walking up. The engineer smiled and remarked, ‘’well, well, well, if it ain’t my old friend old friend Brent MacWolf. It’s been a while.’’

Brent smiled and the two hugged.

‘’Rail Wolf you old stoat,’’ Brent exclaimed, giving Rail Wolf a pat on the back, ‘’you haven’t changed one bit!’’

Rail Wolf smiled and pointed his paw toward Hartwell II.

‘’Well, the old girl’s been like a fountain of youth for me. I’m still the same engineer I was when I was younger, but only my bones break a little easier,’’ Rail Wolf then asked, ‘’how’s life been for you?’’

Brent shrugged.

‘’Ah, same old, same old. Ginger and I got married, and we have three kids.’’ He said. Rail Wolf did a double take.

‘’Three kids? Holy crap man, what the hell did you give Ginger? Birth accelerator pills?’’

Brent gave a whole-hearted laugh.

‘’Nah, it was just luck. There’s my oldest son, Thomas T. MacWolf, and the two babies Rita F. and Aleu B. were born just months ago.’’ he explained. Rail Wolf nodded.

‘’So you named your two girls after Rita (from Oliver and Company) and Aleu, and your son’s name come from…what exactly?’’ he asked. Brent shifted his eyes from side to side.

‘’Thomas the Tank Engine,’’ he whispered, ‘’in the future, I used to watch it as a child no older than two (Note: It is true. That was my favourite show as a toddler.). The name just fit,’’

Rail Wolf gave a nonchalant nod. He didn’t want to know any more than he had found out. He then asked, ‘’so what exactly is it that brings you to the Nome station?’’

‘’Balto’s agreed to come back,’’ Brent answered excitedly, ‘’the Ghostbusters are back in action!’’

Rail Wolf stood in shock. Then a grin started to envelope his muzzle.

‘’You’re joking me right? This is some kind of strange demented joke, right?’’ he questioned anxiously. Brent shook his head.

‘’This isn’t a joke. It seems that there is some paranormal activity in Alcatraz. This is a job for the Ghostbusters.’’

Rail Wolf smiled, but then realized something.

‘’Wait a minute. What about transport? We can’t take Hartwell because the line doesn’t go to San Francisco.’’ He noted. Brent had a smiled on his face.

‘’Leave the transport to me. Just meet by the old hospital.’’ Brent said and walked away. Rail Wolf scratched his head. He wondered what Brent had in mind, but he did as he was told.

Brent walked into his secret lab and grabbed a test tube on the wall. The wall moved backwards and opened inwards. The room was filled with cobwebs and vegetation. In the centre was an object with a dark brown tarp over it. Brent walked up and removed the tarp. He smiled.

‘’Just like new.’’ He remarked.

Balto and Rail Wolf paced by the old hospital. They had been waiting for a half and hour before they both heard a familiar sound. A car engine. Balto turned toward the source of the sound and was shocked to see something heading their way.

‘’It’s our old ride!’’ he exclaimed as Brent slammed on the brakes and stopped the white Cadillac station wagon beside his friends. The car was a mid-60s model, with a pair of red lights on the top, two fins shooting from the back and the hood ornament of a ghost with a red line through it on the very front of the car. In the trunk were three photon pistols, along with their power supply packs and the ghost trapping device. Brent smiled and replied, ‘’it wouldn’t be authentic without old Ecto here, would it?’’

Balto chuckled and answered, ‘’of course not Brent. But remember, I drive.’’

Brent smiled and got into the passenger seat. Balto hoped into the driver’s seat and revved Ecto’s engine.

‘’God, this brings back memories,’’ he remarked happily, ‘’I’ve forgotten the true reason I became a ghost buster. The fun of it.’’

Rail Wolf jumped into the back seat and checked the various gadgets that were stored in the trunk.

‘’Brent,’’ he asked, ‘’how the hell did you keep this stuff in such good shape? It’s as if we left three days ago!’’

Brent shrugged.

‘’I’m good with gadgets. I fixed them up.’’ He admitted.

‘’Then what are we waiting for,’’ Balto questioned, ‘’next stop San Francisco, California!’’

Ecto leaped from a standing position and sped away into the distance.

A gas station pit stop, somewhere in the middle of British Columbia,

Two days later,

Balto stopped Ecto in the minute parking lot of a gas station somewhere in the middle of northern British Columbia. The three were hungry; they had been driving all night, and they only slept three hours before they had to get on the road again. Brent got out of the passenger seat and stretched.

‘’Remind me to arrange for an aeroplane next time we go on a long trip.’’ Brent groaned as he yawned. Rail Wolf was the one who noticed the small bar.

‘’Hey guys,’’ Rail Wolf replied as he pointed to the bar, ‘’why not get something to drink?’’

Balto and Brent nodded.

‘’I am kinda thirsty,’’ Balto admitted, ‘’I need something to perk me up anyhow.’’

All three walked into the bar. It was a small square building, dark and not occupied by many people. Just the occasional farmer or senior playing cards with their friends. Brent sat at the bar counter. It was a simple style, with four rows of alcohol lined up far from reach, and a small television on the roof. The bartender, a male Golden Retriever, put down a glass he was polishing and asked, ‘’you guys aren’t from around here, are you?’’

Brent answered before Balto or Rail Wolf could even think.

‘’Nah, we’re just passing through.’’

The retriever nodded and placed three glasses in front of the friends.

‘’What’ll you have?’’ he questioned.

‘’I think all of us will agree on a shot of whisky,’’ Balto replied, ‘’but make mine a double shot…’’

‘’..with two lumps of sugar.’’ A low voice finished. Balto stared at the source of the voice. His face was hidden by the darkness, and all that was visible was a brown vest on the dog’s upper body, and half of what used to be left ear.

‘’How’d you know how I take my drink?’’ Balto demanded. The light seemed to answer Balto’s question almost immediately.

‘’Steele?!’’ Balto, Rail Wolf and Brent gasped. Steele nodded. Brent then saw Steele’s most defiant change. There was a three-scratch X over his right eye.

‘’Steele, your eye.’’ Brent said. Steele placed his paw over the scar and closed his eyes.

‘’Yeah, I don’t like to talk about it much,’’ Steele took a deep breath, ‘’but since you guys are my friends, I’ll give you the pleasure.’’

Steele then leaned on the bar counter, and started to tell his story.

Club Feva, Anchorage, Alaska,

February 16, 1974, 11:45 PM,

The year is 1974, and disco is the thing most dogs love to do. Steele was no exception. After the incident in Kamloops, Steele had sworn off ghost hunting and had decided to go after the living instead. He bought a silver pistol and became a bounty hunter. By the end of 1973, Steele had brought in over a hundred villains for their bounty, and he had gain himself quite the load of money. Steele entered the disco club Club Feva and sat down at the bar. Steele wore a brown long-sleeved vest, brown bell-booted pantaloons, white disco shoes, a gold belt buckle, a silver ring and under his vest sat his silver pistol, ready to use at any moment. The club itself was bouncing. Red, green, blue and yellow lights flashed and moved randomly, and the dance floor was filled with various animals; wolves, huskies, foxes, vixens, and even racoons were having a good time. But the fun came to a suddenly and violent stop. The doors were kicked open and a dog was thrown across the room. Steele looked at the doorway and saw someone he has come to know as his evil equal. The figure walked into the club and grabbed the disk jockey. Throwing him from his podium, the figure aimed the spotlight onto himself, illuminating every one of his features. The figure was a Bulldog, and he wore all black leather. Around his neck and wrists were black leather collars with silver spikes, and on his right paw-clutched tightly-was an iron crow (it’s like a brass knuckle, only it has three long scythes on it). He spoke in a dark voice, which would make even the bravest dog coward in fear.

‘’I’m lookin’ for Steele Doverson! If no one comes forward, I’m just gonna have to tear through you to get to him myself!’’ the Bulldog threatened, pointing his crow into the spotlight. Steele smiled and yelled, ‘’you want