XIV.
[014 . I LIKE YOU TOO]
The children ran into the sheriff's office, urgency in their steps.
Lucky leaped over the counter and checked the radio, which was emitting strange, distorted noises.
Podcast picked up a cup that had been knocked over, dipped his finger in the liquid, and tasted it.
"They were just here," Podcast announced, his eyes wide with realization.
Lucky andTrevor bolted down a corridor.
"There she is," Lucky called out, spotting Ecto-1 up on a lift. They walked under it, marveling at the sight.
In the evidence room, Podcast, Phoebe, and Jules were frantically dumping items onto the floor.
"Got anything?" Podcast asked, frustration in his voice.
"No, just more stupid guns," Phoebe replied, her tone matching his.
"Same here," Jules echoed.
Podcast rounded a corner and gasped. "A jail inside a jail."
Jules looked puzzled. "Huh?"
The Remote Trap Vehicle, controller, Proton Pack, and Ecto Goggles were secured behind bars. Phoebe hurried over to him.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, running up to the bars.
"No, no, no! It's an ANSI Class One electromagnetic deadbolt," she said, despair creeping into her voice.
"I believe in you," Podcast said, trying to reassure her.
"Me too, Pheebs," Jules added, giving a supportive nod.
Phoebe shook her head. "It's unpickable."
Podcast sighed, staring at the locked equipment. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. He reached for the controller.
"What are you doing?" Phoebe asked, her voice rising in panic.
"I have a plan," Podcast said, flipping the red cover on the controller.
"No!" Jules cried out.
"Wait!" Phoebe echoed, but it was too late.
Muncher was released, and chaos ensued. Podcast and Phoebe backed up as Muncher immediately began consuming the metal bars, creating an opening just large enough to squeeze through. The bars creaked open, and they rushed inside.
Cut to the rear hatch of Ecto-1 opening. Phoebe pushed the equipment in on a cart, while Trevor handed it to Podcast inside the vehicle.
"Come on. Let's go," Jules urged.
"Okay," Trevor replied, determination in his voice.
The garage door lifted, revealing Ecto-1's grill. Lucky got into a squad car.
"Ready?" Trevor asked.
"I'll be waiting," Lucky replied.
Lucky turned left while Trevor turned right, the sirens blaring. Ecto-1 sped past a mural of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on the side of a building.
They drove down a dirt road towards Shandor Mining. Ecto-1 crossed over a bridge, hidden behind rocks as Zuul and Vinz walked hand in hand to the temple's stairwell.
Podcast and Phoebe sneaked closer on foot, the score track from Ghostbusters (1984) playing in the background. Zuul and Vinz took their places on either side.
"That's my mom," Phoebe whispered, her heart aching.
Zuul and Vinz raised their arms, and Gozerian lightning struck them both. Trevor and Jules watched from inside the car.
"What?" Trevor muttered, disbelief in his eyes. Jules reached over and held his hand.
Vinz and Zuul transformed into their Terror Dog forms. Phoebe and Podcast watched in dismay as wisps of energy continued to fly out of the pit. One wisp shattered Shandor's glass tomb, and Gozer emerged, climbing out like an animal.
Ivo Shandor approached Gozer reverently. "Your Eminence. Goddess of Gods. I have built this temple for you, so that you might return to Earth... and together... we... We can rule the world."
Gozer placed her hands on either side of Shandor's head and ripped him in two.
In the town, chaos erupted. A fissure opened in the street, ghosts roamed freely, and the sky darkened with ominous clouds.
Trevor and Jules waited inside Ecto-1. Phoebe approached the stairwell.
"I'm the one who should be saying sorry," Jules suddenly blurted out.
"Huh?" Trevor turned to her, confused.
"I was just being such—such a jerk, and I don't know, you're gonna think, 'Whoa, I don't wanna be around her,'" Jules said, her voice trembling.
"Jules, I would never think that about you. Ever," Trevor reassured her.
"Oh, so I was expecting you to just, you know, say, 'Yeah, I don't,' but that was sweet," Jules said, smiling weakly.
"basically, when I saw you with Lucky, I felt like I wasn't good enough. Lucky and I were best friends practically my whole life, then she realized boys are better than best friends, so that happened," Jules explained, tears welling up.
"Jules, I didn't know," Trevor said softly.
"You didn't do anything wrong. I just didn't want to lose you, Trevor, 'cause I really like you. And not in a platonic way, and I think I should say that before we die," Jules confessed.
Trevor leaned in and kissed her. Jules placed her hand on his cheek, their foreheads touching as they broke apart.
"I like you too," Trevor whispered.
"No shit, really?" Jules teased, laughing. They settled back in their seats, holding hands as they watched Phoebe.
Phoebe approached Gozer. "Excuse me. Uh..."
Gozer turned her head to Phoebe.
"Pardon me. Yeah, hi. Uh... What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh," Phoebe said, chuckling nervously.
Gozer stared at her, unamused. Phoebe continued. "A whale... There's two whales in a bar. One of them goes—"
The Remote Trap Vehicle bumped Zuul's rear foot and reversed. Podcast ducked down.
"Go home. You're drunk," Phoebe finished, her voice shaky. Gozer stood up.
Podcast got the controller ready. "Okay."
The Remote Trap Vehicle drove under Zuul.
"So a grasshopper walks into a bar, and the bartender's like, 'We have a drink named after you.' Then the grasshopper's like, 'You have a drink named Steve?'" Phoebe said, desperation in her voice.
"Have you come to offer yourself in sacrifice?" Gozer asked.
"What?" Phoebe stammered.
"Are you prepared to die?" Gozer inquired.
"No, I'm 12," Phoebe replied. "Are you?"
Gozer was mildly puzzled. Podcast opened the Trap and captured Zuul. Gozer reacted violently, energy shooting out of its body. Callie appeared and fell down the stairs.
"Mom!" Phoebe shouted.
Ecto-1's sirens blared as it slid in, its rear facing the stairs. The Remote Trap Vehicle headed down to it. Gozer was on its knees. Podcast and Phoebe hurried to the rear with Callie. Phoebe closed the door.
Ecto-1 sped down the dirt road, clearing the bridge with the Remote Trap Vehicle following. Phoebe switched on the Particle Thrower. Callie began to regain consciousness.
"Wait, wait. Wh-What's going on?" Callie asked, disoriented.
"Hey!" Trevor called back.
"Wh-What's happening? Where am I?" Callie asked, panic rising.
"Mom, it's okay," Phoebe reassured her.
"You were kind of possessed," Podcast explained.
"Possessed?" Callie repeated.
"Then you turned into a dog," Podcast added.
"Then you got kind of humpy," Callie said, confused.
"Humpy?" Callie echoed.
"Yup," Jules confirmed.
"Oh, Phoebe. There's this, um, there's this basement... this secret basement... with all these computers and equipment," Callie said, her voice shaking.
"Mom, we know," Phoebe said.
"There were all these photos—these photos of me. Like—Like he was tracking my entire life," Callie continued.
"How rewarding," Podcast muttered.
"Super news. We really wanna hear about it," Phoebe said.
"Yeah, but we're kind of trying to save the world right now," Trevor added.
"Oh. Okay. Cool. I'm in. Uh, how can I help?" Callie asked.
Vinz attacked the rear of the vehicle.
"No!" Podcast shouted.
"What the hell was that?" Callie exclaimed.
"That was your boyfriend Gary," Trevor said.
"Boyfriend?" Callie repeated, stunned. Then, noticing Jules and Trevor holding hands, she teased, "And why are you two holding hands?"
Jules and Trevor looked at each other and quickly let go, both blushing furiously.
"Hold on!" Trevor shouted, gripping the wheel tightly as they turned at Spinners. Podcast lowered the hatch for the Remote Trap Vehicle.
"Inside that trap is the Gatekeeper," Phoebe said.
"If the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster reunite..."
"One second," Phoebe said, pulling the lever and extending the gunner seat. She shot at Vinz, who yelped and stumbled.
"Phoebe. You're... You're..." Callie began, awe in her voice.
"I'm a scientist," Phoebe replied.
The Remote Trap Vehicle went up the ramp but faltered, then successfully entered Ecto-1.
"Oh. We got her!" Podcast exclaimed.
"Yes!" Trevor shouted.
"This was Grandpa's plan," Phoebe said.
"Uh, coming in hot!" Trevor warned as they sped away.
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