"Maybe was could try a laser?" suggested Ray, as he, Peter and Egon walked down the stairs.

"Perhaps," Egon answered.

Ray stopped dead in his tracks at the last step. His jaw dropped.

"What is it Ray?" asked Egon

"What now?" asked Peter, pushing past his two comrades. He also stopped dead in his tracks. "No way."

Charlotte was on the table, lying on her stomach. She was flipping through the book like a magazine.

Peter began to bang his head against the wall.

Ray slowly walked toward Charlotte in shock. "How did you get it open?"

"I just touched the lock," she said, getting up into a sitting position. Ray helped Charlotte get off the table. He picked her up and sat her in a chair.

Peter began to bang his head against the wall harder.

Charlotte handed the book to Ray. Peter stopped banging his head. He walked over to the two and looked over Ray's shoulder.

"It's in Latin," said Egon taking the book from Ray. "It will take some time to translate it."

"Then let's get started," said Ray, taking the book back and sitting down at the table next to Charlotte. He flipped back to the first page and began to read.

oXoXoXo

For the next three days Peter, Ray, and Egon translated the whole book.

It was the middle of the night and the Ghostbusters were the only ones awake.

"Oh my god," whispered Ray as he read over the last paragraph.

"So, what does the 'book of evil' say?" asked Peter.

Egon slid the book over to him. "If I didn't know any better, I think the priest was building a weapon."

"But he would need something concentrated to control it," said Ray.

"The only thing we can think of is Charlotte-," began Peter.

"Shhh," said Ray glancing toward the closed off area. Charlotte went to bed hours ago. He didn't want her to hear.

"Halloween is in three days, Ray. We, I mean you, have to tell her soon," said Peter looking at Ray dead in the eyes.

"Fine. I'll tell her. Tomorrow." he said. He looked at the sheet that was used as a temporary wall. The girl who could change the world was sleeping behind it.

oXoXoXo

The next morning:

Ray glanced at his watch. It was 11:00. Charlotte was standing next to him. The swelling on her ankle had gone down. She didn't need Ray to carry her anymore. But there was still some pain, but Advil took care of it.

Her big blue eyes looked up at him with such trust.

He handed her, her hotdog. "Just the way you like it," his voice was shaking. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow as his heart began to race.

"Thanks," said Charlotte, taking a bite.

'She has no idea,' thought Ray, looking at his lunch. His appetite had left him long ago.

"Charlotte," said Ray.

She looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"I need to tell you something. And I don't want you to get mad. So I'm going to cut right to the chase," he said. He took a deep breath. "Father McCoy was a high priest in the cult that uses your mark. At least, we think that's what he was. We're pretty sure though. You are supposed to be sacrificed on Halloween, to open a gateway. If that happens all ghosts will be physical beings. With all of their powers. You are the only one who could open the book. It has the spell to open that gateway. Spot and the ghosts are your guardians. They were supposed to leave you two days ago, so the sacrifice could commence. Spot just likes you too much. It would have happen sooner but the planets have to a line first. And it has to be on Halloween. But don't worry. We won't let that happen."

Charlotte looked at him wide eyed. She averted her gaze. "What about Eleanor."

"Egon thinks they grabbed Eleanor, thinking she was you," explained Ray.

Charlotte looked at the speeding traffic. "It's all my fault."

"No its not. The ring was used as mind control," he explained.

"Can't you find her?" she asked.

"We can't leave you alone. The risk is too great. And we don't know it she's-" Ray stopped himself. He knew he had said too much.

Charlotte gazed back up at Ray. "And after Halloween?"

"Then we will find Eleanor and get you a real family," promised Ray.

Charlotte was silent. She just stared at him. Her gaze was somewhat painful. He wanted to look away, but he knew she needed whatever she was about to do, yell, scream or even punch him, was what she needed. Instead she looked away.

"Let's go home," she said, before throwing away her hotdog. She walked back down to the street.

Ray quickly threw his away. He quickly followed her.

oXoXoXo

For the rest of the day Charlotte was silent. She just stayed behind the curtain. Even when Ray told her to eat something, she told him to,"Go away." Which he had no choice but to oblige.

Peter noticing Charlotte's difficultness and stepped in.

"Charlotte Mary Starkey if you do not come out here and eat this burrito and apologize to Ray, before he cries himself to sleep, I will make sure that you never see the light of day or anyone else for a very long time."

There was silence. Tension filled the air. Charlotte stepped out.

She looked at Ray, "I am very sorry." She took the burrito and ate it all.

She limped back into her closed off area.

oXoXoXo

The next night, October 30:

Egon was changing Charlotte's bandages when they heard Janine scream.

Spot got on all fours and growled.

"Charlotte if anything happens there is an ax under the cabinet," said Ray, before following Egon up the stairs.

She couldn't hear anything for a few minutes. She grabbed the ax from under the cabinet. She got on Spot's back and he walked her up stairs. When they reached the top of the stairs, Charlotte dismounted Spot and walked over to a corner so she could not be seen. Being a loner for most of your life you learn to blend in with your surroundings. She peaked around it, to see her friends and a man she had never seen before.

"How was your trip?" she heard Ray ask.

"Fine," said the man. "Sad though."

Spot walked from behind the corner, trying to get a better look at the potential threat to his master.

"What is that thing?" asked Winston taking a step back from Spot.

"He is a demon dog. He is the protector of Charlotte," explained Egon.

"Who's Charlotte?" asked Winston.

Charlotte stepped from the corner. She was still carrying the ax.

"Charlotte this is our friend Winston," said Ray, walking over to her and gently taking the ax from her hand.

"Winston this is our friend Charlotte." "Hi. Nice to meet you," said Winston. "Can I talk to you guys over here for a second?"

The three men walked away until they were sure they were out of earshot.

"Why is a kid here? Why does she need a protector?" asked Winston in a hushed tone.

"We'll explain it to you in a minute," said Egon. "But Peter can't wait to see you."

Winston nodded. They turned and headed for the lab.

oXoXoXo

Later in the lab:

Peter, Egon, and Ray explained to Winston about Charlotte and her situation.

Charlotte had fallen asleep long ago.

The buzzer was still broken so Janine came running into the lab. "There's a level six poltergeist down on Rodgers Street. And it's terrorizing everyone."

Ray looked at the curtain. "Maybe I should stay. You know, to keep an eye on her."

"Good idea. Winston since you're a little rusty you stay with Ray to watch Charlotte," said Egon. He and Peter jogged up the stairs.

oXoXoXo

20 minutes later after the mission:

Peter and Egon returned from their mission feeling very proud of themselves. But it was odd. It seemed like the ghost gave up half way through. It was much too easy to catch.

As they got out of the ecto-1 their eyes were so wide that it looked like they were about to pop out.

The firehouse was trashed. It looked like a tornado had gone through the place. Books were everywhere. There were holes in the wall.

Egon looked around in disbelief. His eyes fell upon the door to the lab hanging on its hinges. Then he remembered. Charlotte.

He charged down the stairs. The lights were on; a few of them looked like they were exploded.

Ray and Winston were tied up, blind folded and gagged. They began to mumble at the sound of someone coming in.

Peter came up behind Egon and saw his friends tied up. He and Egon got switchblades from their pockets and began to cut the rope. They pulled off the gags and blind folds.

"Where's Charlotte?" asked Ray worriedly.

"We don't know," said Egon.

Once the rope was cut Ray abruptly stood up and ran to the not- so - closed area.

The curtain was ripped to shreds. He ran into the makeshift bedroom. The air mattress was deflated. The pale girl was nowhere to be seen. He began to tear the room apart even more. He started to call out her name in a panic.

Egon came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find her."

"I should have done more to help her," said Ray.

"What happen?" asked Egon.

"They just came in a fog and blind folded us and took-' began Ray. It hurt too much to say her name.

They heard angry murmurs from the closet. Egon went to open it.

Ray noticed Charlotte's file thrown on the floor. Her picture was on top of the mess. He picked it up. He looked at it sadly. 'If they hurt her…' thought Ray. He folded the picture and put it in his breast pocket, inside his jump suit. Right over his heart.

In the closet, Janine was tied up in rope. Egon pulled out a knife from his belt and began to cut the rope. When he was half way cutting the rope he noticed Janine had a gag in her mouth. He untied it and pulled it off.

"God Egon it was awful," cried Janine.

"What happen?" he asked as he cut the final piece of rope.

"These men in black robes came and just tied me up," explained Janine jumping into Egon's arms. "I heard screams awful noises and screams!"

Ray heard something move. It was coming from the other side of the lab. He ran over to the noise. Hopping it was Charlotte.

There was a silver cage; it had silver bars and Charlotte's mark on it. Spot was inside thrashing back and forth.

Egon stepped out of the closet look very miserable, while Janine talked about how lucky she was to have a man like Egon. To which he just rolled his eyes.

Ray came back with a proton pack and aimed and fried at the cage. The door exploded like a bomb.

Before the smoke could even clear, Spot jumped out like a jack rabbit in hunting season. He growled like a rabid dog. His head snapped from side to side. He was looking for Charlotte.

"Spot, sit," commanded Ray. Spot stared at him. He obediently sat down, as if Charlotte asked him to.

"The books gone," said Egon.

Peter came back down to the lab after checking that no one else was in the building. "Father Evil is going to get it," said Peter. He looked all over the room, assessing the damage, when something caught his eye. It was a piece of paper, under the table. There was a deep crease down the middle. He picked it up and flipped it over. His mouth dropped. "Ray did you have a secret life before you meet us?"

"No," said Ray walking up and taking the picture. His mouth also dropped. It was a picture of a young Charlotte, two or three years old. With her parents. She took after her mother, same face, same eyes, same everything. Except for the hair. She got that from her father. Too incidentally Ray and he could be twins. But Charlotte's Father, George, was leaner and taller. He had thick black hair.

Egon looked over his shoulder. "That does explain why she likes you so much."

Peter looked over at the torn up area that used to be Charlottes bedroom. "Where's ghost girl?"

"They took her," explained Ray. Looking away from the picture.

"You mean the so called priest? That sucks," said Peter, taking the picture back and holding it up to Ray's face for comparison.

"How will we know where they took her?" asked Winston, who came back from looking up stairs.

The four Ghostbusters turned to look at Spot, who was still sitting staring at him.

"Go ask him," said Ray.

"Why me?" asked Peter.

"You kind of owe it to her, since you made her cry," explained Ray.

"You made her cry?" asked Winston.

"Another time," said Peter. "Fine!"

Peter walked up to Spot warily. He kneeled down facing Spot strait in the eyes.

Peter took a deep breath. "We- need- to- save- Charlotte. You- have- to- lead- us- to-her. We- can- our- problems- another- time."

Spot glared at him. He blew snot all over his face. Then got on all fours and ran up the stairs. The Ghostbusters and secretary followed him.

They got into the ecto-1. Janine opened the door. Spot ran out and sniffed the air. He took off running to the direction of the church.

Egon slammed on the gas and followed Spot. Ray, who was sitting next to Egon, silently hoped Charlotte was alright.