The Oncoming Storm ²

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It is a dark and stormy night. The paranormal investigators are completing their set up in the entrance hall by the staircase.

"How are we looking?" the female asks.

"Oh, about ready, I think" the Male replies.

"Any thoughts on the interference?"

"Er, a stray FM broadcast, possibly. I've fitted some ferrite suppressors and some RF chokes, just in case. Are you sure you want to go through with this? I mean, the last time, it was very..."

"But she's so lonely."

"Excellent, then. Excellent" the man starts speaking into a microphone "Caliburn House, night four, November 25th, 1974. 11:04 pm."

"I'm talking to the spirit that inhabits this house. Are you there? Can you hear me? I'm speaking to the lost soul that abides in this place" there is a reaction on the paper graph "come to me. Speak to me. Let me show you the way home" something painful comes through the man's headphones "let me show you the way home!" the man grabs his Nikon camera and starts taking photographs of the white image approaching them. The women gasps then staggers for a chair.

"Emma?"

"She's so..."

"So, what?"

"Dead" Emma says, there is a knock on the door. The man opens it carefully. No one is there, the Doctor comes out from behind the other door "boo! Hello, I'm looking for a ghost."

"And you are?"

"Ghostbusters," Clara says, I duck under the Doctors arm.

"I'm the Doctor" he places his arm over my shoulder and holds up the psychic paper.

"Doctor what?"

"If you like. This is the Seer, and this is Clara" the two smile, as the Doctor runs inside and straight over to the tables of equipment "ah, but you are very different. You are Major Alec Palmer. Member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Specialised in espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance behind enemy lines. You're a talented watercolourist, professor of psychology and ghost hunter. Total pleasure. Massive."

"Actually, you're wrong. Professor Palmer spent most of the war as a POW" Emma says.

"Actually, that's a lie told by a very brave man involved in very secret operations. The type of man who keeps a Victoria Cross in a box in the attic, eh? But you know that, because you're Emma Grayling, the Professor's companion" the Doctor says, doing his air kisses.

"Assistant."

"It's 1974. You're the assistant and 'non-objective equipment'. Meaning psychic."

"Getting that. Bless you, though" Clara says.

"Relax, Emma. He's Military Intelligence. So, what is all this in aid of?" Palmer asks.

"Health and safety. Yeah, the Ministry got wind of what's going on down here. Sent me to check that everything's in order."

"They don't have the right."

"Don't worry, governor, I'll be out of your hair in five minutes. Oh! Oh, look. Oh, lovely. The ACR99821. Oh, bliss. Nice action on the toggle switches. You know, I do love a toggle switch. Actually, I like the word toggle. Nice noun. Excellent verb" Clara starts fiddling with the switch "oi, don't mess with the settings," he says as I do a quick sweep with my sonic screwdriver.

"What's that?" Palmer asks.

"Gadget. Health and safety. Classified, I'm afraid. You know, while the backroom boffins work out a few kinks."