All rights reserved to Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Columbia Pictures. This follows year nineteen (2001) of the Ghostbusters Omnibus Timeline which can be found at .
Support the Twin Towers Fund and the NYPD FDNY Orphans and Widows fund.
"We must go on...."
Black Day at the Firehouse - Storm on the Horizon
Chapter One
Monday September 10th, 2001
7:43AM
New York City
Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...click...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...click click...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep... thump ...beeep...beeeep...beeee...
Dr. Peter Venkman groaned and rolled over, and tried to go back to sleep. This was an altogether familiar performance on a Monday morning...or any morning for that matter.
"Too early." Peter grumbled. Suddenly a bright white flash went up and what looked like an Angel with outstretched wings stood before him, the sudden action was such a surprise and Peter yelped and tumbled out of bed. The angel was in fact his wife of the previous nine years, Dana Barrett Venkman who along with Peter and his two children were taking a family vacation in New York to visit Peter's former comrades within the company known as 'Ghostbusters'.
"Morning." Dana greeted with an amused smile.
"You know how annoying that is?" Peter replied, narrowing his one open eye meanacingly at her.
"I have a vague idea." She replied.
"It's bad enough I need to get up before nine in the morning...but when you do that I always end up on the floor." He replied as he pulled himself up off of the floor.
"I know..." Dana replied. "But don't I always give you something back in return?" Dana asked, prompting a slight laugh and a grin from Peter even with him having landed on the floor minutes ago.
"Oh do you ever..." He replied. "So...what are you planning on doing today?" He asked as he sat down on the bed and ran a hand through his ruffled and strangely still-brown hair...some suspected it should've started going grey by now.
"I was thinking of taking Jessica and Oscar out on a sightseeing trip this morning before bringing them to the Firehouse this afternoon." Dana explained.
"I see..." Peter replied. "I'm not sure if stopping by the 'museum would be a good idea."
"I'm still not sure if taking him to see the place they used as the exterior of the museum in your second movie would be good." Dana agreed.
"Ah well...it'd never hurt to check?" Peter grinned prompting a slight scowl from his wife.
"You give him some very bad habits at times Peter." She replied with a hint of humour in her voice.
"They're the only habits I have to give!" Peter replied in his defence. He then stood up and followed Dana out of the room and into the main conversation area of the hotel room. Sat at a breakfast table near the window which overlooked 45th Street were a boy (around twelve or thirteen) with tied back black hair and a greet hoodie, sat across him was a girl (around seven or eight) with wild brown hair ( a strangly wild mix of Peter's and Dana's styles) with a red shirt over white T-shirt. Both of the children were eating breakfast and studying magazines as a copy of both the Daily Bugle and the New York Times lay unread on a green arm chair near the door of the hotel room. The boy was thirteen-year old Oscar Wallace Venkman, the child from Dana's previous relationship to violinist Andre Wallace, the girl on the other hand was eight year old Jessica Venkman, the Venkmans' sole genetic offspring. The Venkmans had become married in June of 1992, mere months after the unhappy break-up of the company Peter had helped to found, the Ghostbusters. However, ten years on, a return to ghostbusting, capture of the Burmuda Triangle and several jokes at his age later, Peter Venkman found himself once again to be CEO of Ghostbusters International and Incoporated, having celebrated a successful return of the four original Ghostbusters and renewed fame...even with McShayne having spouted for a half hour on how they had simply conned the city again...though...a vanished Statue of Liberty was hard even for the mayor to explain...the Ghostbuster had officially reformed in late 1997 and word was in the air that Venkman wanted to truely expand this time around.
"So kids..." Peter grinned. "Ready to go see the Big Apple?" Peter asked.
"Yeah." Oscar replied as he rolled his eyes.
"Sure." Jessica replied, not looking up.
"Hrmpth...nineteen years ago I had the ears of the youth of America beckoning to hear my voice." Peter replied. "They were practically falling on me as I left the studio." Peter replied with a smirk. Dana rolled her eyes with an amused smirk of her own.
"There are some people who'd call that child stalking." Oscar replied flippantly.
"Oscar Wallace...so help me I will cut the TV cable when we get home." Dana replied and moved off to check one of the bags she'd be taking with them on the sightseeing trip. "Okay...do you two have everything?"
"Yes..." Oscar replied.
"Yep." Jessica replied and they both climbed out of the chairs and walked over to Dana. Both of them carried rucksacks on their backs which held food...drinks...cameras and...in case they got lost...a map of Manhattan.
"So where are you going to first?" Peter asked as he picked up a cup of coffee which had been left for him on sideboard which held the kettle.
"We're going to try do some of the stuff in Midtown first...Rockerfeller Plaza...Times Square...and Planet Hollywood to see those costumes from the second movie...then the Empire State Building...tomorrow we're hoping to do the Statue of Liberty...the Harbour Cruise and the World Trade Center..."
"Sounds fun." Peter replied and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Say Hello to Egon for me...we'll see you there this afternoon." She then planted a kiss on his cheek and they left the hotel room.
Chapter Two
"...And in occult news..."The news reader chuckled. "...a full turn out is expected at the 'Theories, Studies and Investigation of Paranormal Entites' conference scheduled at the World Trade Center tomorrow..."
"Hey professor." Garrett Miller called up from his wheel chair. "Isn't that the thing you're going to tomorrow?"
"That would be correct...it's one of the annual opportunities I'll have to meet with minds of similar dedication to the science behind paranormal investigation and elimination." Professor Egon Spengler explained, in his hand was a small stack of notes which Garrett could only assume was a speech.
"Are all of them all gonna be as dedicated as you?" Kylie Griffin asked, only four months before she had given birth to her and Eduardo's daughter, Conchita Rivera who at present was being minded by Eduardo's sister in law Beth and her son Kevin...much to Eduardo's brother's chargrin.
"Well..." Egon paused. "There will be a majority of people who are as academic and dedicated as us..."
"There gonna be any people like Torgo here?" Garrett quipped.
"Hey!" Eduardo Rivera protested as he dropped the Playstation game controller he had previously been holding in preparation of a game with Garrett.
"Unfortunately...like the Internet has become these days...the conference hasn't been without it's more 'wildcard' attendees...I remember distinctly last year that someone brought a Class III mortal possessor...the results of which were so bad the less explained the better I feel."
"...and we repeat our top stories..." Eduardo picked up the remote control and flipped channels...on TV Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd were looking at something off-screen...the program made Egon chuckle lightly.
"There it is, on the ceiling." Dr. Ray Stantz, portrayed by Comedian and actor Dan Aykroyd, directed. The green ghost affectionately and infamously known as Slimer was circling a large chandelier that was hung in the middle of the ballroom.
"That's the one that got me." Dr.Peter Venkman, portrayed by Comedian and actor Bill Murray, replied; like he'd been picking out a mugger in a police line-up. They moved out from the heavy drape.
"All right, boys. Ready? Throw it!" Ray whispered, both Egon (portrayed by Comedian and actor Harold Ramis) and Ray activated their Proton Guns, Peter a moment later. Three orange beams shot forth and towards the ghost. Suddenly there was a huge explosion of sparks and a blur of green, the Ghostbusters had snagged something alright, but it wasn't a ghost. There was a jangle and clatter of glass and a great crash as the chandelier crashed to the ground, crushing one of the tables in the large ballroom. The partially melted frame rocked back and fourth a few times.
"Don't you guys get paid for that anymore?" Eduardo asked.
"The staff members at Sony believe they've paid us so much in royalties for the cartoon and the movie series that they didn't need to pay any more when our contract expired...I heard Venkman was trying to get it renewed...with some minor turbulence from Bill Murray's lawyer." Kylie stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at the on-screen Venkman as played by Bill Murray. "Yes...quite." Egon replied as he cleaned his glasses on the edge of his blue sweater and walked out of the room.
"Anyone up for pancakes?" Dr. Ray Stantz,engineer and resident occultist. All three of the gathered teenage Ghostbusters' faces went slightly white...aparrantly Dr. Venkman's horror stories concerning Ray's cooking had eventually made their way to the newer generation of Ghostbusters.
Chapter Three
"...while there have been activities of extreme paranormal activity over the past twenty years...and indeed before hand there have been recorded incidents of a noted decrease in paranormal activity dating as far back as 1890 and pehapse even further." Egon studied some more of his notes. "Based on this evidence and the records made from these events we are able to create a theory that any major paranormal event will be proceeded by a period where little paranormal activity will be recorded...a period of roughly twenty or so years..."
"Egon? Are you in here?" It was a female voice, which belonged to Janine Melnitz Spengler, Egon Spengler's wife of four years. She poked her head through the door which seperated the Spengler's bedroom from the rest of the Firehouse. Following the reformation of Ghostbusters International the Firehouse receive some reconstruction work on the third floor, the original crew barracks which had been used as a bunk room by the Ghostbusters had gone through some slight reconstruction work. Sat at the front of the building and taking up the arched window was the room now designated as the Spengler's bedrom. On the allyside of the Firehouse stood a small a pair of small bedrooms which were reserved for the two year old children of Egon Spengler and Janine Melnitz. The room opposite the childrens' room was the spare guest room which was slightly smaller due to an alcove which had been set aside for the brass firepole which had been the building's selling point for a nineteen year younger Ray Stantz.
"I'm in here." Egon replied as he looked up. "Is there something wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing...just letting you know the organisers phoned to say that they're expecting you at the conference tomorrow at eight 'o' clock." She informed him
"Thank you." Egon replied and Janine began to walk away...but a sudden crash from downstairs made her quicken her steps. Raised voices drifting up the portal for the firepole and the spital staircase made her take the staircase two at a time.
"Oh you can clear that up for a start!" The edges of Egon's mouth turned up in a smirk when he heard her rasied voice.
Chapter Four
The large double doors at the front of the Firehouse swung open and the body of a shining white 1959 Cadilliac with an extremy eccentric roof orientation pulled smoothly into the garage of the former Hook and Ladder No. 8 Firestation.
"How was the..." Janine began as the Extreme Ghostbusters began to climb out of the Ecto-1.
"I never want to go to a bust like that again man!" Eduardo fumed, he was dripping from head to toe in blue slime.
"...I see you really have taken over Dr. Venkman's role in this business." Janine replied as Eduardo trudged a slimey blue trail to the staircase as Kylie and Roland talked about the ghost.
"What is it with explosive ectoplasm?" Kylie asked.
"With the amount of stuff that ghost leaked all over the floor we could start our own slum clearance team." Garrett quipped as he slid along.
"I think 'secreted' is the word you're looking for, Garrett." Roland added.
"Knock knock." A voice replied from the door. Janine looked up and could see Peter rapping his knuckles against the small portal set within the larger garage doors.
"Hmpth...what brings you here...Dr. Venkman?" She asked as she placed her hands on her hips.
"Aww...c'mon Janine." Peter replied in a slightly childish voice. "Isn't it about time we dropped the whole 'Dr. Venkman' thing?" He asked with a lopsided grin.
"Why? Afraid it'll damage your ego?" She smirked.
"No...but seeing as you're technically my sister in law I think we should have a much more...relaxed...friendship." He replied as he entered the garage.
"Your sister in law? Janine asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well...Egon never sees his brother...so I feel we all are his family." Peter replied.
"Why...is the great Peter Venkman finally caring about someone other then himself?" Janine mused with a raised eyebrow. They both then laughed and shared an awkward hug, that of a pair of friends who have just met up after a long period where they hadn't seen each other.
"How is the big guy holding up?" Peter asked.
"He's as scientifically minded as ever." Janine rolled hey eyes but had kept an amused tone in her voice. "He's going to some big paranormal conferenc they're holding at the World Trade Center."
"Yep...sounds like Egon." Peter agreed as they walked over to Janine's desk. "And how are the kids?" Peter asked.
"Jonathan Cristopher and Eden are okay...they cause an a lot of hassle for only being two years old." Janine replied.
"Sounds like the stories I've heard from a certain physicist's mother." Peter replied flippantly. "And the younger team?"
"They're okay...with Conchita at four months now she and Eduardo are starting to think about getting a bigger apartment."
"I knew Dana had asked me to ask about something." Peter replied as he clicked his fingers. "Speaking of the guys...where are they?"
"Winston and Ray should be upstairs, there was...an 'accident' with some of the coffee and Ray's pancakes." Janine replied with a slightly tired expression on her face.
"Ah." Peter replied, he knew all too well about Ray's pancakes...he'd been the one who'd passed the stories onto the younger generation. "Well...I'm just gonna pop upstairs..." Peter replied and he walked over to the staircase, careful to not step on the blue slime that led from the Ecto-1 to the staircase.
"Slimer...that is the last time you eat the leftovers of the pancakes unless I say so...understood?" Ray asked, he was less angry then he sounded...it was mostly for effect. Slimer burbled something that sounded like 'Sorry' and continued to watch as Winston and Ray cleared up the traces of green slime along the walls and ceiling of the recreation room on the Second Floor of the Firehouse.
"'Bout time you guys did that." Peter quipped as he climbed the staircase with his hands in his pockets.
"Peter!" Ray greeted happily, moments later Slimer's frown vanished and was replaced with a smile as he lunged at Peter.
"Oh no you don't!" Peter replied holding up a finger in a chiding tone and Slimer skidded to a halt in mid air. "Slimer if you so much as touch me today I will grab one of the Proton Packs from downstairs and put you into the Containment Unit." Slimer's face fell for a moment.
"He's only kidding Slimer." At Ray's voice Slimer's face beamed and he hugged Peter against the ghostbuster's warning.
"You are in for a world of pain Ray...so help me." Peter muttered as the collar of his t-shirt turned a sickly green. Near the kitchen Winston broke out laughing.
"Anyway...it's good to see you Peter." Ray grinned as he handed him a towel. "What are you doing here?"
"Well..." Peter accepted the towel and began to clean the excess slime off his shirt and t-shirt. "It's a break from school in LA...some sorta scare...place'll be closed for a few weeks...so I thought i'd take the family on a trip to the Big Apple." Peter explained.
"So Dana and the kids are here as well?" Winston asked.
"If you mean 'here' as in in the city...they yep...they're out sightseeing...and should be here this afternoon...but I want to say one thing...we're trying to let Oscar decide how involved he is with Andre...so please don't mention him...bad enough the kid was nearly possessed by a kitten hating tyrant without us deciding for him how to approach that deadbeat who ran out on Oscar and Dana." Peter replied.
"Sure thing." Winston replied confidantly.
"So how is the life in LA?" Ray asked as they walked over to the TV area where Garrett Miller, Roland Jackson and Kylie Griffin were currently absorbed with something on the TV.
"Oh...not too bad...you kinda get used to the 'vacant stares' and terrible actors after a while." Peter replied with mock honesty.
"Kids...we have a bit of a surprise visit." Ray announced and all three younger Ghostbusters turned to see Ray, Winston and Peter approaching.
"Hey kids." Peter greeted.
"Good to see you again Dr. Venkman." Roland greeted.
"Likewise." Garrett added.
"Hey." Kylie greeted.
"Cool...just don't call me Dr. Venkman, okay? I hate formalities." Peter replied with a grin.
"Really?" Winston asked with a wry grin and a raised eyebrow, Ray also replied with slight mock bewilderment.
"I count three of you...where's Egon and that latino kid?" Peter asked.
"Eduardo is having a shower after our last bust." Kylie explained, adding emphasis to her partner's name.
"Slime huh?" Peter asked. The three younger Ghostbusters nodded. "Yep...I know the feeling." Peter replied as he scooped some slime off of his shoulder and flicked it off his hand, causing a long trail to connect it with his hand.
"Egon's upstairs practicing his speech for a conference tomorrow." Ray explained.
"So Janine told me." Peter replied. "Say...you don't know where a guy could get a clean shirt...this thing's starting to smell from Slimer's 'hug'."
Chapter Five
Janine looked up from her desk when she heard a knocking on the door, she got up and walked over to see who it might've been, customers...when they actually came to the Firehouse as opposed to phone them...usually just strode into the buulding. When she opened the door she was greeted with a friendly sight, Dana with two children.
"Dana! It's good to see you." Janine greeted and they both shared a friendly hug which was less forced then the one she shared with Dana's husband.
"You as well..." Dana returned with a smile, she then turned to allow Janine to see her children. "You know Oscar...of course..and here's our daughter...Jessica." Dana replied.
"You have your father's eyes...and hair." Janine commented with an amused smile. "Boy...Ray's gonna be thrilled to see you two..." Janine's smile faltered slightly. "...and I bet you're gonna get on well with the twins." To Janine's relief, she apparantly wasn't the only one to be slightly worried at the through of the combination of the Spengler and Venkman children. "Just go up those stairs while I talk to your mother...we'll be up there in a few minutes." Janine explained.
"K." Jessica replied and the two siblings walked off towards the staircase to the floor above.
"How are things with Egon?" Dana asked.
"They're good...he's as involved with the scientific community as ever...though...he does make the effort to spend time with the kids...he's already got them onvolved with some smaller projects with mixed results." Janine explained.
"So I'd heard from his letters to Peter...what's this I've been hearing about a want to build a volcano?" Dana asked with a look of amused puzzlement on her face.
"Don't ask...Egon got onto the subject of one of his science fair projects and the twins have decided to follow him in his footsteps." Janine replied as they reached her desk. "You want some coffee?" She asked.
"Sure...I've been walking around all morning and I could use a break." Dana agreed and she sat down in the chair opposite Janine's desk as Janine walked over to a small table near the water cooler and began to make some coffee.
"So how have you and Peter been in LA?" Janine asked.
"We've been good...he's currently thinking about packing in his agency...he says he's restless and wants to pull 'Betsy' out of the display case." Dana explained.
"He still calls his Proton Gun 'Betsy'? Janine asked with an amused smirk.
"I can't do anything about it." Dana replied. "Ever since the guys got back together four years ago and beat that thing...the Burmuda Triangle? He's been wanting to get back into action...he's even been talking about starting a franchise in LA."
"Must be serious." Janine joked as she brought two cups of coffee over and sat down opposite Dana at her desk. "And how are the kids doing?"
"Well..." Dana paused to drink come of her coffee. "Oscar is doing okay...he's the average American teenager...or will be...he's in a band...has friends...the usual...though I have to wonder if the health alert which closed the school wasn't in some way related to him...he picks up the worst habbits from his father..." Dana paused.
"Sorry....I didn't mean to drag that up." Janine replied, realising the reason for Dana's sudden halt.
"No...it's okay...if Andre had wanted anything to do with Oscar...he would've asked...speaking of which...if Peter didn't tell you...I would prefer if we didn't talk about Andre, Peter and I feel that it would be better if we left Oscar to make his choices concerning his real father...even if he hasn't wanted anything to do with Oscar." Dana explained in quieter tones.
"Peter did say something like that...how's Jessica doing?" Janine asked, Dana; thankful for the sudden change of subject placed the cup of coffee on the desk.
"She's doing very well...her grades are good for her age and she's got plenty of healthy hobbies...she even gets along well with Oscar...it's a near miracle." Dana replied with a smile.
"A Venkman who's a hard worker and has good grades?" Janine asked with an amused smile. "Must;ve broken the mould." Dana smiled in agreement.
"Indeed...I'm sure Peter is secretly envious and worries that Jessica will turn out to be smarter then him."
"Wouldn't be too difficult." Janine replied and both women broke into laughter.
"As if on cue!" peter replied in mock surprise as Oscar and Jessica climbed the staircase. "I present the current members of the Venkman clan." he got up and almost pushed Oscar and Jessica into the TV area to meet the six Ghostbusters and newly arrived Spengler children. Even at the age of two the similarities with their parents were unmistakable, Johnathan Christopher Spengler, dressed in a purple shirt with the Red Ranger on it was sat on the floor currently dismantling an alarm clock. His hair was fire red but had a squiggle of a tail and a slight curl to it which resembled his fathers', however a pair of emerald eyes and the colour of his hair showed his mother's influence. Sat next to him and observing the parts that Johnathan Christopher had previously disconnected and dressed in a type of dungerees was a girl. Unlike her brother she had blond hair and blue eyes, her father's influence; however her mother's influence was her hair which had a striking similarity to the style her mother currently had...whether it was by simple coincidence or if that was truely the natural way it went for Janine.
"Guys...it's been a while but I'd like you to meet Oscar and Jessica...my two kids." Peter introduced the two Venkmans to the gathered group. Winston and Ray traded a knowing look while the three younger Ghostbusters studied the two children. On the floor the Spengler children carried on regardless for a few minutes before looking up and studying the Venkman children with a look of curiosity Peter knew all too well.
"Well guys...We must go." Peter replied with a grin.
"Will you be stopping by tomorrow?" Ray asked.
"Yeah...Dana and the kids have another day out on the town." Peter explained as he ruffled Jessica's hair. "But I'll be here all day and they're stopping by again tomorrow afternoon.
Chapter Six
Tuesday September 11th, 2001
7:23AM
New York City
Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...click...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...thump...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep... thump...crack ...beeep...beeeep...beeee... Peter peered at hgis alarm clock, the digital numbers flickered for a few seconds as he inspected the crack which was forming on the clear plastic covering the clock face.
"That can't be good." He muttered as he pulled himself out of bed, pulled on a dressing gown and walked over to the window. As he stared out of the seventh floor window of the Brentford Hotel he watched a few yellow cabs roll by on the street below through the grey morning light.
"Morning." Dana greeted from the doorway with a cup of coffee, she then handed the steaming cup to peter who accepted it.
"My timing's screwd up...changing from LA time to New York time has sent a shock to my sleep system." Peter explained.
"And that's your...'professional' opinion?" She asked with an amused smirk.
"You know of any other?" He asked and she walked over, circling her hands around his waist.
"You know...no matter how cool it is in LA...Miami Beach...Hollywood...the babes." Peter replied, receiving a playful jab to his kidney. "I actaully miss living in New York." He replied.
"Well." Dana began to reply. "No smog...not so many traffic snarls...you don't get gun totting maniacs in Central Park anymore." She continued.
"Heh...like anyone'd be stupid enough to mess with four guys packing nuclear accelerators when they went through the park." Peter replied with a grin, he then looked down at Dana. "You guys packed and ready to head out?"
"We'll be in an hour." Dana explained.
"Right...well...I'm gonna go get dressed...head over to the Firehouse...Egon's got me doing some things for him around there while he's downtown."
"Right." Dana replied in understanding, she then broke away from her husband so he could walk past and into the hotel room's bathroom.
7:45AM
Ray exited the Firehouse's kitchen with a bown in hand, following behind him was a small boy or no older then five years old, his hair was a thick tangle of a mix of chestnut brown and Ray's red and was so unruly you'd think he'd just woken up, perched on the child's head were a pair of antique aviatar goggles. As they moved over to the dining table with it's mixture of chairs they spotted Egon doing up a red and black tie at the end of the table.
"Morning." Ray greeted as Egon performed a double loop in the knot.
"Good morning Raymond, Eric." Egon greeted.
"Morning Dr. Spengler." Eric greeted.
"I assume Mrs. Stantz is out on a trip?" Egon asked with an amused smirk and a knowing glint in his blue eyes.
"Yeah...she's out of town...and seeing as I help buy groceries here I might as well make use of the stuff that's not gonna get eaten before it's sell by date." Ray replied and then ate a spoonful of cereal.
"Indeed." Egon agreed, his tie was now done up and he was shrugging on his dark blue suit jacket. "I'm sorry if I have to cut this short..." Egon paused as he checked his briefcase. "...but something's come up at the conference...they need me there a bit earlier...they said it was something to do with timing."
"Sure thing Egon." Ray replied.
"Let Peter know what to do...I doubt it'll be a problem." Egon added as he closed his briefcase.
"Watch over your more dangerous experiments in the lab and keep Slimer out of there." Ray recited with a grin.
"Exactly." Egon replied with a thankful smile. "Thank you for stopping by either way Raymond."
"Hey no problem...I was talking with 'Zedd how we should start some sorta rota thing...you guys can't keep living in the Firehouse forever you know...one of these days John and Eden are gonna out grow that room upstairs." Ray replied.
"Indeed...we'll discuss arranging a rota for people looking after the Firehouse...and I'll try find a moment to discuss the idea of finding a bigger home with Janine." Egon agreed. "However...I must dash....the Ecto-1 is at your disposal." Egon replied as he walked over to the staircase.
"Goodluck!" Ray shouted.
Janine got up fromher desk and followed Egon over to the door.
"You got everything? I'm not driving down there to bring anything you've forgotten?" She mock chided.
"I have." Egon replied.
"Goodluck...knock them dead." Janine replied and gave her husband a goodluck kiss on the cheek.
"I should hope not...the last thing I'd want is to encarcerate my former peers in the Containment Unit." Egon replied sternly...but then smiled. "Though the idea is tempting with some... I will see you tonight Janine." He added and he opened the small portal set into one of the two large garage doors and walked out onto the corner of Varrick and N.Moore. Janine watched as he raised a hand and a nearby taxi slowed to a halt. She continued to watch as he climbed into the car, exchanged a few words with the driver and the car pulled away from the curb.
Chapter Seven
"The World Trade Center please." Egon asked as he leaned forward so the driver could hear.
"Sure thing, pal." The cabbie replied in a cheerful tone and shifted the gear. Egon watched as the brick and stone structure of the former Hook and Ladder No.8 Firehouse slowly slid out of sight as the car moved through the light traffic towards Downtown and the Financial District. Egon checked his watch, the analogue face informed him it was now eight 'o' clock on the dot. He leaned back in the black leather seat of the taxi and watched as the yellow of taxis, white of buses and pale blue stripes of NYPD police cruisers ran together as the car picked up speed as it made it's way onto Sixth Avenue.
"Hey buddy, do you mind if I ask you a question?" The cabbie asked from the driver's seat. The corners of Egon's mouth twinged into a ghost of a smile at the irony of the choice of the driver's words.
"Be my guest." Egon replied, seeing where the conversation might lead.
"Are you one of them? You know...the Ghostbusters?"
"You are correct." Egon replied.
"Jeez...wait 'til the boys at the garage hear this...I have a gen-u-ine Ghostbuster sat in my cab...you're...Dr...no...Professor Spengler...right?" The cabbie asked, taking a brief moment to look over his shoulder at Egon.
"Correct again." Egon replied with a slightly bemused expression.
"Yeah...I'd just like to say me and the family's always been rooting for you guys...real shame what the Mayor then did and what the current one's been doing...me and the family ain't fans of politics...no sir." The cabbie explained.
"Thank you for your confidence." Egon replied. The taxi had just passed Duane Street, just two streets from Chambers Street and the edge of the TriBeCa district.
"Could I ask a favour of you?" The cabbie asked.
"Depends on the favour," Egon replied with understandable hestation. "But do speak and I shall judge whether or not your request is a reasonable one."
"Okay...would it be possible if you could sign this for my kid...Jimmy...he's a real big fan of yours...been one ever since the TV show was shown in reruns on Nickleodeon." The cabbie replied, one of his hands left the wheel and went around in the glove compartment, he then extracted what looked liked an oversized deck of cards and Egon was amused to see it was a stack of photos of famous New York celebrities. Near the top was a publicity photo of the Ghostbusters and beneath it a publicity photo for each Ghostbuster. The cabbie selected the photo displaying Egon and handed it through the gap between the driver and front passenger seats.
"Are you sure you're not mistaking me for Dr. Venkman?" Egon asked as he extracted a biro from his jacket pocket.
"Nah...I know you're the one he's the fan you make that out to Jimmy?"
"I would be glad to." Egon replied as he scribbled a quick message of greeting plus his signature on the bottom corner of the photograph. To Egon's slight amusement the photo was the exact same one he'd seen in the Ugly Parlour during his short stay with Peter and Ray in Boo York. Once he'd finished writing he placed the pen back in his pocket and handed the photo back to the driver. "Finished." He replied.
"Thank you so much Professor Spengler...this is really going to make his day." The cabbie replied.
"I'm glad it will make your son happy." Egon replied, he then turned his attention back to the outside world for a few minutes, in the distance but approaching at a good pace were the towering structures of 1 and 2 World Trade Center, the world famous Twin Towers. The cab pulled up at the north-east corner of the large block which the center occupied.
"Here we go...World Trade Center." The cabbie announced and Egon climbed out of the taxi and walked over to the driver's window.
"How much will that cost?" He asked.
"Thirty-five, fifty." Egon handed over the appropriate cash and stooped down to pick up his brief case and trech coat (in case it rained).
"Say...if you ever need a quick cab..." The cabbie began but paused as he reached over to the dashboard, he then returned witha business card. "Just give me a holla..."
"I will keep that in mind." Egon replied politely as he pocketed the card.
"Enjoy the conference Professor Spengler." The cabbie replied.
"I will." Egon returned and watched as the taxi pulled away. He stood there for a second, catching his breath; he then looked up at the Twin Towers for a second. With that achieved he then looked back at ground level and began to walk into the main plaza between the two towers. As Egon walked he studied the area, it had been some time since his last visit. In recent memory he had only been there twice, first in 1985 when they'd been tackling a nasty monster which had resembled a cyclopean octopus...like something from a Lovecraft story...and that case had led to him being blown off of the side of Tower 1 and had nearly plumetted to his death 110 floors below, however a prompt Winston who at the time had been piloting Ecto-2 had spared Egon an early demise. The second and more recent visit had occurred in 1988 in the height of the Vigo incident...a peculier case of an angry corporate worker causing objects in his office to suffer from spontanius combustion due to a slime deposit in his office. He looked across the the centre of the plaze where a giant green and gold bronze sculture known soley as the 'Globe' stood above a large fountain, people chatted and sat around the fountain as a light breeze swept through the area. He walked towards Tower 2, the tower south of the one he'd nearly fallen from and made his way to the lobby entrance. As he reached the large glass doors he pulled out an identification badge as he pushed his way through one of the rotating doors. He crossed the lobby and joined a line of employees as they were going in to work. Once he'd reached the security guard at the front of the line he handed him his identification badge and patiently waited as the guard studied the photo and then Egon.
"Good Morning Professor Spengler, I've been told to instruct you to use one of the express elevators...they're expecting you in the conference area on the 110th Floor." He explained and pointed at the bank of express elevators.
"Thank you." Egon nodded his thanks and he walked over to the elevators, he then pressed the 'Up' button and patiently waited, minutes later one of the sets of double doors slid open and Egon stepped into the available express elevator with a few other staff workers. They each pressed the button for their corresponding floor and waited as the doors slid shut, blocking the view of the impressive lobby of Tower 2.
Chapter Eight
"Janine, me and Eric are going out to Midtown Comics...we shouldn't be too long." Ray spoke as he lead his son down the staircase and over to the Ecto-1.
"Does Winston know that you're going out?" She asked as she walked over to the car from her desk.
"Yep...not that there's anything 'Zedd can't handle really...besides Peter will be here soon and I doubt we'd need many more hands until the kids get in at nine." He explained as he and Eric climbed into the Ecto-1.
"Okay...have a good trip." Janine wished.
"If all goes well I can pick up the latest issue of Captain Steel...see you later." With that said he pressed a small button above the dashboard and the large barn style doors creaked open, allowing Ecto-1 exit onto the streets of Manhattan. Ray pulled the car out onto the curb, waited to see if there was any traffic and then turned left and then eventually made a right so he was moving towards Midtown.
"Ray off to the comic store?" A voice asked, startling Janine.
"Peter!" She nearly yelped, releasing a sudden breath. "Don't do that...what are you trying to do...kill me?" She chided.
"Hmm...tempting..." Peter replied with a grin. "Where's Ray off to at this ungodly hour?" He asked as he entered the garage, he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a frayed T-shirt which was coverd in a grubby check shirt.
"He's going to Midtown Comics with Eric...on their weekly comic run I guess." Janine replied curtly as they walked back to her desk. "And what brought you out into the world at this hour...I thought people like you didn't get up before noon."
"Jetlag from LA...been giving me hell with my sleep patterns...I wonder if I'd need to compensate for the loss of sleep?" He mock mused, gaining a pair of rolling eyes from Janine for all that it was worth. "Anyway..." He replied as he leaned onto the desk "Where's Winston, Egon...the children...and Tully."
"Winston...last I saw...was upstairs in the rec room...Egon's gone to the World Trade Center...something came up." Janine began.
"Damn...I so wanted to pretend that I was gonna make Slimer ruin his suit." Peter replied. "Go on."
"The kids are in the rec room with Winston...though Charlene's currently with Kaila...and as for Louis..." She paused. "He's attending a legal conference in Atlanta...he'll be back in a few days."
"Gosh...Louis in Atlanta...bout time he got out somewhere y'know?" Peter asked.
"Bite me." Janine replied, then looking up at him with a smile. "I will never forgive Harold Ramis for that...anyway..." Janine paused as she looked about the stacks of paper on her desk. "Egon told me to hand this to you...it details everything he wants you to do here." She handed the sheet to Peter.
"Stop Slimer...watch tests in " Peter nodded. "Did everyone get one of these?"
"No." She smiled. "It was made specifically for you...Dr. V." Janine allowed herself as smile as Peter's face changed to a slight scowl.
"One of the reasons I wanted to fire you so much...Miss Janine." He replied and walked over to the staircase.
"Morning Peter." Winston greeted from the sofa as Peter walked away from the staircase landing. Sat in front of Winston on the floor were the Spengler twins, John and Eden and a african-american girl with a pair of yellow bracelets on each arm and a pony tail who looked about eight years old, this was Winston's daughter Charlene.
"Winston...babysitting? I thought that was beneath you." Peter commented with amusement.
"With Ray and Egon out...someone's got to look after these children..." Winston replied honestly. Peter then sat down on the sofa next to Winston.
"What you watching?" Peter asked.
"Channel Six News." Winston replied.
"Is April still doing it?" Peter asked, receiving a dissapproving look from Winston.
"Pete, you're married." He replied in a condesending tone.
"A guy can pretend can't he?" Peter replied with his infamous chesire grin as Winston rolled his eyes. On screen was the weasly form of Vernon Fenwick, he was reporting on some robbery in the diamond district which had been foiled by what they were calling the turtles...what they had been calling turtles for twenty years...which is why people usually watched Channel Six news with more then a bit of skepticism. Channel Six news eventually came to an end and a cheesy old horror film began to play.
Ray rested his hand on the driver-side door as he waited, the traffic on Twenty Third Street was snarled up badly near Madison Square Park. As Ray and Eric waited in the car he took a look at the car's dashboard clock, it read '8:20AM', they'd been stuck in slow moving traffic for nearly ten minutes.
"Hey buddy! Move that piece of junk!" Someone shouted from behind as they blared their horn. Ray leaned out of the window to see a irate driver in a Chrysler waving his fist wildly.
"Hey! There's kids present here!" Ray scowled as he chasticed the man, Ray then pulled his head back into tha Ecto-1's interior. "Sorry." Ray replied with an apologetic smirk.
"It's okay dad." Eric replied, he was currently examining one of the contents of Ecto's glove compartment, a fold up map of Manhattan. "How long are we gonna be waiting?" He asked.
"No idea Eric...no idea." Ray replied with an tired sigh as they crept forward a bit closer towards Madison Square Park, up ahead he could make out a road working crew. Ray reached forward and switched on Ecto-1's little-used AM/FM radio and tuned it to one of the stations.
"...and here's Bill with the traffic report." The DJ announced. A few moments of silence were replaced with what sounded like a muted helicopter.
"Heavy traffic is expected on Fifth Avenue, the F.D.R., Park Avenue and Wall work near Madison Square Park has slowed traffic down to a crawl...they're hoping to get the flow moving quickly again by mid afternoon...minor work at the Holland Tunnel has caused slight delay for people heading out to Jersey...that's expected to be finished tomorrow...and that concludes the traffic report for the hour..."
"This is going to be a long day..." Ray mutted as they crept forward again.
Chapter Nine
Egon stepped out of the elevator and checked his watch, he had arrived at the center at around five past eight in the morning and now his watch told him it was quarter past eight, some of that time had been taken up as people had climbed into and out of the elevator car during it's journey up Tower 2. Satisfied that he was there in good time he strode over to a pair of glass doors that seperated the conference area from the connecting lobby area. As soon as Egon entered the conference area he was engulfed by a large amount of activity, set up near what could be known as the back of the room (Which commanded an impressive view of Tower 1) was a small stage area and in front of that were several rows of tables with chairs for the attendees. Near the front of the room to Egon's right was the Maitre 'd's station where a small table had been set up one man was going through a log of names of attendees they were expecting, a woman in a black suit was leaning over his shoulder as she listened to the man with the ledger talk, a few minutes later the woman looked up, said something to the man with the ledger and approached Egon.
"Professor Spengler...it is good to finally meet you." The woman shook hands with Egon. "I'm Samantha Matthews...I'm responsible for making sure all of the attendees are here, talking in the available slots and that they're all happy." She explained.
"It is good to meet you as well, talking on the telephone doesn't allow for much of a real first impression." Egon replied.
"Definately." Samantha agreed.
"You said you needed to talk to me about a slight change in the arranged events." Egon moved forward to the point.
"Yes...another one of our guest speakers...an expert from Arkham had phoned us a bit less the two hours ago explaining that there was some kind of problem with their plane and they were going to be delayed by two hours...we were wondering if you would mind being moved to the quarter past nine slot.
"I'll be opening the conference with my talk?" Egon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"If you don't have any problems with that...we're expecting most of the attendees to arrive from between eight and eight thirty." Samantha explained.
"I would be honoured." Egon replied.
"Thankyou Professor Spengler...you don't know how much it's relieved me...after having to deal with one potential maverick already...I didn't want to have to deal with another problem so soon." Samantha replied with a relieved smile on her face.
"Maverick? I remember last year's conference...what happened?" Egon asked.
"One of our...later...talk attendees was going through some of his equipment when one of them began to leak something that made smoke when it touched the floor...I should've known someone with the name 'Basingham' would be a little bit odd.
"Basingham?" Egon echoed. "As in Dr. Alfred Basingham?"
"Why yes...have you meet with hime before?" Samantha asked with a surprised look on her face.
"To say that would be a major understatement." Egon replied. "He has caused a lot of trouble with my colleagues and I...I suggest that if he's talking about conjuring demons or performing a seance then you pay him no attention...in both cases he caused more trouble then he realised."
"Oh." Samantha replied.
"Dr. Spengler!" A voice which sounded a bit like the late Vincent Price's shouted from over Samantha's shoulder.
"Professor...Spengler." Samantha corrected, Egon could see her eyes narrowing slightly as Dr. Alfred Basingham approached, he was dressed in a brown suit, complete with jungle explorer's hat, on his face was a expression Egon could only assume was meant to be a smile, the man's black hair had begun to go grey near the edges but his bristly black mustache was a black as ever. "So good to see you again after all these years."
"Hmf...I honestly wish I could say the same for you...Alfred." Egon replied with a frown.
"Dr. Basingham...is all of your equipment packed away until you need it?" Samantha asked.
"It is my dear...no need to worry about that little...er...mishap." Basingham replied. At the table the man with the ledger let out a slightly too-loud laugh but quickly covered it up with a bout of fake coughing.
"Well...you must excuse me...Professor Spengler...Dr. Basingham...I am required in some areas before we can begin the conference...thank you for allowing us to rearrange the schedule Professor Spengler." Samantha replied and walked over toa group of technitions who were setting up some electrical equipment for the conference.
"So...Professor...Spengler...how are your Ghostbuster friends?" Basingham asked.
Chapter Ten
Sky News blared in the background as Peter climbed down the spiral staircase from having checked Egon's tests, above the sofa Slimer watched as the story ended.
"...and once again, here are today's top storys: President Bush will be reading to a class of Second Graders at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Florida as part of his promotion of a new bill on education...The British Couple, the Hamiltons who were accused off..."
Winston changed the channel...he knew most of the headlines at that point and decided to see if Ray's satellite dish had anything worth watching at that hour.
"Anything worth watching?" Peter asked as he approached the sofa, on the floor John and Eden were currently dismantling a toaster to Peter's amusement.
"Nothing really worth watching..." Winston replied. "Even the news isn't very exciting...just going over the election primaries."
"Gosh...Bloomburg vs Badillo Vs McShayne...that's gotta be a exciting fight." Peter replied sarcastically as Winston chuckled.
"It'll be hard to beat Lenny's turn...definately, McShayne's has left a bad taste in my mouth." Winston commented as Peter paused at the sofa and then walked off to the kitchen.
"Too right, you fancy anything to eat Winston? Everyone knows that half the stuff Ray makes isn't edible...I love the guy like a brother but half the stuff he claims are 'old Stants Family recipes' could be used to either insulate the Proton Packs or degrease the Ecto-2's engines." Winston chuckled.
"Nah...I'm fine Peter." Winston replied. Peter nodded and walked into the kitchen, only to find the fridge had been cleaned out...possibly when Slimer had the caffine in his system. "Oh you..." Peter muttered, he then exited the kitchen, snagged the phone from a wall mounted hook and dialled a numbed pencilled into a piece of paper which was placed in the phone's wall mount, which contained numbers for fast food joints, Chinese Restaurants and Pizza Parlours. He punched in the number marked as 'West Pier Pizza' and waited for the line to pick up on the other end.
"He kids...I'm buying...who wants pizza?" Peter asked, all three children looked up. "I'll take that as 'all of you'." He turned back to the phone. "Hey! West Pier Pizza? Yeah I'd like to place an order..." He covered the mouthpiece with his hand. "What do you kids want?"
"Anchovies." Eden replied.
"Cheese and tomato!" John yelled with a smile.
"Pineapple." Charlene replied.
"Better make that too." Winston decided, he ws gonna take the opportunity to take Peter's rarely seen generocity.
"Okay...that's a pepper and mushroom medium...a small margarita with anchovies...a small margarita...a small pineapple and a medium pineapple...oh and some garlic bread...uh-huh...one sec..." He put his hand over the mouth piece again. "Janine!" Peter shouted, adding a fake hint of anger to his voice.
"What'ya want Peter?!" Janine shouted back.
"Food...we're getting Pizza...you want anything?!" He shouted back, there was no reply from Janine but a few moments later she appeared at the top of the staircase.
"I'll take a small mushroom...trying to keep the calaries down." Janine replied.
"Right...bread equals Satan..." Peter turbed back to the phone. "And one small mushroom...yeah...uh-huh...you remember the Ghostbusters' Firehouse? Corner of Varrick and Moore...TriBeCa...right...okay...I'll hold you to that. Right...bye." Peter then hung up. "They get here in a half hour and we get out order free." Peter replied.
"Right." Winston replied.
"So what is this great feast in order of?" Janine asked as she walked over behind Winston to see what he was watching.
"Well...seeing as Slimer cleaned out the fridge there's nothing left to eat...though I know for a fact he's gonna be too full from eating all the foot to even want to go our the pizzas I've ordered...even Slimer can get sick from too much food."
"Yeah...don't remind me." Winston replied with a look of distaste on his face.
"Okay...well if anyone needs me I'll be downstairs...as usual." Janine replied. "You guys should think about getting a new receptionist...you never even hired me back."
"But you do such a good job...you handle the customers...keep the checks...who'd I get to carry the Ghost Traps to the basement!" Peter shouted over the railing with a smile on his face.
"Bite Me, Venkman." Janine shouted back.
"You ever get bored of ordering from 'West Pier anyway?" Winston asked. "We've been ordering from them for nearly twenty years...and I thought they'd gone outta business?"
"Are you kidding me? We're single-handedly keeping them IN business." Peter replied. "Speaking of business...where are the kids? And what's taking Ray...I know he has to go all the way up to Times Square but he's never this late."
"The kids don't have any calls this morning...and Fifth Avenue's a traffic nightmare this morning...besides it's only a little before half past eight...Ray's only been gone abour twenty minutes." Winston explained.
Chapter Eleven
Ray looked at his watch as he slotted several coins into a parking meter, it told him it was half past eight. Stood next to him was Eric and once he'd paid the total amount required for a half hour time slot they walked away and towards uptown. They moved among the crowds bustling to and from Times Square. Ray and Eric turned a corner onto 39th Street and walked down until they reach and entrance which led to a staircase. Above them stood Manhattan's best comic book and model figure emporium, Midtown Comics.
"Morning Dr. Stantz." One of the men at a desk which covered one corner of the room greeted.
"Morning Garth...have my orders come in yet?" Ray asked as Eric studied some of the videos on the opposite wall.
"Let me check." Garth replied and vanished beneath the desk for a few moments, he then reammerged with a box labled: STANTZ. "Alright Dr. Stantz...let's see what's in the box...oh yes! The last two issues of the new Captain Steel series...plus varient and painted covers..."
"Great!" Ray smiled behind his beard.
"...the latest edition of Will Eisners Spirit Archives, Volume 5...and Daredevil, No.23."
"Good to hear."
"And the DVD of Transformers came in...still no word on the grapevine if anyone will put your show on DVD...though I'd keep a watch on Rhino and DVDtoons...you never know what they could do next." Garth replied.
"Thanks...I'll see you next month then." Ray replied as he paid for the comics.
"Not unless you stop by before then to have a look through the shelves of comics...or the toys upstairs." Garth replied with a smile. "See you later Dr. Stantz." Ray collected the bag of comics and DVD and then walked over to join Eric, he then knelt down so he could talk with Eric face to face.
"Find anything you want?" Ray asked, Eric shook his head and then Ray ruffled Eric's already decidedly wild hair. "I'm sure there'll be something you'll like sometime soon." Ray replied. "Want to go home now?"
"Okay." Eric replied and they exited the store and walked back to the car.
"Such a coincidence we'd see each other again after so many years Professor Spengler...how have you and your friends been doing since we last met?" Basingham asked with a mixture of amusement and quizzical questioning.
"As Venkman might say...we have been doing admirally well...all things considered of course." Egon replied as he narrowed his eyes slightly. Even against his better judgement there was nothing he despised more then somone claiming to be a man of science in order to line his own pocket by cheating people, such was the reason why he'd had a lot of problems with Charlie Venkman and how he had and still treated his son Peter.
"Well...it is good to hear you all are still in business...I haven't kept track since we last met." Basingham replied.
"A lot of things have happened since 1985, Alfred." Egon replied. "Peter, Ray, Winston and myself don't go out on standard busts like we used to any more, there is a new generation of Ghostbusters who do that." Egon explained. "However...this conversation seems a little one-sided...wouldn't you agree?" Egon asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah yes...of course...I have also been keeping myself busy...I am now Professor of Pranormal Research at a small institution in Tulsa." Basingham replied, it was a struggle for Egon not to laugh, or show some signs of amusement.
"How did you achieve such a...'influential' role?" Egon asked with another raised eyebrow and a non-impressed look.
"I would have you know...it was my part in studying the anchient language and the summoning ceremony that released that demon in the black ice that gave me the position I currently have as one of Oklahoma's leading paranormal researchers." Basingham replied proudly.
"Hob Anagarak." Egon replied. "Surprising...usually a large portfolio is required for a person to be able to take up a role such as that." Egon replied, remembering the portfolio he'd put together for his interview at New York City College. While he wouldn't admit it, he'd been more qualified then anyone else in the room, the protfolio alone would have made Egon's mentor, Proffessor Epimetheus proud.
"Indeed...apparantly I had enough experience with conjuration and from my own seance performance that I was the highest candidate." Basingham replied, once more adopting an air of pompous pride.
"Indeed." Egon replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "So what brings you to the conference?"
"Well...apart from the possibility of running into one of my former 'friends'..." Egon coughed as he tired not to laugh again. "...I wanted to state some of my theories about ghostly phenominum."
"Indeed...it was...'interesting'...to meet you again Alfred...I need to get going."
"See you around Professor Spengler." Basingham replied as Egon walked away with a bad taste in his mouth. He checked his watch, it was eight thirty-two.
Chapter Twelve
Ray Stantz rested his arm on the driver side door again, heading back Downtown had been as lagging as heading to Midtown. He watched as the clock changed from eight thirty-four to eight thirty-five.
"I'm sorry this is taking so long Eric...we should've been halfway home by now." The traffic crawlled past 18th Street as they moved down Fourth Avenue, Ray was hoping to take Fourth Avenue down to China Town and then head West on Canal Street so he could avoid most of the traffic which had built up on Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
"It's okay dad." Eric replied as he looked through the copy of Captain Steel Ray had bought at Midtown Comics.
Rinnnnnng.
Janine looked up from her work and scowled, she then decided it would be better for her concentration and hearing if she answered the phone.
"Ghostbusters...you spy 'em we fry 'em." She greeted. "Yeah? Uh-huh...ghost problem? Sure...we always deal with them...yes, you have called the professionals..." She paused as she listened to the exasperated caller's voice, as she jotted down the details the caller was relaying to her she looked up at the glass case on the wall which covered a clock face and swining pendulum, the clock told her it was eight thirty-nine. "...it sounds to me sir like you have a poltergiest...and they're really bad...it is...they do...it did what? With your mother in laws--?! What? Okay sir...calm down...while we aren't open for another ten minutes, you will be our priority call today...just give me your address...okay... 152 Third Avenue...okay...as soon as we open for business a team will be despatched to your door as soon as possible." Janine replied and then rung off. She dropped the phone in it's cradle and snagged the small radio handset which linked to Ecto-1 CB.
"Firehouse to Ecto-1...Firehouse to in Ecto-1..." Janine let go of the button on the handset and waited for a reply over the static, there was no answer. She then pressed the button on the handset. "Ray can you hear me?" She said with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Sorry Janine...nearly broadsided a bus...what's the problem? Over." Ray's voice asked.
"We've just gotten a call...guy with what sounds like a poltergiest...the Ghostbusters are gonna need the car when they get in this morning." She explained. "Over." She hastilly added.
"We're moving as fast as we can out here...the traffic's a nightmare...I'm hoping to get back to the Firehouse a little after nine...the kids shouldn't be there before nine and they'll need to get ready anyway." Ray replied.
"Understood Ray...goodluck out there." Janine replied.
"Thanks...I may need it if the traffic at Cooper Square is snarled up with people going to New York University...over and out." Ray signed off and Janine placed the CB's handset back in the cradle which was mounted to the main bulk of the machine.
Chapter Thirteen
A clock mounted to the wall of the conference area informed the conference staff that it was eight fourty-one. Below them staff and office workers would be walking into the two towers to begin yet another work day.
"Professor Spengler...that was our Arkham participant...they're on a plane now from New England and are hoping to be here in a bit more then an hour...it means that you will definately be opening this year's conference with your talk, then a talk from Stanford University on magnetic fields and how they relate to paranormal entites...a short recess followed by a demonstration from Duke University and then the talk from our guest from Arkham." Samantha explained.
"Understood." Egon replied as he noted down the rearranged schedule of events.
"I need to go talk with the Astonics people doing the graphics...they say something's not going to work and the person who the graphics are for says it will...something like that." She replied with a smile.
"Yes...don't let me occupy your time." Egon replied with an amused smile. She nodded in thanks and walked over to a pair of workers with a pair of laptops who were arguing with a man with a white beard and tweed jacket which made the man look like the archetype of a college professor. Egon collected his suitcase and coat and walked over to a small table so he could study some of his notes which covered some paranormal incidents in England. Once satisfied he strode over to the windows which looked south from the tower, giving him an awe-inspiring view of lower Manhattan and New York bay, it was undoubtedly one of the more impressive places he'd been for a conference. Suddenly there was a loud booming noise from somewhere behind Egon and several startled gasps. He turned and for an moment his heart seemed to skip a beat. Tower 1, the North Tower of the World Trade Center was on fire, and even as he looked debris fell from the top floors as smoke and flames began to billow out of the broken windows.
"Holy Heisenburg." Egon stammered, terrified beyond rational thought, he never even noticed his briefcase fall to the floor.
Ray and Eric sat as the traffic moved through China Town. Thankfully enough the pace had picked up and they were near Canal Street. Ray looked out of the driver's window and spotted a a group of firemen inspecting a drain, a large red Fire Engine rig sat nearby with it's strobes going; filming the firemen were a group of people Way could assume was a group of documentary makers. He looked at the dashboard clock and sighed, it ready eight fourty-four. Suddenly there was a loud engine noise above them and both some of the Firemen and Ray looked up to see a 767 flying lower then it should've been over Downtown.
"Hrmm...that plane's too low..." Ray chasticed. He looked back to the traffic but was suddenly grabbed for attention by a loud bang which prompted a several of the Firemen to look up.
"Holy shit!" A Fireman swore as he pointed, Eric dropped the copy of Captain Steel as both he, Ray, the Firemen and people on the street started pointing, the low flying plane had flown straight into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, creating a fireball which died quickly.
"Where the hell is the pizza?" Peter asked as he consulted his watch, he'd put in the call nearly three quarters of an hour before.
"Hey...look on the bright side...least you get to have free pizza." Winston replied with a grin.
"It's not as enjoyable being free if it's also cold." Peter replied, he then walked over to one of the windows and slid it open, seeing if he could spot the delivery boy from the second floor, suddenly his attention was caught by a plane which roared almost directly overhead as it made it's way Downtown. "Say...even the pilots are wanting their lunch...look at that one!" Winston watched as the plane came into his line of view from the window near the front of the Firehouse and both he and Peter watched as it approached the financial District...
...and crashed into the North Tower.
"F--k." Peter replied suddenly startled. Winston, who normally would've been baring down on him for swearing in front of the children simply stood stunned.
"...guys? Guys!" Janine walked casually upstairs.
"...one moment..." The TV suddenly spoke.
"Guys?" Janine asked. The children were looking strangely at Peter and Winston who were staring at the windows facing towards Downtown, Peter's mouth was simply open with his jaw being as close to the floor as possible. Janine rolled her eyes and turned to follow their gaze. "What are you..." She stopped dead in her tracks.
"We are receiving un confirmed reports of a plane accident in New York..." The TV reported. Janine, like the two Ghostbusters, one ghost children in the Firehouse just stared at the sight unfolding before them. As New York woke up from it's slumber to a living nightmare, only eight minds were racing as to what had happened to Professor Egon Spengler who was in one of the towers of the World Trade Center.
To Be Continued...