‘’you want me? Well, I’m right here Kurt.’’

The Bulldog turned and walked toward Steele. Steele stood up and clutched his fists. Kurt pointed his crow at Steele and growled.

‘’Listen up pal, I just got outta prison, and I’m lookin’ for revenge. And since it was you who put me in that hell hole in the first place, it should be you who gets the pain!’’

Steele just smiled smugly.

‘’And you’re planning on dishing out this mondo pain with that,’’ he mocked, ‘’quite pathetic actually.’’

Kurt snarled and swung his crow in a wide upwards arc. Steele bowed backward and missed the crow, kicking high as he did so. Kurt stumbled backwards into a group of people, who shoved him back into the fight. This time, Steele landed the first blow. Winding up, he clocked Kurt in the face with his fist, leaving an imprint of his silver ring in Kurt’s forehead. Kurt stumbled and fell flat onto his back, his crow slid across the dance floor. Steele grinned and started to walk away, when he turned. Kurt had gotten up and landed a hard punch to Steele’s face, which made him loose his senses temporarily. Kurt ran over and grabbed his crow. Smiling with evil satisfaction, Kurt walked up to his opponent and locked a vice-like grip around his neck. Kurt stared right into Steele’s eyes-and showing no remorse-slashed an X pattern into Steele’s face, right over his right eye. In his upwards slash, Kurt managed to take off half of Steele’s left ear. Kurt released the bleeding Steele and looked at the crowd.

‘’This,’’ he pointed to Steele, ‘’is what happens when you tangle with Kurt the Crow.’’

Steele started to shake and stood up. Kurt was shocked and was about to take another slash, when Steele grabbed his paw and snapped it as if it were a dead tree limp. The crow slipped from the paralyzed paw and Kurt was thrown into the opposite wall. Steele then picked up the crow and aimed. Kurt had only enough time to yell, ‘’oh fu…’’ before the crow went clean through this throat and into the wall behind, pinning Kurt up like a poster. Steele held his ear and stumbled from the club. That incident changed Steele not only physically, but mentally too. From then one, he wouldn’t be the same dog again.

Brent patted Steele on the shoulder.

‘’I’m so sorry.’’ He whispered. Steele swatted Brent’s paw away as if it were a fly.

‘’I don’t need your sympathy MacWolf,’’ he growled, ‘’I’m fine!’’

‘’I highly doubt that,’’ Balto blurted out, ‘’you were never fine.’’

Steele stood up, making his bar stool fall backward.

‘’What did you say to me Aniu? Say it to my face!’’ he demanded. Balto was quick to oblige.

‘’I said, you were never fine in the first place, you psycho,’’ he snarled, ‘’I still haven’t forgotten about the mission to that mansion back in ’72!’’

Steele’s eyes went blood-shot.

‘’You think it was my fault,’’ he spat, ‘’I’m not the one who completely screwed everything up Balto. You were the one who went in alone. I just happened to come in after and almost saved your ass. But is this how I’m thanked?’’

‘’Thanked,’’ Balto returned, ‘’why would I be thanking you? You’re the reason we separated in the first place!’’

‘’Both of you shut up,’’ Rail Wolf thundered, bringing the bar to a silence, ‘’I have had it with you two arguing. You haven’t seen each other for more than fifteen minutes and you’re already bringing up the past! Brent and I had worked our asses off to try and keep the Ghostbusters alive after you two left, but we had no luck! All you’re doing is becoming enemies. Neither of you are any better right now than any ghost we’ve exterminated!’’

Balto and Steele closed their mouths and turned their backs to each other. Brent and Rail Wolf sighed.

‘’Jeez, this is like that night in 1972.’’ Brent remarked. Rail Wolf gave a hiss.

‘’Shh,’’ he whispered, ‘’don’t remind them.’’

Brent nodded in agreement and looked at the two dogs. Balto was a sensible hybrid, and yet he was acting like a little kid. And as for Steele, he always used to pout, but now he was overdoing it. Brent then looked at Steele closer. He seemed different for some reason. Rail Wolf grabbed Balto and Steele by the shoulders and threw them into Ecto.

‘’Don’t complain,’’ he replied angrily, ‘’I don’t want to hear it! Brent, you’ll drive.’’

Brent nodded and got into the driver’s seat. Being a friend of Rail Wolf for so long, Brent knew only one thing; never disagree when Sammy was in a bad mood. Rail Wolf got into the passenger seat and checked behind him. Both Balto and Steele were facing opposite ways. Rail Wolf shook his head and muttered, ‘’this is going to be a long trip.’’

San Francisco, California,

June, 8th, 1987, 10:39 PM,

Brent and Rail Wolf had switched driving positioned for the remaining 12 days to San Francisco. Brent could barely keep his eyes open behind the wheel. But soon, he managed to open them enough that he could see the engineering marvel that was the Golden Gate Bridge. Brent had only seen it in photographs and magazines, but now he was seeing it with his own eyes. The tall red support towers seemed to touch the sky. Rail Wolf then spotted a small dot on one of the support cables. It was a painter, who was probably scared stupid being up that high. Brent drove over the bridge and entered the heart of the city. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Building rose into the air like Sycamore trees, and the roads were jammed with traffic. Brent turned down a street and stopped beside a small café. Pulling back the parking brake, he looked at Brent and asked, ‘’can you go in and asked for directions to a hotel for tonight? I’m going to stay here a keep an eye on those two.’’

Rail Wolf nodded.

‘’Of course I will,’’ he answered happily, ‘’I put them in line before, so I’m sure as hell you can do it.’’

Rail Wolf closed the door and entered the café. It was a small place, with a stage up at front, and a counter to the left. Lots of dogs were sitting in the café, drinking coffee, or herbal tea. On stage was a beautiful border collie. Her pink eyes sparkled in the spotlight as she read a poem. She moved her head as she told the poem, making her light grey and peach fur dance. Rail Wolf sat down at a table and asked the dog beside him, ‘’who is that?’’

‘’Oh her,’’ he answered quietly, ‘’she’s Seena. She lives above this club, and she gets lots of good money for her poems.’’

Rail Wolf nodded. He wasn’t really listening, because he was caught up in Seena’s British accent as it seemed to make the poems come alive.

‘’Like the feather of a phoenix, I rise from the ashes, no long a figment of your imagination. I am an angel, wild and free, and I live again.’’

The entire café was filled with the roar of clapping paws. Rail Wolf had been smitten. He wanted to meet this girl. When Seena left the stage, the café went from lively to dead and silent. Rail Wolf sneaked out the back door and saw the owner of the club arguing with Seena.

‘’Tonight was crap Seena,’’ he exclaimed, ‘’you don’t get your pay, which means you can’t pay your rent.’’

‘’What the hell,’’ Seena questioned angrily, ‘’that’s not bloody fair! That was my best work!’’

‘’Too bad.’’ The owner then slammed the door in Seena’s face. Rail Wolf judged that this would be the best time to talk with her, because she needed someone right now. Seena sat down and sobbed. Rail Wolf walked up and sat down beside her. Seena looked up, exposing the soaked fur under her eyes.

‘’Leave me alone.’’ She said as tears streamed down her face. Rail Wolf patted Seena on the shoulder.

‘’Now now, take it easy,’’ Rail Wolf replied in a comforting voice, ‘’I’m a friend. My name’s Sammy Rehonic. But all my friends call me Rail Wolf.’’

Seena looked into Rail Wolf’s eyes. She stopped crying and smiled.

‘’Thanks,’’ she said, ‘’I haven’t had anyone to talk to for years now. You see, I was dog-napped from my home in England. I came from a large family, and my owner’s just assumed that I was adopted by a new young child. In truth, I was brought to San Francisco and left on the streets. I’ve lived that way for fourteen years.’’

Rail Wolf sighed.

‘’I know how you feel. My parents died thirteen years ago.’’ He explained sadly.

Seena did a double take.

‘’What?’’ she questioned. Rail Wolf gave a deep and solemn sigh.

‘’I’ve never told anyone this, but they were killed in a