Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter five of "Don't Play With Fire." This chapter introduces Janosz. I added a few details about him in the previous chapter. There is a little bit of Peter/Dana. Stay tuned for chapter six.
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Chapter 5: Working Around
Dana brought a coffee-filled mug into the Venkman-Barrett apartment's living room in the early evening. She went to Peter, who was talking on the cordless phone with Jesse as he stood next to the TV. She handed it to him. He took a long sip and gave her a thumbs-up. She smiled and went over to the couch. She seated herself next to Oscar, who was playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on his Sega Genesis.
"Ray, Egon, and Winston managed to secure flights at the same time as ours. We will all be leaving New York City at ten o'clock in the morning," Peter said, chuckling.
"It sucks some people had to cancel their flights, but it is great you were able to get the other Ghostbusters to come," Jesse said happily.
"We need to get to the bottom of the attacks. I never thought wild orcas would turn so aggressive," Peter commented, his voice showing some worry.
"Make no mistake about it, Uncle Peter. I firmly believe ghosts are responsible for the aggression," Jesse insisted in a low but firm voice.
"Until we actually get evidence of the ghosts, I will remain skeptical," Peter said, sipping more of his coffee. He wrinkled his nose before letting out a soft snort. "It is never wise to jump to conclusions."
"We both know what that can lead to," Jesse commented and made a funny noise.
"Yeah," Peter agreed. He stretched his arm above his head. "Anyway, we plan to go to bed early on Sunday night, so we can get up early Monday morning and head out to the airport. You know how lines can get a bit long, even when you are early."
"JFK International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world," Jesse responded and spoke gibberish. He blew a raspberry. "Of course, you may end up in a long line."
"I will tell you one thing. I am not forgetting to set the alarm for seven-thirty in the morning. That will give us plenty of time to get dressed and get out to the airport," Peter explained.
"I remember the first two Home Alone movies. The clock got reset in both of them. This caused the McCallister families to barely make their flights. Those were the funniest parts of them," Jesse said with pride.
"The McCallisters had to run all the way to the gates in order to make their flights. They were that close to missing them," Peter said, pinching a tiny space between his thumb and index finger.
"Yeah," Jesse agreed. "Anyway, I am going to let you go. Tell Aunt Dana and Oscar I said hi."
"Sure, Jesse," Peter said with a nod. "Talk to you later."
Peter turned off the phone and headed over to the end table. He laid it on its base. He did the same with his coffee. He came to Dana and sat down beside her. She crossed her left leg over her right one. She laid her hand on her knee to rub it. Oscar narrowed his eyes at the TV.
"It's good to know Jesse can't wait to see us," Dana said, smiling lightly.
"He told me to tell you and Oscar he said hi," Peter responded and patted her leg. He held out his hand. "It's funny how he, Elvis, and Glen believe ghosts are behind unusual events almost immediately, yet Annie is almost always skeptical."
"Even Ghostbusters can be skeptical of suspected hauntings," Dana said, giving a shrug. She placed her arm behind her head while clicking her tongue. "This case is a perfect example."
"Sometimes, a species goes through a period of aggression. It continues for weeks with the attacks getting worse. Then it stops without any warning whatsoever," Peter explained.
Dana sighed heavily and leaned toward him. "The 1916 shark attacks went on for two weeks. Five people were attacked. Four died of their injuries. The lone survivor was maimed for life. The culprit was believed to be a great white shark. An eight-foot-long individual was killed. It was found to contain fifteen pounds of human flesh in its stomach. The attacks stopped after that."
"Some scientists don't believe it was a great white shark. They believe it was a bull shark. It is known to be very aggressive. It can survive in fresh water. Three of the attacks happened in Mawattan Creek," Peter pointed out.
"Some scientists don't believe a single shark was responsible. They claim it was a group of sharks," Peter commented, cringing a bit.
"That could be possible," Peter agreed and cupped his chin in his hand. "A group of sharks can do a great deal of damage."
"Shark swarms are extremely rare. That's for sure," Dana said.
Peter huffed. "Indeed, they are."
Peter and Dana looked over at Oscar, who leaned forward and turned off the game. He set the controller on the coffee table and glanced at them. He folded his hands. He laid them in his lap.
"So, you got tired of playing your game, slugger?" Peter asked with a wry smile.
"Yes, sir," Oscar said, nodding fast. "I am glad I can take it with me to the cabin we are staying in."
"Let's not forget you have your Gameboy and Game Gear to keep you busy as well," Dana said, reaching over and taking hold on him. She pulled him to her side. "Their games may not be the same, but they are just as fun."
"I won't be playing them too much. I am more interested in seeing the orcas," Oscar commented while clapping multiple times.
"I like how video games can improve eye-hand coordination. That is very important for jobs in areas like construction," Peter murmured and chuckled in a soft manner.
"That is true. You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times while building something. One wrong move can result in many lives lost," Dana said seriously.
"It is also important to be aware of your surroundings when it comes to fighting. You must never underestimate your opponent. They can turn your overconfidence against you," Oscar said, unfolding his hands and slapping the back of one against the other.
"That's right, son," Dana answered, a soft giggle coming from her.
"Dr. Robotnik underestimated Sonic. That little hedgehog used his speed to beat him and his army of badniks in order to save the world. He used his mind as well," Oscar added, sitting up tall and proud.
"Speed, strength, and brains are an excellent combination," Peter said and smacked his lips twice.
"Brains are the most important, Peter," Dana said, looking at him. "Speed and strength are nothing without them."
"Who is the brain in this family?" Peter teased and tickled her chin.
"Me," Dana replied and rubbed noses with him.
"No playing kissy-face," Oscar blurted out annoyingly. He shook his finger at his parents. "There is a kid here."
"Don't worry," Dana assured, eyeing him. "We are not doing that."
Oscar waved his parents off, getting laughs from him. They heard knocking and glanced toward the door. Peter and Dana jumped to their feet. They raced for it. She reached it first, smirking at him.
"I got to the door first," Dana taunted.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha. That was so funny that I forgot to laugh," Peter said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Nice use of sarcasm," Dana complimented and winked at him.
"Why, thank you!" Peter said, turning his nose upward.
"Don't hold that nose so high, Peter. You will drown if it pours down rain," Dana teased.
"Too bad," Peter responded and moved his nose a little higher. "I will hold it as high as I want."
Dana touched the back of Peter's head. She pushed it forward to where he was looking ahead. She turned back to the door. She unlocked it and opened it, revealing Janosz. She smiled warmly at him.
"Janosz, it is nice to see you," Dana greeted.
"It's nice to see you and Peter too, Dana," Janosz responded with a nod.
"What brings you here?" Peter wondered curiously.
"I thought I'd stop by and visit for a little bit before we all go out of town. I am leaving for Orlando at nine o'clock tomorrow morning," Janosz said, clasping his hands together.
Dana waved her hand toward herself. "Come on in."
Peter snorted as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Oscar is right in the living room."
Peter and Dana stepped aside, allowing Janosz to come in. Oscar got on his knees and looked over the top of the couch. Janosz approached him, seeing a big smile on his face.
"Hey, slugger," Janosz greeted.
"Hey, Mr. Poha," Oscar replied and held up his hand. "Give me five."
"Here you go," Janosz said, hitting it gently.
"Up high," Oscar said, holding it high. He smiled at his friend's hitting it. He moved it low. "Now, five low."
"Okay," Janosz said and attempted to hit it, but the boy pulled it away. "Hey!"
"You are too slow!" Oscar said playfully.
"Oh, you!" Janosz growled in mock annoyance. "Don't do that again."
Oscar saluted Janosz, who laughed quietly. Janosz glanced over the boy's shoulder and noticed the game console and cartridge in it. Oscar turned around and seated himself. He observed him coming around the couch and going to his side.
"You've been playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2, huh?" Janosz wondered.
"Yep," Oscar admitted. He watched him sit down and heard him grunt lightly. "I was playing while Dad was talking to Jesse on the phone. Jesse mentioned the new orca attack."
"New orca attack?" Janosz whispered alarmingly. He peered over his shoulder at Peter and Dana, whom both came to the couch. "Who was involved this time?"
Peter sighed. "It was Tahoma, Slick, Mike, and Rhapsody. Before you say anything about Rhapsody, age is not an indicator that an animal won't be aggressive."
"The other Ghostbusters are coming with us," Dana added as Oscar peered over his shoulder at her and his father. "They are more than willing to help."
"I can't say I am surprised. I am sure they were reluctant at first," Janosz commented.
"Ray was reluctant, but Egon and Winston were eager to get to the bottom of this. He finally agreed to help," Peter replied while crossing his arms.
"I hope you will be careful when you go out on the water. Even if it isn't ghosts making the orcas aggressive, they can still be dangerous. Good-natured play does not make them immune," Janosz pointed out seriously.
"We know. Thanks for your concern," Dana said gratefully.
Janosz nodded at her. "You're welcome."
Peter uncrossed his arms and put his hands on his hips. He tapped his foot three times before clearing his throat.
"So, what's the first thing you will do when you get to Orlando?" Peter wondered with much curiosity.
"I plan to go to SeaWorld after I get settled in. I want to get pictures of Taima and Sumar. She had him just two months ago," Janosz explained eagerly.
"She is just nine years old. Most female orcas have their first calves between twelve and fifteen years old," Oscar commented truthfully.
"Sometimes, orcas are ready to breed at an earlier age, especially in captivity," Janosz said, turning to him. "That doesn't mean that they should. At the same time, trying to prevent them from breeding can cause problems."
"Despite her age, Taima seems to be doing okay with Sumar," Dana said.
"Sumar means summer in Icelandic. It is perfect because Taima's mother was an Icelandic orca. Her name was Gudrun. She died due to complications with delivering a stillborn calf two years ago," Janosz whispered sadly.
"That stinks," Oscar said with a heavy sigh.
"Yes, it does, Oscar," Janosz agreed and nodded slowly. "We can't think of the what-ifs. We must focus on the future."
"That's right," Dana added. "Anyway, we should let you know that Janine got a prank call at the Firehouse."
"Why am I not surprised?" Janosz asked, rolling his eyes. "I got a Bart Simpson-type prank call at work a few days ago. The guy asked for Anita Brain. I asked for that person. Then a co-worker joked about how I always needed a brain. I threatened to honk the guy's nose and pull his underwear over his head."
"That's better than unleashing a slew of obscenities that kids could hear," Peter said, scoffing annoyingly. "Kids imitate adults, so they will repeat those words."
"When I said the f-word, Mom was shocked. She demanded to know what I learned it. I told her I overheard Dad say it. She scolded him to no end," Oscar said, furrowing his brow. "I was grounded for two days. I could not play video games."
"You accepted it instead of throwing a fit," Dana whispered proudly.
"That's what kids should do," Peter said, snapping his fingers and pointing one at Oscar.
"Yep," Oscar agreed. He started talking about the first time Willy spit on him and his parents.