The Scientist's quarrel

Chapter seven

     Egon turned to the group, "I'm worried, Ray. It's getting crowded in there. And all my recent data points to something big on the horizon." Arlo raised an eyebrow as Winston and Ray smoked a cigarette. "Exactly how big, Egon?" Arlo questioned.

     "Well, let's say this Twinkie," he grabbed a Twinkie off the table, "Represents the normal amount of psychokinetic energy in the New York area. According to this morning's sample, it would be a Twinkie 35 feet long weighing approximately 600 pounds."

     Ray coughed. "That's a big Twinkie." Egon nodded at Winston's statement, but before he could take a bite of the Twinkie, Arlo stole it and ate it herself. Peter came down the steps as Ray began to talk.

     "We could be on the verge of a four-fold crossrip, a PKE surge of incredible, even dangerous proportions." Peter went over to the storage unit. "We just had a visit from the Environmental Protection Agency. How's the grid holding up?"

"Not good."

Winston gestured to Egon, "Tell him about the Twinkie." Peter slowly turned to them, "What about the Twinkie?"

     Later that evening, it was just Arlo, Janine, and Egon in the firehouse. A policeman knocked on the front door. Arlo watched as Janine answered the door, "Dropping off or picking up?"

"Dropping off."

     "Just a moment." Janine closed the door. She turned to Arlo, "It's the police." Arlo stood up, "Egon! Come down here." Arlo yelled as she walked to the door. Janine and Arlo walked outside to greet the police officer while Egon came down the steps.

     "You a Ghostbuster?" the policeman asked. "Sort of, yeah." Arlo nodded. The policeman gave her a suspicious look before talking, "We picked up this guy, now we don't know what to do with him. Bellevue doesn't want him and I'm afraid to put him in the lock-up. And I know you guys are into this stuff, so I figured we'd check with you."

     Egon came out of the firehouse with a P.K.E meter in hand. "Alright, let's see him." he nodded. The policeman, Arlo, and Egon walked over to a van. A short man with messed up clothes was in the van in a straight jacket. "Are you the Gatekeeper?

     Egon scanned the man with the P.K.E. Meter. The reading went wild causing Egon to turn it off. "We should bring him inside." Arlo said. The policeman nodded. Janine wrapped her arm around Arlo's as the trio went back to the firehouse. "You are so kind to take care of that man. You know, you're a real humanitarian." she nudged Arlo's shoulder.

     Arlo and Egon looked at each other before looking back at Janine. "We don't think he's human."

     Arlo hooked the man up to an Aura-Video Analyzer. The video showed an image of a Terror Dog. Egon stared at the screen for a brief second before turning it off. "What did you say your name was?" Arlo asked.

"Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer."

     Janine looked at the wallet they found with him. "According to this, his name's Louis Tully. Lives on Central Park West." Janine held up the wallet for Egon and Janine to see. Arlo walked over and took the wallet from Janine. Egon peeked over her shoulder to analyze it as well.

     Louis mimicked Arlo's actions, extending his arm to take it. "Do you want some, uh, coffee, Mr. Tully?" Janine asked Louis. "Do I?" he looked up at Egon and Arlo. "Yes, have some." Egon nodded. Louis looked back to Janine, "Yes, have some."

     Arlo gave the wallet to Egon before sitting down. "Uh, Vinz, you said before you were waiting for a sign. What sign would you be waiting for?" Arlo questioned.

     "Gozer the Traveler! He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the Rectification of the Vuldronaii, the Traveler came as a large and moving Torb." Arlo looked to Egon with a questionable look. "Then, during the Third Reconciliation of the Last of the Meketrex Supplicants, they chose a new form for him, that of a giant Sloar!" Egon shrugged at Arlo before putting the wallet in a coat pocket. "Many Shubs and Zulls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of a Sloar that day, I can tell you."

     "Arlo?"

     Egon gestured her to come to her. "Sorry, um, excuse me." Arlo gave the possessed man a smile before walking over to Egon. "I think this is something way bigger than we think it is." Egon began. "That man is possessed, Egon. Who knows how many others are possessed as well?" Arlo feared. Louis picked up a jar of popcorn and sniffed it.

     "Listen, I think something bad is about to happen." the pair looked over to Louis, who was wiping his cheek with a slice of pizza. "Please don't die." Arlo hugged Egon, burying her face into his chest. He embraced the hug until Louis came to them and joined the hug. Arlo cleared her throat as the phone rang.

     Louis jumped and looked around. "I'll get it." Arlo and Louis rushed over to the phone. Arlo picked up the phone, "Hello?" Peter spoke, "Arlo it's me, Peter." Arlo grabbed the rest of the phone, "Thanks, I've got it." she whispered to him.

"I have some news from the world of Gozer." Peter informed. "What is it, Peter?" Arlo asked. "I'm here with Dana Barrett. It seems the Goz has been putting some moves on my would-be girlfriend." Peter's sarcasm leaked through the phone. "How is Dana?"

"I think we can get her a guest shot on Wild Kingdom. I just whacked her up with about 300 cc's of Thorazine. She's gonna take a little nap now, but, uh, she says she's the Gatekeeper. Does that make any sense to you?"

Arlo raised an eyebrow, "Some sense, yeah. I just met the Keymaster. He's here with me now." Louis lifted up a coffee pot and took a drink. "Oh, wonderful. We have to get these two together." Peter said. Louis gave a cheery smile with his mouth full. "Peter, on second thought I think that would be extraordinarily dangerous."

"Okay, well, hold on to him. I'll be there in a little while."

"Got it." Arlo put the phone on the receiver. She turned to Louis who was holding a frying pan. He held out the pan to Arlo. "Thank you, Vinz." she took the pan and turned to Egon and Janine. "We've got to find Ray." Louis picked a lamp up and gave it to Egon.