Ecto-1 pulled to a gentle stop in front of the Mercado Hotel. Above the building the blue tinted storm swirled about violently as bright flashes of lightning illuminated the clouds accompanied by deafening thunder. The cold rain began to pour down heavier and with larger drops until the entire block was being submerged in the ethereal cascade of the icy downpour. Strong gusts of wind shook the building, the car and everything that it blew against.
Stepping out of the car Egon, Peter and Ray all looked up with awe at the old, infamous and haunted hotel with a sense of dread tightening around their hearts.
Spots of rain formed on Egon's glasses as he looked upward to the blue storm overhead. Through the small dots he watched the lightning dancing through the thick clouds. "We need to move quickly. We can't let the storm reach its maximum potential power."
"Agreed." Ray ran a hand through his damp locks. "Let's get the packs."
As the three intrepid Ghostbusters opened the storage compartment at the rear of Ecto-1 the sound of howling wind and heavy drops of rain soaking into their jumpsuits provided the only commentary on the situation, as the trio of paranormal investigators were at a rare loss for words.
Ray let out a huff as Peter slid the first proton pack onto his back. After securing the indispensable tool around his shoulders and waist Ray returned the favor and assisted Peter in securing the second pack over his own shoulders.
Egon eyed the third pack warily, knowing that with his injuries the additional weight of the necessary proton pack would not only cause immense pain but it would slow down his movements considerably. Unwilling to let his friends venture into the hotel without him, unwilling to risk his own life by returning to the same place that had nearly killed him while unarmed, Egon braced himself for the inevitable strain he would have to endure.
Ray approached Egon with the third pack in his hands and an unsure look in his eyes. "Are you ready? I could carry the pack for you."
"No, I'm ready Ray." He turned so his back was to his friend. "I'm not going in there unarmed and I don't want you or Venkman to keep looking over your shoulder for me."
"Okay then. Hold your breath." Ray instructed as he slipped the pack's straps over Egon's shoulders for him.
Egon clenched his teeth as he forced himself to silently bear the burning pain that flared up in his chest thanks to added weight. As soon as he felt the two straps loop around his shoulders he stood up straight and easily fastened the support belt around his waist.
Ray put a supportive hand on Egon's shoulders as he watched his friend's pale face mask the pain he was dying to scream out.
"Let's go." Egon finally stated as he breathed through his pain.
Peter presented the PKE meter to Egon by pressing is against his upper chest. "Your toy, Egon."
"Thank you, Peter." Egon accepted the still damaged device and fastened it to the side of his belt.
Extending an arm outward toward the main entrance of the hotel, and lifting the police tape upward with his other hand Peter shot Egon and Ray a confident smirk. "Shall we? It's not everyday we have the chance to break into a hotel undetected."
Thunder roared angrily through the stormy sky as the downpour increased in strength and chill.
Ray led the march as the trio made their way back into the hotel. The front lobby felt incredibly eerie although nothing had been disturbed since it had been abandoned just a few hours prior. It was still, dark, the air itself felt heavy and the only sound came from the phone on the receptionists desk left off the hook and buzzing with an error signal.
Dropped luggage, purses and bags littered the floor, as well as shards of broken glass from the shattered light bulbs that normally illuminated the lobby from the walls and ceiling.
Rain dripped from the clothing and hair of the Ghostbusters as they took in the sight all around them. Small puddles form under their feet and blossomed outward over the red carpet, giving an eerie look of spilled blood.
Egon felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up at the sight unfolding before him.
"Cheery." Peter remarked as he strolled over the dropped items, glass grinding into powder beneath his heavy black boots with each stride.
"Desolate." Ray tagged on as he walked toward the elevator and pressed the call button.
Egon felt a twinge of fear as he watched Ray standing beside the elevator waiting for the doors to open. "Ray, we need to check the basement." He urged while keeping his voice level. "And with the unpredictable storm rocking the city we should avoid all elevators at all costs."
Ray was chilled by Egon's logic and took a step back. "Good idea. Stairs are fine. Good cardio." As he turned to look back to Egon he could see the unmistakable glimmer of fear burning in the physicist's eyes. "Egon, you okay?"
"Fine." Egon forced the words through his choked up throat. "I'm fine."
Peter found the phone off the hook and slammed it down, hard, on the receiver. In turn both Egon and Ray jumped in surprise at the sudden crashing noise.
"I hate that buzzing noise." Peter sneered wickedly knowing that he had scared his otherwise unshakable colleagues. "Reminds me of every girl who rejected me."
Egon pressed a hand to his sore chest as the motion of jumping aggravated his injury. "Come on. We need to get to the basement and find that furnace."
"The furnace?" Ray questioned as he approached the stairwell. "I thought we needed to find the portal first."
"The furnace is acting like a battery, it's charging the portal. If we stop the battery, cut off the power supply, then we have a better chance of keeping the portal closed."
Peter took the wand of his proton pack in hands and powered up the device with the same wicked smirk plastered on his face. "Allow me. I want to get back at that harpy who yelled at me. And I didn't even do anything wrong!"
Following Peter down the stairwell and into the basement Egon kept his eyes peeled for any other sign or sound of the horrific images he had seen in his nightmare. Ray on the other hand was too fascinated by the prospect of seeing a banshee in person that he didn't seem to notice that Egon was trailing behind and kept darting his eyes around suspiciously.
Leading the way through the dark winding corridors of the basement Peter kept one hand in the air as he searched for the low hanging pipe that he had bumped into during his first venture down through the darkness. "Ah-ha!" Peter's hand bumped into the pipe and he grabbed onto it. "Not this time."
"Are we close?" Ray asked as he pressed one hand to the wall for guidance and his other hand forward to detect the same pipe that Peter had found.
"Very." Peter replied confidently. "Just one more turn. Green light means go..."
The eerie green glow of the furnace acted as an ominous beacon for the approaching trio.
"Ready or not," Peter primed his proton pack and aimed straight ahead, ready to turn the corner and blast the infernal device. "here we come!"
As soon as the furnace was in his sights Peter unleashed the proton stream and struck the ghostly machine dead center. The stream wrapped around the furnace like a coiling snake and ensnared all of the energy that had been emanated by the device in an aura of protonic power.
The shriek of the banshee who had been guarding the furnace echoed loudly through the basement. The hollow eyed face and wisping hair emerged from the furnace as the harpy struggled against the proton stream. A face Egon recognized from his darkest of nightmares...
"Got her!" Peter shouted over her screeches. "Ray! Egon!"
"Right behind ya'!" Ray announced as he planted his feet firmly standing beside Peter. Unleashing his own proton stream the banshee was forced back into the furnace and her voice was silenced. "It's working!"
Egon moved in behind Ray and kneeled down on the floor. Detaching the trap from the clasp on his proton pack Egon slid it across the floor and watched as it came to rest just in front of the furnace. "Opening the trap!" Smashing his hand down on the button the trap opened with a brilliant beam of light that drew in the form of the banshee like a moth to a flame. "She's going in!"
"Peter, Egon, look!" Ray motioned quickly with one hand to the furnace. "It's starting to melt!"
Sure enough the metal that had housed the source of the portal's power was beginning to overheat and as a result melt away. Small drips of molten metal fell to the floor and seared the concrete with an acrid smell.
"We must have the right frequency." Egon deduced quickly. "If we can destroy this battery then we can destroy the portal!"
"Good to know." Peter's dry retort went without further comment.
With one final burst of energy the banshee sank into the trap and Egon smashed the button one last time to close the trap on the horrific specter. "She's gone!" Retrieving the trap Egon fired his own proton stream at the furnace alongside Peter and Ray.
The three powerful beams quickly heated the metal of the furnace and caused it to puddle down into a foundry like stain on the floor. A surge of energy escaped the furnace and dissipated through the air in a puff of green smoke. With the destruction of the furnace came a reignition of warmth and light throughout the basement of the hotel.
"It's gone..." Peter triumphantly switched off his proton pack first. "And so is that loud mouthed shrew!"
Ray and Egon switched off their packs as well, feeling secured.
"No fuel no fire. Cut off the head," Egon commented in a low tone as he stood upright. "and the body dies."
"Like cockroaches." Peter tagged on feeling somewhat bold after capturing the banshee. "But it just wouldn't be New York without them."
"Come on." Ray backed away from the melted furnace cautiously. "We need to get to the roof and close down the portal before it does any real damage to the city.
...to be continued...