Author's notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter one of "Turnaround." I can't believe I got a review for the prologue. I didn't think that would happen, but I'm happy it did. I want to thank the reader who reviewed. As for other readers, don't hesitate to review. I'd love to hear your ideas for this fic. Anyway, this chapter introduces Gary, Callie, Trevor, and Oscar. I decided to include Oscar in this fic because I felt it would be nice to feature him as an adult. It makes sense Peter would have adopted him as his son and had children with Dana after Vigo's defeat. Stay tuned for chapter two.
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Chapter 1: A Little Ghostbusting
The midmorning sun beamed its rays on Downtown New York City and the interstate running parallel to it in early August. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind. Their leaves rustled somewhat loudly. A peregrine falcon perched on a branch just above the middle of a tree close to the mostly empty interstate was poked in the back by another one. It squawked in annoyance and spread its wings. It took off into the sky with a screech. It blinked twice before flapping its wings to gain altitude.
The falcon spotted an exit sign next to the interstate and headed downward. It landed on the top part stating the exit number and letter. It ran its beak through its chest feathers before letting out a soft squawk. Another falcon joined it. It screeched to its companion, who responded in kind. The other falcon bobbed its head. It moved to the lower part of the sign. It observed vehicles going by several at a time. It flapped its wings to air them out. It folded them against its back.
A sudden growl caught the falcons' attention. They watched a ghostly dragon fly past them. A siren came two second later. The falcons spotted Ecto-1 speeding past them. They could see its lights flashing brightly. Vehicles moved aside, so it could get through. The falcons spread their wings and took off into the sky. Their screeches echoed on the wind. They flapped their wings in which they gained altitude. They disappeared beyond the horizon.
The interstate dragon growled as it flew higher. It resembled the sewer dragon with the exception of it being smaller and looking green instead of blue. Its arms were somewhat long, as were its legs. Its tail resembled that of a shark. The upper fin was longer than the lower fin was. Its teeth were long in the front of its jaws while they were short in the back of them.
Gary narrowed his eyes at the dragon as he increased the vehicle's speed somewhat. It flew over a sign. He turned the steering wheel left when a truck came into view. He moved into the lane next to it. He peered at Callie in the corner of his eye. He tightened his grip on the wheel. He looked at Trevor and Oscar in the rearview mirror. He returned his attention to the dragon.
Oscar pressed his lips together as he looked out his window. He was as tall as Peter was and possessed a muscular frame. His dark brown hair was in the style of a buzz cut. His right cheek contained a scar starting near the corner of his mouth and ending just past the middle of it. The backs of his hands had tiny freckles on them. He and the others bounced in their seats when the vehicle hit a pothole.
"Sorry about that," Gary apologized and chuckled nervously.
"That's the third pothole you've hit since we got on this interstate, Dad," Trevor responded with a roll of his eyes.
"I can't exactly avoid them when vehicles are on either side of us," Gary pointed out as he gestured toward a truck and an SUV on either side of the vehicle.
"If only you could ram them. That would make the drivers move them," Trevor said while placing arm on top of the driver's seat.
"After the drivers sue us for everything we have, they just might," Gary responded and exhaled in a sharp manner. "Remember what Mayor Peck said. We have to minimize the damage as much as possible."
"That's not always easy," Callie commented, looking at her son. "You know that."
"Just be grateful it's Saturday morning, Trevor. There is hardly any traffic on this interstate," Oscar said, smiling.
"Breakfast hadn't even been cooked when Janine told us she got a call about that dragon flying all over the place," Trevor said, motioning toward the dragon as it went over another sign.
"I have no doubt Podcast and Phoebe are making us a nice breakfast alongside Jeanette and Ronnie. Ray called and said he, Peter, Dana, Winston, and Lucky were coming by just before we left," Callie said, warmth echoing from her voice.
"Podcast and Phoebe make the best bacon, eggs, and pancakes," Gary added.
"Indeed, they do," Callie agreed and giggled softly.
"You got that right, Mr. and Mrs. Grooberson," Oscar said.
"Oscar, what have I told you about calling us by our last names?" Gary asked as he looked at him in the rearview mirror.
"You told me to call you by your first names instead," Oscar answered and made a funny noise.
"Then why do the opposite?" Gary wondered with a raised eyebrow.
"I am sorry. I was taught by my parents to call people by their last names for a long time. It was called being polite," Oscar explained swiftly.
"It is polite, but you are grown up now. You are free to call people by their first names all you want," Callie said, eyeing him.
"I know it's hard breaking habits, but you will never get in trouble for calling us by our first names. Neither will your sisters," Gary assured.
"Okay. Mr.—Gary," Oscar replied with a slow nod.
"You see?" Gary asked and laughed delightfully. "That wasn't so—"
"Dad, look out!" Trevor yelled as a car came into view.
Gary turned the wheel right in which he entered the next lane. He went past the car a bit before moving in front of it. The dragon headed under another sign with a loud growl. He formed a big smile on his face.
"He just passed that sign. We won't be seeing any more for a time," Gary announced.
"That means we have a chance to get him!" Callie yelled, clapping twice.
Oscar rubbed his hands together. "We sure do!"
Oscar got into the gunner seat. He buckled up and grabbed the blaster from its holster. He pushed the lever down. The door opened, and the seat moved out and turned around. Callie looked out the window at him.
"Be careful, Oscar!" Callie shouted in a firm voice.
"I will, Mrs.—Callie," Oscar answered and gritted his teeth.
Trevor smirked. "Just don't catch any flies in your mouth."
Oscar laughed sarcastically. "That was so funny that I died laughing, Trevor."
Oscar narrowed his eyes at the dragon. He turned on the blaster, causing the stream to come out of it. The dragon moved downward. It barely avoided getting caught by the stream. It growled amusingly while he mumbled obscenities in Spanish. Gary turned the wheel right in which he moved into the next lane. He upped the speed a little bit.
Oscar moved the blaster to the side. The stream was about to get the dragon when it headed upward. It opened its mouth and let out a loud roar. He made a move to the other side. It dove downward with a snarl. It seemed to laugh as the stream missed it once more. He grunted in frustration, his nostrils flaring. He turned the blaster off.
"The interstate dragon is trickier than the sewer dragon is!" Oscar yelled, shaking his head rapidly.
"We're going to get him, Oscar!" Gary assured, tightening his grip on the wheel a tiny bit. "Make no mistake about that!"
Gary upped Ecto-1's speed a little more. He made a left turn of the wheel, going into the lane he had been in previously. Oscar clenched his teeth before narrowing his eyes at the dragon.
"You are mine, you bastard!" Oscar hissed in a fierce way. He ran his tongue all over the inside of his mouth. "Yes, you are!"
Oscar switched on the blaster. The stream came out and headed straight for the dragon. It grabbed the critter by its tail. The dragon growled irritatingly. It moved its tail from side to side, freeing itself. It headed upward, and he hissed in some annoyance.
"You may have freed yourself," Oscar whispered. "You won't be free for long!"
Oscar yelled as he moved the blaster upward. The stream wrapped around the dragon's tail. He pulled back on the blaster hard. The stream moved down the dragon's body, getting tight around it. The dragon tried shaking itself free of it, but it was unable to. He laughed in great delight, as did the others.
"I got it!" Oscar blurted out.
"Get the drone out, Callie!" Gary called.
"I am on it," Callie said, giggling excitedly. She flipped the lever above her and grabbed the googles to put them on. She got the controller. "It's time to take care of business."
The compartment on the roof opened up. The drone trap took flight with a loud hum. Callie pushed the directional pad upward. It made its way to the dragon. The dragon went to one side, which caused it to miss. She moved the drone in that direction. The dragon slipped to the other side. She did the same with the trap.
"Come on, you bastard," Callie whispered in determination. She smiled when beeping came. "You are done for, gator."
Callie slammed down on the button. The trap opened up while emitting a loud hiss. The dragon growled as it became caught in its path. The trap pulled it inside, closing up. It began smoking somewhat. It returned to the vehicle, landing on the roof. The compartment closed quickly. Oscar switched off his blaster. He pulled up the lever. The seat turned around while retreating inside. The door slammed shut. She removed her goggles, her breathing coming out in pants. Everyone cheered in a wild manner.
"Yes!" Gary yelled excitedly. "We did it!"
Callie looked over the seat at Oscar. "Great teamwork, Oscar!"
"It wouldn't have been possible without you, Callie!" Oscar said, holding up his hand and getting a high-five from her.
"Hey, you did the majority of the work," Callie pointed out truthfully.
Trevor snickered. "I got to relax this time."
"Don't get too relaxed, son," Callie warned, her voice showing sternness. "You've got a niece coming in four weeks."
"If there is one thing I am not doing, it's changing Gabrielle's dirty diapers," Trevor said, crossing his arms.
"What's the matter, Trevor? Are you afraid you will faint from a smelly diaper?" Oscar teased.
"No way," Trevor said, shaking his head rapidly. "I am not afraid of anything."
Gary formed a big smirk on his face. "Then let one of us wave a smelly diaper in your face and see if you can handle it."
"Bring it on, Dad. I dare you," Trevor threatened playfully.
Oscar blew a raspberry. "Always the pig, never the guinea."
Trevor smacked Oscar on the shoulder. He got a smack to his from him in retaliation. He stuck his tongue out at him. Oscar mimicked him with his. Callie cleared her throat.
"Put those away, boys," Callie warned while holding up a finger. She smiled when the duo pulled their tongues back into their mouth. "That's better."
"I don't know about you, but busting that ghost made me really hungry," Oscar said, rubbing his stomach as he undid the buckles. He settled into his seat. "I could eat a horse."
"You're not the only one who feels that way, Oscar," Callie added.
"I bet Phoebe is munching on a pickle spear at the Firehouse," Trevor suggested. "I've seen her down three spears in eight minutes."
"I craved the weirdest food combos when I was pregnant with you and your sister, Trevor. I ate ice cream with ketchup all over it twice," Callie admitted, laughing to herself.
"Yuck! Do you think Phoebe will eat such a combo?" Trevor asked, looking disgusted.
"If she is craving it, she will," Callie commented, her eyebrows raising. "She can't control her cravings."
"At least she isn't puking anymore. Hearing her do that almost every morning during the first trimester was awful," Gary muttered, shuddering badly.
"It sucks, but morning sickness can actually protect the baby from harmful pathogens. Of course, it can get bad enough to cause dehydration and put mothers in the hospital," Callie explained with a humorless chuckle.
"Enough about dehydration," Gary said. "Let's get home and put that bastard in the containment unit."
Gary turned off the siren and slowed the vehicle down a bit. He moved his hands to the sides of the wheel.