respective voices as she approached the double doors.
"...The Extreme Ghostbusters should be heading out now with the modfied PKE Meters and music recordings...have Oscar's friends or Jessica contacted you yet?"
"Not yet...but there's still time..." Peter paused when he saw Jessica enter the room. "Any news?" He asked, obviously worried, but still keeping most of his emotion in check with his Venkman resolve. Jessica sighed and steeled herself for the task of explaining the series of events at "The Room Rocked" to her father.
"I see." He said quietly after the explanation, only his eyes betrayed his true feelings of what he'd been told.
"You gonna be all right Dad?" Jessica asked sympathetically.
"As much as ever be I suppose...I know I'm not the kid's real father...and I know it's rediculous...he's possessed...but it still stings to hear him say that." Peter replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose. you call her mother and give her the short version, don't tell her anything that she wouldn't really need to know."
"You mean anything you wouldn't tell here...okay...I'll tell her I saw him and that he said stuff he'd never say in his right mind." Jessica replied as she left the room. Egon finally spoke up.
"Peter, are you sure your emotions won't cause any problems with the search for your son?" Egon asked.
"Hell Egon...I still don't even know how to react to what he'd said...only way it could be worse is if I was there instead of Jessica...but I've got to get out there and find him...it'll kill me inside...and probably Dana if something bad happens to the kid." Peter resolved as he got up from the chair he'd been sitting in.
"I'll ask Eduardo and Kylie to wait a few minutes, if they're still here." Egon nodded and left the room.
Eduardo, Kylie, Peter, Egon and Jessica were all in the Ecto-1 as it left the Firehouse, they now had all their bases covered. Amy Jackson (Oscar's non-official girlfriend who had caused more then one stir between Oscar and his father who's sole connection was through genetics), had her place covered in case Oscar stopped by there, there had been a slight reply of indignation when Shanna's name had been mentioned, but now she was briefed and ready in case he came by the Jackson household. On the flipside, Garrett's girlfriend, Jo(anna) Kendal, and whispered to be the future Mrs. Garrett Miller, had also been informed to keep a watch for the amateur rocker should he turn up, then of course there was Janine and Kevin at the Firehouse, the Ghostbusters had even gone to the extent of phoning Beth Rivera to watch out in case she saw Oscar, all friends and asscociates of the Ghostbusters within the city and out had been informed that if they saw Oscar they were to phone Janine at the Firehouse immediately. As an added measure, Ella, Danny and Tim had been split with the three groups, Ella remaining at the Firehouse, Tim to be picked up during the search by Ecto-1, and Danny by Roland.
Peter glanced at his watch, it was now going on past nine in the evening and there had been no new word since Jessica had seen Oscar at "The Room Rocked", essentially meaning that Oscar had been missing for a total of six hours, give or take a few minutes.
"Egon, do you think we should've called in the police...the FBI?" Peter asked from his seat in the rear of the converted ambulance.
"I doubt they could've done much better, they don't have experience with possessions or demonic submission...they would only be able to do so much, plus drawing possible news attention would work against us, not to mention several police cars screaming after a confused and at present over-reacting teenager." Egon explained. "I'd only suggest bringing in the police if Oscar has been missing for the full 24 hours."
"Yeah...I just feel so useless, a city as big as New York is easy to get yourself lost in, or lose those looking for you...and so far we're only working on that he's still on the island."
"It is always possible that Oscar still feels some form of tie to his family, holding him on the island, he was still here three hours after he left the school."
"Maybe...it could be something in his subconcious..." Peter mused, the psychologist emerging. However, whatever discussion may have occurred was put on hold when the Ecto-1's mobile phone began to ring. Egon reached forward and collected the phone set.
"Ecto-1 Mobile Phone...yes? Go on...I'll put him on." Egon then turned to face Peter. "It's Dana." He replied, and handed the phone over to Peter. As the phone's cord was so short he had to lean over the back of the driver/passenger seat to hear the voice of his wife, all the while Jessica, Tim, Kylie and Egon watched, the latter of which were taking a few seconds to check their respective PKE Meters.
"Dana? Are you okay? Did something happen?"
"It was Oscar...he was here..."
Dana checked the clock which was hung on the wall of the kitchen, it was a quarter to nine in the evening, and she was still fretting. She had settled herself to making a cup of coffee while she waited for any new word, Jessica had phoned not to long before seven in the evening, and she wished she wasn't so alone...it was silly, but she wished she had someone to talk to until there was any new information. She was about to return to the living room and check the evening news in case anything might be useful when she heard something creaking outside the kitchen window, she walked over to the window and raised the blind to see if she could spot anything. However, the gloom that covered the backyard made it very hard to make out anything definate as the darkness settled over the city, however, from the pale gloom of a neighbouring house's yard lights Dana could see the trestle which ran up the side of the house for the vines wobbling ever so slightly. She then looked up in case she could see anything, but the size of the window restricted most of the view abover the top of the window frame. She was about to close the blind when she heard a soft thump upstairs, and what sounded like a curse of annoyance. She sat the coffee cup down on the tiled counter and made her way quietly to Peter's office where she unlocked the large glass cabinet and removed the Proton Pack from it's mounting. She didn't know how to work the damn thing but if it appeared to be a weapon to the intruder then that was good enough. With a weapon of sorts in hand, she crept out of the office and up the staircase, cursing under her breath as she realised how impractically heavy the device was. However, baring the weight on her back, she pressed on and up into the second floor hallway, pausing at each door in turn until she came to the closed door of Oscar's room, she could hear someone moving about inside, moving things and quietly opening or closing drawers and cupboards. She gripped the handle, prepared herself for a fight and opened the door, aiming the non-armed Proton Gun at the intruder.
"Hold it right there!" She ordered, catching the intruder in mid escape, she then reached out and flicked on the lightswitch, and gasped.
With one leg slung over the window sil and holding onto the sil itself was Oscar, a rucksack was slung on his back, several of his cupboards had been rummaged in and emptied of their contents.
"Mom." Oscar blurted, probably as stunned as his mother was. He then shook his head fiercely and shot down the trestle. At the sudden dissapearance of her son, Dana ran towards the sil and leant out, peering into the night, running at a pace down the street was Oscar, his blurred form highlighted in the glare from the streetlights every dozen feet.
"OSCAR!" Dana screamed. "COME BACK!"
Chapter Eight
Peter felt even worse now that it was a quarter past nine, he'd been relayed the recent events concerning his son by Dana, and then he had relayed those to the other occupants of the converted ambulance, he felt worse then ever...he felt just plain crappy.
"I really screwed up this time." Peter muttered.
"Dad, how were you gonna know this would happen?" Jessica replied.
"Jessica is right Peter, you are hardly to blame for the deviations of a unconventional Banshee." Egon agreed.
"I still had that damn tape in my stuff, it was my responsibility...I should've gone through all that junk months ago...years ago...but look at me, I'm the last person to go through my old stuff." Peter retorted.
"Dr. Venkman, this is hardly the time to get self obsessed or drown in your own pity, your seventeen year old son is lost out there. Now get a grip on yourself, you're not helping anyone." Kylie said harshly, stunning Peter for a moment, however, his face firmed with an expression of sudden determination.
"You're right, thanks Kylie." Peter replied, gaining a nod and a smile from the goth.
"A little stern, but probably the best method, Kylie." Egon agreed. "Have you considered a career in professional psychiatry?"
"No way, with Dr. Venkamn around, I think we're more then covered on that angle." Peter supressed the urge to preen, he had far more important matters to deal with as he looked back at the PKE Meter that was in his hand. Peter looked intensly at the screen of the device and nearly let out a whoop of triumph when a small blip registered and the lights glowed dimly.
"Egon! EGON! Are you getting a signal?!" Peter asked, looking up at the blond haired physicist.
"One moment." Egon said calmly as he performed a few adjustments to his own personal PKE Meter, out of all of them, Egon knew all of the tricks of the trade with every incarnation of the little gizmo that he'd build back in college. "I can confirm that, I am reading a weak signal...Kylie?"
"Yeah, me too, I think we've found him."
"Yeah, but his signal's weak, does that mean he's injured?" Peter asked. "I'm no expert with these things, you guys know this stuff better then me."
"It is very true, a weak signal can be attributed to an injured or weakened state, however, as I explained when we first started using the meters for biorythems, that the singals won't be as strong because of two factors. Firstly, the meters were designed for ectoplasmic entities, not coporeal beings. Secondly, a signal can be weaker if the source of the signal is in an area that has a large congregation of corporeal beings..."
"Probably ain't no area south of Times Square that'll be as filled with people...unless you count this place." Eduardo muttered as he looked out from underneath the rim of Ecto-1's roof at a large structure which stood above the car. It was a large, stone structure, around five stories tall with a green, copper sheet roof, tall arched windows and a large clock which was dominated by several mythical figures including Minerva, Hercules and Mercury. Beneath the clock and it's carved stone statues were three words which were carved into the stone, the three words were the building's name.
"Grand Central Station?" Peter asked. "He's planning on leaving the city? I thought you said he wouldn't leave?" Peter looked at Egon for confirmation.
"If Oscar has been alienated enough, he might attempt to leave." Egon replied quickly as he undid his seatbelt. "Eduardo, drop us off here, Peter, Jessica, Ella and myself with disembark and search the station." Egon instructed. "Please inform the other search teams that Grand Central Terminal is most likely Oscar's wherabouts.
"Sure thing." Eduardo replied and pulled the car over to the curb beneath the road bridge that ran up to the first floor roadway which surrounded the station on four sides and then lead into the MetLife Building. Egon, Ella, Jessica and Peter quickly climbed out of the car and ran under one of the iron and glass awnings and into a marble-clad corridor which would lead to the main concourse.
"It could be that Oscar is in one of the underground levels, that would hinder a signature reading, such was the case with searching for biorythems beneath rubble." Egon explained. Peter shuddered as he suppressed the memory of scavenging for people buried under rubble, now was not the time to dwell on past events.
"Makes sense, most of the tunnels down here are underground." Jessica replied as they ran down a ramp and past both shops and communters as they made their way to the main concorse. "Then of course, there's the dining concourse below us."
"I suggest we check the ticket offices, if we're working with limited time then it would be quicker to check the the ticket offices instead of each platform." Egon explained.
"Okay." Peter replied, mentally checking that he still had Oscar's photo in his coat. He also knew that Egon, Jessica and Ella had colour photocopies from when a bunch had been made to help in their search, it'd been a while since he'd been to Grand Central, but if he remembered correctly, a lot of the ticket booths were lined up against one wall of the concourse. They ran up to a set of wood and glass doors which allowed them entry into the bustling main concourse of Grand Central Station, even at that time of night there were people making their way home. "Can you see him anywhere?" Peter asked as he glanced around, there was a large mass of people who were stood several feet away, looking up at the departures and arrivals boards which stood above the ticket offices. Even though he was scanning it quickly, he couldn't see anyone matching Oscar's appearance. As he looked, Egon consulted his PKE Meter.
"I don't believe he's on the main concourse, but with so many corporeal signatures here the meter is straining to register that they are different signatures then the one it hs been programmed to search for." Egon reported. The group then split up into four, Ella and Egon taking the set of ticket offices on the Park Avenue side of the station while Peter and Jessica took the ticket booths on the Madison Avenue side of the station. Peter noted with a strained smile that the phyisicist's currently blue hair was attracting some looks, however, Peter shook his head and pressed on.
"Have you seen this kid? Has he bought any tickets from you?"
"I'm looking for my brother, this is a photo of him, have you seen him?"
"I am looking for this boy, approximately seventeen years old."
"I'm looking for my friend...this is his photo...hase he been here?"
"Yeah...I served this kid, bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles...looked like he was planning on going on a trip for a while." A ticket office worker replied as he looked at the photo.
"How long ago was this?" Peter asked.
"Only about ten minutes ago..." The man then consulted his watch and then checked it against the four-sided clock on top of the information office. "He's gonna be catching 9:20 train out on Platform 11...if you hurry you can catch him."
"Thanks." Peter nodded and broke away from the ticket office, skidding to a stop on the marble tilework a few moments later when he saw the clock on the circular information office, it informed him that the time was ten past nine. "Egon! Jess! Ella! He's on Platform 11!" Peter yelled, and then charged off in the direction of Platform 11, he wasn't sure whether or not they'd actually heard him, but he couldn't afford to wait. He charged across the concourse and ran under East Balcony and toward a set of stairs which led into one of the underground platforms, the carving in the marble above the arched entrance declared that it was Platform 11. Before he decended the stairs someone grabbed onto his jacket sleeve and he turned to see Jessica, and a few hundred feet behind her were Ella and Egon.
"C'mon Dad." Jessica urged and Peter nodded, they quickly descended the staircase and ran along the platform, both Platform 11 and 13 had a train waiting in them, and the last of the people bustled about as they boarded their trains. Peter and Jessica looked about when Egon and Ella finally caught up, they were running out of time. Suddenly, Jessica pointed at a sole figure sat on one of the benches looking as if he were contemplating something very important, on his back was a backpack and lying beside him on the concrete was a guitar case, he looked to be about ready to leave. "There he is." Peter reached into his pocket and extracted a dictaphone. It had been decided to record the edited song onto a dictaphone tape because of the machine's built in speaker. Peter led the group towards Oscar, however both Ella and Egon held back, if anyone should have a shot at doing anythng, it should be Peter and Jessica first.
"Oscar...what are you doing?" Peter asked. "Why are you leaving?"
"What do you care? You're no better then my real father."
"That's not true! I give a damn about you...all that stuffy nosed stiff ever cared about is his classical music." Peter replied.
"Not that you care either." Oscar retorted, standing up and slinging his bag onto his back.
"Did I ever question your taste in music? Did I ever tell you to quiet down when you and Mood Slime were practicing in the garage? Did I ever...ever say you couldn't go to a rock concert or not practice music?"
"...no." Oscar replied, his glare faltering a little.
"Oscar...I love you...I know how much your music is to you...I've been in the exact same problem as you...Shanna was a Banshee...she had me in her spell when she first came out...this isn't like you...can't you see that?"
"But...you tried to take her away from me." Oscar replied, the tone in his voice was faltering now.
"Only because she's no good for you...she's making you say stuff you'd never say." Jessica pleaded.
"Oscar, I took a reading of that tape today, it was extremely powerful, it resonated with trace PKE...you know what that means, don't you?" Egon asked.
"C'mon you big lug...you honestly think you're into someone who looks worse then me?" Ella asked. "What about Amy?"
"Amy?" Oscar muttered blankly. Peter then held up the dictaphone.
"Oscar, if your loving Shanna is so important...then I can't fight that..." Peter replied. "Look...I've got her on tape here...I'll...I'll just play it before you go."
"Okay..." Oscar replied, but all of them could see that there was a turbulent mass of emotions now going on inside the boy's head, so much that his disapproving glare kept collapsing against his will. Peter closed his eyes and pressed the play button, and instantly regretted doing so. In the random mass of sounds and noises he could just pick up the words and music from Love Makes Me Live, but it was so badly distorted that it was actually painful. He set the device down on a bench and covered his ears from the piercing screams from the dictaphone, but he opened his eyes when he heard a louder, masculine cry of pain, Oscar was on the floor, writhing in pain. Peter made to move to help his son, but Egon snagged his elbow.
"Don't, Peter, he needs to hear it all." Egon replied sympathetically.
"But it's hurting him." Peter pleaded.
"It must be done to ensure it is successful...I'm sorry." Egon replied and they turned to watch, a little under five minutes later the tape had ended. As Egon performed a PKE scan of the room Peter, Jessica and Ella approached the slumped form of Oscar, resting against a pillar.
"Oscar..." Peter said quietly. "Are you okay?"
"Oh god..." Oscar moaned. "What the hell did I do? Why did I say that stuff?"
"You lug...it wasn't you...you were possesed by that bitch of a Banshee." Jessica replied, giving her brother a playful punch on the arm, but he flinched away.
"But I said that stuff...it wouldn't be there if I hadn't thought it...I...I've made a real mess of things...Dad...Jess...Ella...I...I gotta think this over..."
"We can do that at the house." Jessica replied, a few tears staining her face, beside her her father was knelt with a grim expression on his face.
"You're not coming back to the house...are you?" Peter asked.
"What?" Jessica asked in surprise as she looked at her father, she then turned back to look at her brother.
"I...I don't think I could be there...with all you guys knowing...Mom...I gotta think this out..." Oscar replied as he pulled himself up, he then grabbed his guitar case from beside the bench.
"Wait...what are you doing?" Jessica asked.
"Jess...take care of Mom when I'm gone..." Oscar replied as he backed away towards the train.
"Oscar! Dad, do something." Jessica pleaded.
"I can't." Peter replied grimly.
"What?!" Ella and Jessica replied in unison.
"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Peter asked.
"I...I dunno...I'll try get in contact when I've had time to think this over...I...I'll stay safe."
"I know." Peter replied, supressing the urge to cry.
"I'll...I'll see you around guys." Oscar replied as he boarded the train, giving Peter, Jessica, Ella and Egon a final wave. A few minutes later the train began to pull away from the platform.
"Dad, why did you let him go?" Jessica pleaded.
"I can't force him to go back...if he doesn't feel like he deserves to come back then I can't change that...at least not now...we've got to let him have time to think this over...he's probably gonna hate himself for what happened..."
"But then that's even more of a reason to stop him!" Jessica replied.
"Oscar's responsible...way too responsible then a kid his age should be...I know he can look after himself...c'mon...we've got to tell the others...and Dana...she's not going to be happy about this either." Then Peter added as an afterthought. "I'll phone Fritz and co over in LA...give them a heads up...they might not see him...but it's better to have them know he might be in town..."
The two Ghostbusters and two children walked out of Grand Central Station in silence as they waited for the Ecto-1 to circle the block and pull up by the curb. The previous day had been close to a nightmare...and there would still be that question left hanging over their heads, when and would Oscar be coming back?
Epilogue.
Peter stood with his hands in his pockets, he was stood on the roof of the Firehouse with a barrel full of burning wood. Most of the stuff that had been burnt so far were mostly leaves that had been raked up from the back lawn of his home, but now he was doing something he should've done long ago. He removed his right hand from his pocket and strudied the object he held with it, the audio cassett of Shanna O' Callahan. She had caused so much trouble.
Time to get this over with. He thought grimly. I just hope that this stupid tape hasn't cost me my son. He then threw the tape into the fire and watched it burn, and watched with some interest how the smoke changed from grey to green for a few seconds as the last of the tape burnt. Peter then walked over to the ledge of the roof and stared out at the darkened skyline. Come home soon, Oscar.
Epilogue Two
Oscar sat beside the window in silence as the darkened countryside sped by. He felt terrible, he'd distanced himself from everyone he loved and knew...and all because of some blond bimbo on a cassette tape...and deep down somewhere, even when he was acting like a complete bastard, he knew they were right. He just hoped that he could work out his feelings on the whole screwed up situation in short time, school would be starting up again from it's summer break, and he didn't want to stay in LA longer then he needed, with no real friends or family in the city. He hoped he was right in the impression that Peter had given him that he'd still have a home in New York.
It's easier to leave than to be left behind (it's pulling me apart)
Leaving was never my proud (change)
Leaving New York never easy (it's pulling me apart)
I saw the life fading out (change)
Leaving new york never easy (it's pulling me apart)
I saw the light fading out (change)
Leaving new york never easy (it's pulling me apart)
I saw the life fading out (change)
REM - Leaving New York
THE END