Aug 17 - Science!
Title: Day 17 - Science!
Author: acswatwst
Rating: FR-13
Crossover: BtVS / Ghost Busters (1975)/ Secrets of Isis
Word Count: 1,080
Disclaimer: This is a derivative work. All BtVS characters and concepts belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox Television, and others. Funimation/NBCUniversal owns the original (1975) Ghost Busters and Secrets of Isis.
Notes: Andrea Thomas is a science teacher, not just Isis. She likes using Science! to investigate things. And she invents things (And Rick Mason too. He had a secret science job for the government at one point) so what she does in this "episode" not completely "unrealistic"
Summary: Back to the Spectral Investigations office!
"Miss Thomas, Miss Thomas," Rennie shouted, as she threw open the door to the lab and rushed in. Trying to appear nonchalant, Joyce casually strolled in after her.
Tut gave them a beady-eyed look and ruffled his feathers at the disturbance, before settling down.
"Ladies," Andrea said, raising an eyebrow. "This is still a school."
"Sorry, Miss Thomas," Rennie said, deflating. "But I think we saw a ghost!"
"We saw something," Joyce added. "Might have been a ghost. Might have been an illusion."
"And your ghost detectives?" Andrea asked.
"Looks like they haven't been to their office in a while," Joyce said. "Or they aren't using the door to get in."
"You were able to get in?" Andrea said, frowning.
"We didn't break in, Miss Thomas," Rennie said. "The door wasn't locked."
"I just touched their Rolodex," Joyce said. "We need to check their apartment next."
"You think you saw a ghost?" Andrea said. "What exactly did you see?" Opening a drawer in her desk, she started rooting around for something.
"There was a scary moaning sound," Rennie said. "And the lights flickered."
"There was a large thing, maybe a ghost, in the center of the office," Joyce added. "That's when we left."
"It didn't chase us," Rennie said. "But we didn't stick around."
"I'd like to see this ghost, before you investigate any further," Andrea said. "There may be a simple explanation." She placed a strange looking object on her desk. It was covered with dials, and several meters.
"Did you make that Ghost Dematerializer that Uncle Eddie and Jake use?" Joyce said. "They use it to get rid of the more solid ghosts. It's not quite as mad science as that thing."
"This is just a simple energy detector," Andrea said, picking it up. "If Eddie has anything special to handle ghosts he didn't get it from me."
"If you say so," Joyce said. "Can I use your phone to call him, before we go?"
"Five minutes," Andrea said, nodding. "We'll be down at my car.
"Great, thanks," Joyce said. As soon as they were out of the land, Joyce picked up the phone and dialed the Ghost Busters number.
"Hey, Joyce!" Eddie's voice blared from the phone after three rings. "How's it going?"
"Not good so far, Uncle Eddie," Joyce said. "They weren't in their office, and I think there's a ghost in it."
"That's not good," Eddie said. "What do you want from us?"
"Any info on the case they were working on that you can send me," Joyce said. "Cousin Andrea is going to help, but but having some idea of what is going on would be great."
"Jake is nodding," Eddie said. "It might take a couple days for a courier to get it to you."
"Okay," Joyce said, sighing. She had the feeling that there were faster ways to get information than by courier, but it was all fuzzy in her head, like some distant dream. "I'll be waiting for it."
"Be careful," Eddie said. "Tracy said he'll come out there if you need help beating up a ghost."
"No, that's fine," Joyce said, giggling. "And I've got to go, Cousin Andrea is waiting for."
"Call us back," Eddie said.
"Will do," Joyce said. "Bye." Hanging up the phone, she nodded to Tut, and headed out of the lab.
----
"That's the building right there," Rennie said. Andrea pulled into an empty spot across the street. "It's on the third floor."
Andrea nodded. They all got out of the car, Rennie carrying Andrea's energy detector. Andrea led the way across the street.
"The building looks empty inside," Joyce said, following them inside the building.
"Do you think the ghost scared everyone away?" Rennie said.
"This looks like long term neglect," Andrea said. "Third floor you said?"
"Yes," Joyce said. "The stairs are over there."
They tromped up the stairs to the third floor. There were no lights on in any of the offices on the floor.
"Was it like this when you were here earlier?" Andrea asked, looking around.
"I think so," Joyce said.
"Maybe?" Rennie said. "We were in a hurry to leave. The office is over there."
They stopped in front of the door to 'Spectral Investigations' which was dark.
"I don't remember closing the door," Joyce said. "Or turning the light off."
"Maybe the ghost did it?" Rennie said.
"Spectral?" Andrea said, turning the doorknob. "They don't just deal with ghosts then." The door swung open with a loud squeak. Reaching inside, she flipped on the light.
"Still no one here," Joyce said, peaking over her shoulder.
"Where do you want this?" Rennie said, holding up the detector from Andrea's office.
"As close to the center of the room as we can get," Andrea said, looking around. "That desk over there should so it."
Rennie put the detector on the desk. "How do we turn it on?" she asked.
"It uses the ambient energy in the room," Andrea said. Leaning down, she adjusted a dial. "Plenty of energy here. If there's anything unusual here it should start picking it up."
"How long will it take?" Joyce said.
"At least a day, depending on what was causing what you saw, and how frequent it is," Andrea said.
"So, now we can check out their apartment?" Joyce said. "How far away is it from here?" She held out the slip of paper she'd written the address on.
"On the other side of town," Rennie said. "There's an old mansion that was turned into apartments. Really cheap. They say it's haunted."
"Not surprised," Joyce said. "It fits with the theme."
Andrea gave one last look around and motioned for them to leave. "We can check it tomorrow." Once they were out in the hall, she turned off the light and joined them. She looked at her watch. "It's almost lunch time. Sandwiches?" Joyce and Rennie nodded.
"Can we have a picnic?" Rennie said, once they were back outside. "Mr. Mason is probably waiting for us back at the lab."
"We can do that," Andrea said. "Rick had something to do this morning. He might not be back yet."
"We can wait, right Joyce?" Rennie said, smirking. "Wouldn't want him to starve."
"Sure," Joyce said, smiling. She wasn't going to get in the way of Rennie's matchmaking plans for her cousin and Mr. Mason.
Andrea sighed, unlocking her car. "In you go," she said. "The sandwich shop near the school shouldn't be too busy."