After making the proper adjustments to the first proton pack Egon closed the power panel on the side of the unusual device and checked the connections ensuring that the pack itself would still turn on and fire off a proton stream on command. The pack whirred to life as the energy coursed through its circuits and the small red lights on the side began to glow with the renewed power.

"One down." Egon remarked as he again wiped the beads of sweat from his brow. "Three to go."

"Two." Ray corrected the usually observant physicist. "Half way there."

"Good work, Ray." Egon eyed over the second pack and found that Ray had followed his own procedure perfectly. "Now, let's just hope we get to the hotel in time."

"Time?" Ray furrowed his own brow in puzzlement. "I thought we had until tomorrow."

"We do, and we don't." Egon replied in a cryptic tone as he gestured for Janine to hand over the third pack that Peter had abandoned to her care. "We do, technically, have until tomorrow to close the gateway, however seeing as by 'tomorrow' we have until midnight tonight, we have very limited time."

"Uh-oh..." Ray looked at his watch and quickly did the math. "We have less than six hours to get the Mercado, find the manifestation point for the gateway and lock it before anything slips over."

"Exactly."

Janine didn't understand what either of the two scientists were talking about, but she did understand from their tone of voice that whatever was in fact happening was very serious and not to be taken lightly.

"What can I do to help?" She asked softly as she studied the two men's faces. "Just name it!"

Egon kept his silence while Ray answered calmly. "Just stay here with Dana, and if Winston shows up tell us where we went. Don't leave the firehouse in case we need you. Okay?"

"You got it." She smiled warmly. "As long as you keep the sky from falling I'll do anything you ask."

"Thanks Janine, you're the best receptionist we've ever had."

"I'm the only receptionist you've ever had," she pointed at him playfully and peered at him over the frames of her eyeglasses. "and don't you ever forget it!"

Egon found the conversation as distracting as it was calming. "Janine, can you please check on Peter and Dana? I'm curious about the current whereabouts of Winston." He held his breath as a surge of pain tightened his chest. "The sooner, the better."

"Sure. Be right back."

Almost as soon as Janine was up the stairs Egon leaned forward and used his arm to brace himself upright against the edge of the desk. His eyes were screwed shut and his teeth clenched as he struggled to breathe through the sudden pain that threatened to take away what little strength he had recovered.

"Egon?!" Ray was alarmed by his friend's weakened condition, yet he managed to keep his voice low enough as to not alert the others. Putting his hand on Egon's shoulder he supported to help support the injured man. "Are you alright?"

"I'm not sure..." Egon confessed humbly. His complexion had paled and beads of sweat were now running down his face. "I don't know where the pain came from."

Ray pressed the back of his hand against the side of Egon's face. "Oh boy, you're running a fever."

"Infection? How?" Egon didn't doubt Ray's conclusion, but he did doubt that the cause of his condition. "The injury sight has been cleaned and kept sterilized."

"Not sure." Ray's hand slipped away from Egon's face as he pressed his fingers against Egon's neck and carotid artery to measure his pulse. "Perhaps the physical exertion has been too much for your body to handle. Increase in blood pressure can also cause and increase in body temperature."

"I think you're right." Egon opened his eyes and found the room to be spinning. "I need to sit down."

"Here." Ray kept on hand on Egon's shoulder as he guided the ailing man to the nearby stool. "Take it easy. I can adjust the remaining two packs."

"Are you sure?" Egon trusted Ray's skill with tools and adjusting equipment but the urge to continue the work himself was often too great of a temptation to resist. His breathing sounded labored as he spoke.

"Yeah, I got this." Ray popped open the power panel on the third pack. "I have your notes, so there's nothing worry about."

Egon leaned forward again and wrapped his arm around his bandaged chest as he panted for breath. "If you need any help-"

"I'll ask." Ray finished the sentence for Egon as he continued his work on the pack. "Just rest. It'd probably be for the best if you stayed here and-"

"No, I'm going back to the Mercado." Egon nearly shouted as he locked eyes with Ray. "I have to go back Ray."

"Egon, is there something you're not telling us?" Ray could see that there was something in Egon's mind, something eating away at his psyche. "What happened to you at the hotel?"

"Ray, just... I need to go back. It's important." Egon was having trouble speaking as the muscles in his chest tightened into a hindering knot of pain.

"If you're actually sick..." Ray hated seeing his friend worked up and in pain. Taking in how disheveled and weak the normally composed, energetic and fearless scientist looked as he sat idle on the stool in obvious pain, Ray made a decision that he felt was in the best interest despite every fiber of his being telling him the opposite. "Alright, we'll go together."

"Good." Egon visibly relaxed and was able to take in a full deep breath and release it slowly. "Finish adjusting the third pack. We'll take care of the fourth en route to the Mercado."

Janine returned to the basement lab with Peter and Dana following behind her. "Winston is going to try to get back to the city, but it won't be easy." She update the two working men. "I'll stay by the phone in case he calls, alright?"

"Right." Ray acknowledged as he turned the screwdriver about inside the power panel of the pack.

Egon again kept his silence as the receptionist returned to the first floor once again.

"Egon," Peter approached the weary scientist with an arched eyebrow. "you look like Hell."

"Thank you Peter." Egon's reply was as dry as it was quiet. "I feel like Hell."

"You always were consistent." Peter picked up Egon's wrist and counted his pulse. "Your heart rate is elevated. You also feel feverish. Maybe you should go lay down for a while."

Ray chimed in without taking attention away from the proton pack. "That's what I told him."

"See?" Peter continued on as he watched Egon's eyes and pupils in the bright lighting of the lab. "Dr. Venkman is ready to prescribe bed rest. If you're good I'll prescribe a nurse to hope into the bed with you."

"No." Egon refuted stubbornly. "I'm going to the Mercado with you." He glanced toward Dana who was standing behind Peter. "I know what I'm doing."

Dana nodded her in approval and gave Egon a reassuring smile. She knew why Egon wanted to go. Having confided in her shortly after he regained consciousness Dana was confident in his decision and trusted his every intention.

"I also said that." Ray spoke up again. "But if Egon thinks he can make it then we better let him go."

"Thank you Ray." Egon appreciated Ray's support in the matter.

"Well alright then." Peter wasn't too happy about Egon going on a very dangerous bust while he was already injured, but like Ray he knew Egon was too obdurate to just sit idle. "What's the plan?"

Ray closed the power panel on the pack and charged it up. "We go to the hotel, find the gateway, lock it up and destroy the key."

"I like that plan." Peter smirked. "It's vague, dangerous and likely to get us all killed. Perfect!"

...to be continued...