Chapter 2 - ch2

THE DOOR



Kurama sticks his head in.



KURAMA

(excited)

It's moving!



Kuwabara and Yusuke rush out.





INT. DEEP IN THE STACKS - DAY



They come slowly down the dark aisle with Kurama leading, taking constant readings. Their faces are lit mainly by the light of their own monitoring and recording equipment.





HIGH POV



Looking down on them from the spectral point of view.





A SPIRAL STAIRCASE



One by one, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama come down the tightly winding, old iron staircase. They are scared. Books are strewn all over the floor.





A BOOKSHELF



The books start to slide forward then the whole shelving unit topples over and almost crushes the team under a ton of books. They jump to safety.



YUSUKE

Nice.

(out loud)

Hello...



Kurama looks at his meters and silently points at a dark aisle intersecting the one they're in. The team inches toward it.



KURAMA

It's here.



They stop at the corner.





INT. THE DARK AISLE - DAY



The team peeks around the corner and looks toward camera.





THEIR POV - DAY



An ethereal presence is hovering between the stacks about four feet off the ground. It seems to waver on the edge of being and non-being, then a large legless, headless torso begins to emerge.





YUSUKE, KUWABARA AND KURAMA



They stand there amazed.



KUWABARA

(whispers)

What is it?



YUSUKE

It looks like a big pair of breasts and a pot belly.





THE TORSO - DAY



A head and arms begin to form. The apparition is now unmistakably a full-bodied, somewhat elderly lady.



KURAMA

It's a woman.



He edges closer to take valence readings. Kuwabra starts snapping infra-red photos of it.



KUWABARA

(excited)

I told you it's real.



YUSUKE

(whispers)

What do we do now?



KUWABARA

(whispers back)

I don't know. Talk to it.



YUSUKE

(nods in agreement then hesitates)

What do I say?



KUWABARA

Anything! Just make contact.



YUSUKE

(takes a deep breath, then addresses the specter)

Hey, Lady?

(the apparition turns and seems to look right past them)

Lady! Can you talk? Who are you?

(no answer; to Kuwabara)

This is not working. Think of something else.



KUWABARA

(sotto voce)

Okay. Okay. I got it. I know what to do. Stay close. I have a plan.



He starts moving closer to the apparition. Yusuke and Kurama edge closer, fighting their fear. They stop just a few feet from the vision.



KUWABARA (CONT'D)

(whispers)

Okay, now do exactly as I say. Everybody ready?



YUSUKE & KURAMA

Ready.



KUWABARA

Okay...

(shouts)

GET HER!!!



He leaps at the apparition. Yusuke and Kurama jump reflexively at almost the same moment but they all end up on the floor grabbing at thin air.





THE GHOST - DAY



She drops back a few feet, looms up into a raging demon-like specter and blasts them with a rush of hot breath as she mouths a single word.



THE GHOST

(roars)

QUIET!





YUSUKE, KUWABARA AND KURAMA



They scream and fall backwards.





EXT. LIBRARY - MAIN ENTRANCE - DAY



They burst through the doors and onto the broad steps, both terrified and exhilarated by their first real contact with the supernatural. The Head Librarian rushes out the door after them and chases them down the steps.



HEAD LIBRARIAN

(very agitated)

Did you see it? What was it?



YUSUKE

We'll get back to you.





EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - DAY



Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama head for their lab in Weaver Hall. Kurama makes rapid calculations as Yusuke and Kuwabara argue.



YUSUKE

(steamed)

"Get her?" That was your whole plan? You call that science?



KUWABARA

(exultant)

I guess I got a little overexcited. Wasn't it incredible! I'm telling you, this is a first. You know what this could mean to the University?



YUSUKE

(sarcastic)

Oh, yeah. This could be bigger than the microchip. They'll probably throw out the entire engineering department and turn their building over to us. We're probably the first serious scientists to ever molest a dead old lady.



KURAMA

(consulting his mini-computer)

I wouldn't say the experience was completely wasted. Based on these new readings, I think we have an excellent chance of actually catching a ghost and holding it indefinitely.



Yusuke stops dead in his tracks, stunned by the news. Kuwabara and Kurama continue walking.



KUWABARA

(to Kurama; excited)

Then we were right! This is great. And if the ionization rate is constant for all ectoplasmic entities, I think we could really kick @$$ - in the spiritual sense.



Yusuke catches up with them again.



YUSUKE

Kurama, are you serious about actually catching a ghost?



KURAMA

I'm always serious.



YUSUKE

(his mind reeling at the possibilities)

Wow!





EXT. WEAVER HALL - A LITTLE LATER



They approach the entrance to the psychology department talking excitedly. Yusuke stops at the door and turns to Kurama.



YUSUKE

Kurama, I take back everything I ever said about you. Take this.

(he hands him a candy bar)

You earned it.



They enter the building with Kurama greedily devouring the candy bar.





INT. WEAVER HALL - DAY



They walk through the hall, then down the stairs to the basement.



YUSUKE

(his mind racing)

If you guys are right, if we can actually trap a ghost and hold it somehow, I think I could win the Nobel Prize.



KUWABARA

(protests)

If anyone deserves it, it's Kurama and me. We're doing all the hard research and designing the equipment.



YUSUKE

Yeah, but I introduced you guys. You never would've met if not for me. That's got to be worth something.





INT. THE BASEMENT - DAY



A Workman in painter pants is at the door as Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama approach and enter the lab. As soon as the door closes behind them, the Workman starts scraping their names off the door with a razor blade.





INT. THE LAB - DAY



As they enter, janitorial and maintenance personnel are busy dismantling their apparatus and equipment. DEAN YAEGER is supervising. Yusuke confronts him.



YUSUKE

(shocked)

I trust you're moving us to a better space somewhere on campus.



DEAN YAEGER

No, we're moving you OFF CAMPUS. The Board of Regents has decided to terminate your grant. You are to vacate these premises immediately.



YUSUKE

This is preposterous! I demand an explanation.



DEAN YAEGER

Fine. This University will no longer continue any funding of any kind for your group's activities.



YUSUKE

But why? The students love us!



DEAN YAEGER

Dr. Yusuke, we believe that the purpose of science is to serve mankind. You, however, seem to regard science as some kind of "dodge" or "hustle." Your theories are the worst kind of popular tripe, your methods are sloppy and your conclusions are highly questionable. You're a poor scientist, Dr. Yusuke, and you have no place in this department or in this University.



YUSUKE

I see.



KUWABARA

(to Yusuke)

You said you floored 'em at the Regents' meeting.



YUSUKE

(righteous)

Kuwabara, I apologize.

(looking at Dean Yaeger)

I guess my confidence in the Regents was misplaced. They did this to Galileo, too.



DEAN YAEGER

It could be worse, Dr. Yusuke. They took the astronomer Phileas and staked his head to the town gate.





EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - DAY - A LITTLE LATER



Kuwabara and Yusuke are sitting on a bench both looking desolate.



KUWABARA

(shaking his head)

This is like a major disgrace. Forget M.I.T. or Stanford now... they wouldn't touch us with a three-meter cattle prod.



YUSUKE

You're always so worried about your reputation. We don't need the University. Einstein did his best stuff while he was working as a patent clerk.'They can't stop progress.



KUWABARA

(not cheered)

Do you know what a patent clerk makes? I liked the University. They gave us money, they gave us the facilities and we didn't have to produce anything! I've worked in the private sector. They expect results. You've never been out of college. You don't know what it's like out there.



YUSUKE

(with visionary zeal)

Let me tell you, Kuwabara, everything in life happens for a reason. Call it fate, call it luck, Karma, whatever. I think we were destined to get kicked out of there.



KUWABARA

For what purpose?



YUSUKE

(with real conviction)

To go into business for ourselves.



Kuwabara is immediately intrigued by the idea but voices his reservations.



KUWABARA

I don't know. That costs money. And the ecto-containment system we have in mind will require a load of bread to capitalize. Where would we get the money?





EXT. WIDE ANGLE VIEW OF MANHATTAN - DAY





EXT. AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS - DAY



Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama emerge from the Irving Trust headquarters, all neatly dressed in suits.



YUSUKE

You'll never regret this, Kuwabara.



KUWABARA

(perturbed)

My parents left me that house, I was born there.



YUSUKE

You're not going to lose the house. Everybody has three mortgages these days.



KUWABARA

But at nineteen percent interest! You didn't even bargain with the guy.



KURAMA

(calculating)

Just for your information, Kuwabara, the interest payments alone for the first five years come to over $75,000.



YUSUKE

Will you guys relax? We are on the threshold of establishing the indispensable defense science of the next decade - Professional Paranormal Investigations and Eliminations. The franchise rights alone will make us wealthy beyond your wildest dreams.



KUWABARA

But most people are afraid to even report these things.



YUSUKE

Maybe. But no one ever advertised before.



Kuwabara and Kurama exchange doubtful looks.





EXT. FIREHALL - DAY



An abandoned brick, four-story fire station built by the city around the turn of the century. It bears a coat of faded red paint and legend above the garage door in chipped gilt letters: Engine Company #93. The garage doors open revealing Yusuke standing in the white-tiled garage bay with a middle aged REAL ESTATE WOMAN wearing a blazer.





INT. GARAGE BAY - DAY



Yusuke is looking around.



R/E WOMAN

Besides this, you've got another substantial work area on the ground floor, office space, sleeping quarters and showers on the next floor, and you have your full kitchen on the top level. It's 10,000 square feet total.





KURAMA



He comes out of the office area with a pocket calculator.



KURAMA

It's 9,642.55 square feet.



The Realtor frowns at Kurama.



R/E WOMAN

What is he - your accountant?





KUWABARA



He is looking at the shiny brass fire pole.



KUWABARA

(shouts, loving it)

Wow! Does this pole still work?



YUSUKE

(considering but not wanting to appear too eager)

This might do... I don't know... it just seems kind of "pricey" for a fixer-upper, don't you think? We're trying to keep our costs down. You know how it is when you're starting a new company.



R/E WOMAN

Yes, I know. What are you calling your business?



KUWABARA

Ghostbusters.



R/E WOMAN

Oh, well, this place is perfect for it.

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