Chapter 2
After finishing trapping all the ghosts that were attacking the inside of the firehouse, Phoebe and the rest looked at the damages that had been done to their place of operations/home. Walls were busted in with deep cracks. Furniture was flipped over or destroyed by proton streams. Slime all over Ecto-1's hood and some dents on the doors. To top it all off both the alarm bell and phones were going off like mad.
"We were not prepared for all of this. Shit." Catt looked at the damages.
"Ah, damn, this is the third time that this has happened." Kylie looked at the damaged floors. "First it was the containment unit being shut off and unleashed all the ghosts and created the Cross-Rip, then the second time in 1991, and now this."
Callie and Gary were answering calls left and right until putting the phones.
"The phone lines are going off the hook." Callie looked at her son in law. "Was this like back in 1984?."
"Compared to this?. This was a minor situation." John sat down to calm down. "Man, I fucking hate that Nameless. His ass is going into the containment unit. I don't care what Eddy says."
"I said it before and I say it again. You and your team will never hold a candle to the real Ghostbusters. You can't even handle that cloud of purple, much less send him back to the beyond." spoke Vigo.
Ever since moving everything from Egon's secret basement from Summerville back to the original firehouse, John has been believing that Vigo is up to something and is suppressing his true class power but has yet to prove it. He tried insulting the ghost in the painting or even painted his portrait with random things to try piss him off. Yet, Vigo is unable to do anything other than talking. Phoebe keeps telling her husband that Vigo is only a weak Class-5 and can't do anything that causes trouble. John looked at Vigo with a brow raised.
"We're the Ghostbusters, we deal with your kind everyday. You're nothing but a glorified portrait who failed to defeat the OG's on 1989's New Year's." John said with a smirk.
Vigo's eyes flickered with a hint of anger. "You think because I am contained, I am weak?. You are all fools playing with forces you do not understand."
Phoebe stepped forward, her hand on her proton pack. "Prove it then, show us what you've got."
Vigo's chuckle echoed through the room, sending a chill down everyone's spine. "Patience, young one. You shall see the true extent of my power soon enough."
"I don't know why you keep encouraging that ghost." Trevor looked at his brother in law before sweeping the mess.
"Plus, Vigo hasn't done everything since the day we moved into the firehouse." Lucky grabbed two traps in each hand. "Podcast, help me carry these traps down to the basement and dump these ghosts in the containment unit, please."
"Gotcha." said Podcast, joining her.
Gary looked at the place. "It is a good thing we have insurance for these situations."
Callie nodded. "Let's get to work, cleaning up and patching up. We're going to need all hands on deck for this. Out of all days this has to happen on Halloween."
"Yeah, ain't that some bullshit, Mom?." Phoebe said, taking off her proton pack.
"Hey, guys, come back down here." Eddy spoke through the walkie-talkie. "We have a situation."
Before they could go down and see what was going they all heard the person that they didn't want to deal with right now.
"What the fuck is going here!?." Walter Peck walked in all pissed. "It's chaos out there!. Ghosts are running around all over the place!. It's like 1989 all over again!."
John looked at Peck with a hint of annoyance. "Thanks for the update, Peck. You're always welcome to join the party, but this is what we deal with everyday. Plus, you are just in time to see what is going on."
Phoebe led the way. "Plus, you were the one who caused the incident in 1989, Peck."
Peck rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to say it?. That was an accident."
"On purpose you mean?." Kylie shot back.
Peck's face turned red. "Look, I didn't come here to argue with you kids. The mayor's office is in an uproar. They want this situation to be contained, now!."
"We will as soon as we deal with what is going on downstairs." said John.
When returning back to the second basement where the situation got started. Eddy, Winston, and Ray were waiting for them to arrive and share information that they gathered.
"Something is telling me that this is not good news." said Gary, looking at them with concern.
"Unfortunately, it is not, Gary." said Winston.
Ray took over, his eyes darting around nervously. "The readings are off the charts. Nameless have duped us."
"What do you mean?." Callie asked, her voice tight with anxiety.
"When Nameless had taken control of the machine that we were trying to use to send him back to Ghost World, he let his friends into our home. It was just a mere distraction. Doing the time we were trying to save our home, something came through that portal. The PKE has picked up a special Class-9 ghost along with two Class-5's." explained Eddy.
"Class-9?. What's so special about that one?." Trevor leaned in, curiosity piqued.
"Damn, Trevor, you seriously need to study your ghost classes." John shook his head. Phoebe, please explain to your brother."
"A Class-9 is like the big cheese of the supernatural world. They are extremely powerful and usually have a very nasty attitude to go along with it." Phoebe sighed. "The kind that makes a Class-5 like our pal Vigo look like a toddler with a magnifying glass."
Callie's eyes widened. "Great, just what we need. What's the plan?."
"That is the thing, Callie, we don't know. Not until we figure out what ghost we are dealing with." Winston began while looking at his phone to see that the mayor was calling and texting him.
"And what about Nameless?." Lucky asked.
Eddy sighed. "His PKE was here until it's no more."
John rubbed his temples. "Great, a powerhouse ghost we don't know, and our usual troublemaker is nowhere to be found. This is turning into a clusterfuck."
"Actually, John, Nameless is dead." spoke Eddy. "The jar he was in is broken and his PKE energy has evaporated."
"Oh, poor, Nameless." Catt shook her head.
"Don't you dare feel sorry for that prick." John glared at her. "He had it coming."
"I'll agree. He insulted my podcast." said Podcast, looking at his watch to see what time it was. "Huh, that is strange."
"What's strange?" Kylie asked.
"The time. It says twelve o'clock. But that was two hours ago." said Podcast.
Walter looks at his watch and sees the hands still on twelve. "You are right. Twelve o'clock should have been over. Is this ghost related?."
"It's not just the time, everything feels... off." Kylie said, holding herself.
Gary nodded. "It's like the whole world's stuck on pause."
"That is weird." John never knew any kind of ghost that would stop time itself. "Alright, well, we need to get the firehouse stable again. Winston, you and Peck call the mayor and call him down. The rest of us will just relax and go do some reading to find clues as to what the ghost we are facing and work on a plan to find it to trap." ordered John.
"But, what about the people outside?." Trevor asked.
"We are off duty due to today's holiday. Plus, they are going to be on our asses on why this is happening." said John leaving, Phoebe followed him.
"Where are you going?." Phoebe asked.
"Going to Ray's shop to look at Tobin's book. I might find what I'm looking for. And you?." John looked at his wife.
"I'm coming with you. Two heads are better than one." Phoebe said, following John.
As soon as they walked back up to the lobby in a blink of an eye, John got caught in a light purplish calm tornado for just a few seconds before being dropped down. John looked around to see himself back in Tobin's domain who is his symbiosis after he opened the dead man's book and now having a symbiotic relationship. John got on his feet and saw Tobin, who took the form of his own guide book, floated down to face him.
"Despite my better judgment and should let you do your symbiotic part of handling things in the living world. However, due to the situation that we are in danger of what is upon us, it will be best to help. But first." Tobin turned around for a brief moment before turning back to John with his hot glowing eyes to show anger. "Do you or the others have the slightest idea of what you unleashed!?. After entertaining that gaslit nitwit Nameless!?."
John's brows furrowed. "Not really, but we need to figure it out fast."
"Agreed. If we don't deal with this issue, then both of our operations are doomed. My ghostly operations will be pointless if there isn't anyone alive to scare and hunt the pants off of. Here let me explain what kind of entity that we are facing. In motion graphic picks." Tobin chuckled and unleashed his pics.
The pics show what looks like medieval times. Tobin began telling the tale of the ghost's origins.
"It all started in the land of the Celtics aka Ireland. The lack of rain caused massive issues in farming. They went to do unholy rituals and prayed to the Darkness for rain. And you know the old saying. Ask and you shall receive. And receive they did." said Tobin.
The motion graphics on the pages of the book showed a drought-stricken village, desperate people dressed in tattered robes, huddled around a stone altar. Bizarre rituals that made Gozer rituals looked more respected than the Ireland natives. The scene did show a massive rain and see corps growing and ready to harvest.
"Amazing rain has showered the farming lands and saved the people from famine." Tobin went on. "They harvested their crops and had a massive harvest celebration. They ate, drank, danced, and even had sex."
John raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I get it, it's a celebration, but what does that have to do with our current situation?."
"I'm getting to that, John. Like I said, ask and you shall receive. But for them there is a price to pay and the payment was full of their downfall. On that night when the time hit the stroke of twelve, an evil ghostly spirit rose from the fire pit and created the Eternal Night. His name is Samhian. His goal was to gather all ghosts of the world from both the living and spirit world to join his forever night army, and conquer the living into his nightly empire. Samhian was unstoppable at that time. He is the sole responsible of making time and and the earth stood still." said Tobin.
"Wait...Samhain?. The spirit of Halloween?. He is real?. I doubted his existence and labeled him as fictional." said John, who is in utter disbelief.
"John, my dear boy, the supernatural world is full of surprises. You know that more than anyone." said Tobin, looking at the young adult.
John nodded, his mind racing. "Okay, so Samhian is a Class-9 and can manipulate time and space. What else can he do?."
Tobin's pages flipped rapidly, displaying various scenes of destruction and fear. "He's capable of controlling the weather, summoning the dead, and creating illusions so vivid they could drive you mad. And his temper?. Well, let's just say he's not known for his patience."
"How did they trap Samhian?." John asked the big important question.
"Ah, yes, the plot thickens." said Tobin with a grin. "He was defeated by a group of brave and clever people. Unknown to me on how they did it but they managed to strapped Samhian and pulled him into a chanted trunk and sealed him into it. Everything went back to normal. His imprisonment was lost for centuries until he was finally unleashed by who I don't even know. However, I am now curious to ask."
Tobin got up to John with a look of wonder. "Can the new Ghostbusters have what it takes to beat the ghosts of Halloween!?."
John took a deep breath. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
"For our both sakes, I hope you do. I personally wished that Samhian was unleashed doing the time that the original Ghostbusters were in their primes and one of them alive." said Tobin, doubting John's crew which is understanding.
John nodded, his determination not wavering. "We've come this far, we'll handle it."
"I hope so. I am most certainly looking forward to watching this unfold through your eyes. Good luck and remember, the longer Samhian is roaming free the stronger he gets from the energy of the ghosts and how strong the eternal night will reach critical max." said Tobin.
With a blink of an eye, John dropped down to find himself in Ray's bookstore with Tobin's book opened. He looks at what is shown and sees the picture of Samhian. He can now know why he is called the ghost of Halloween, due to having a carved pumpkin for a head. This is just like dealing with Gozer but different. The stakes are high and capturing this ghost is a must. Phoebe walked in and saw her lover with her eyes bright in happiness.
"John, where the fuck have you been?. You were with me just a second ago and in a blink of an eye you were gone. I checked upstairs and our room but couldn't find you." said Phoebe.
"Uhhh, sorry. Here come look at this." John quickly said to end his answer.
With a beneficial agreement with Tobin, John promised him not to tell anyone about their permanent symbiotic bond and not give them the wrong idea about them both. Phoebe took a look at the two pages of Samhian and had to adjust her glasses to make sure that she was reading this right.
"Okay, so we're dealing with the Ghost of Halloween himself. This is going to be interesting." Phoebe said, reading the descriptions.
John nodded gravely. "We need to come up with a plan fast. This isn't just about trapping a ghost anymore, it's about stopping the pre-apocalypse before it starts to get post-apocalyptic."
Kylie came from the inventory room with her grandfather and saw what they were reading. It doesn't look good as Ray was in utter terror when seeing the picture and name of the ghost.
"Samhian?." Kylie's voice quivered. "Are we really dealing with the Ghost of Halloween?."
John nodded solemnly. "Looks like it. And if we don't find a way to stop him soon, it'll be more than just a spooky season."
Ray took a deep breath, trying to hold back his fear. "I've read about him in some of the old texts in my college years. He's not to be trifled with. Samhian somehow got loose from his imprisonment and is now out here roaming New York. And after gathering information down at the basement, he isn't out here alone. Oh, we are on high alert. I gotta tell the others. We are in such big trouble."
John nodded, closing the book. "We'll fill everyone in. Time to brainstorm and get ready for the biggest bust of our lives."
They gathered the team in the lobby, the air thick with tension. Trevor was first to speak up. "So, we're dealing with the Ghost of Halloween, and apparently, he's got backup. What's the game plan?."
Eddy pondered. "I can redo the PKE satellite in tracking Samhian's energy and lock on his location. It is going to be a while until it picks up where he is."
"You go do that, Eddy. I hate to say it but we have to wait around until we get an official hit." Catt went on to explain. "Regardless of what is going on right now, Samhian is our top priority. If we can trap him then everything will go back to normal. More or less."
"Peck, you might want to stay here where it is safe." John told Walter.
"Oh, I am. Right now this is the only place that is safe at the moment." said Walter, going over to sit down.
Winston looked at John and the other busters. "In my experience as a Ghostbuster, I strongly recommend you all stay together and work as a team."
"Winston is right. We need to stick together and use our combined knowledge and skills to take down Samhian." Lucky nodded in agreement.
"Too bad the Ecto-1 can only hold six people because we would come with." said Callie, as she and Gary wanted to help.
"We got this, don't worry. Besides, you two have enough on your plate with the firehouse." said John, patting his mother-in-law's shoulder.
"And if we pull this off, will let you too become official Ghostbusters." said Phoebe, looking at Gary.
Gary looked surprised and excited. "What? Really?."
Callie put her hand on her chest. "Are you serious, Phoebe?."
"You are my grandfather's daughter." said Phoebe, with a smile. "Grandpa Egon would want you to be one."
Callie and Gary exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with excitement.
"We'll stay here and keep an eye on the firehouse. You guys go kick some ghostly ass!" Callie said, her voice filled with pride.
"We will as soon as we get an accurate pinpoint location." said Podcast, looking at the TV news. "Damn, it is really fucked up out there."
"Language, young man." scolded Callie.
Podcast rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Ms. Spengler."
All their attention went to the tv as the anchorman spoke and informed those watching on what is currently happening the scene itself was the ideal definition of Halloween with ghosts flying around scaring people and objects coming to laugh harming people.
"This Halloween is indeed a Halloween to remember for years to come." The news man began.
"Thanks for stating the obvious." Trevor muttered, while listening.
The anchorman, who is in the studio, spoke seriously.
"We are receiving reports of unexplained phenomena happening across the city. The mayor has called for a state of emergency. People are being asked to stay indoors for their own safety. We have never seen anything like this since 1991's Thanksgiving. At this moment everyone is asking the same question. Where are the Ghostbusters?."
John couldn't help but to roll his eyes. "Everyone always forgets we're here until shit hits the fan."
"That is not new, Ghosthead." said Phoebe.
