Just the Way You Are

“Order! Order in my courtroom!” The judge banged his gavel repeatedly, but the uproar that had ensued was deafening. Only the people in the front of the courtroom even heard him, and half of them weren’t listening. The fighting continuntilntil several bailiffs and police officers arrived to break it up.

The Ghostbusters looked around at the mayhem. Egon frowned darkly. Peter sighed heavily. Ray stared in slack-jawed bewilderment. Winston shook his head dejectedly. This scene did not bode well for their future. Their “supporters” may very well have just put them out of business by starting a violent altercation with the people who were calling them frauds. The judge’s patience was already wearing very thin, and this was not going to help things at all.

The bailiff that had pulled Janine to safety ushered her over to where the guys were gathered away frhe fhe fray. Egon placed a protective arm around her and nodded his thanks to the bailiff. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Egon stroked her back and looked back at the fray, frowning down his nose at the combatants. Janine looked into each of their eyes and her own eyes suddenly welled with tears. She could see it in every one of their faces. It was over.

Four years after the Gozer case was closed, some lazy bureaucrats had decided that the city could save itself a lot of money by getting rid of outside contracts, such as the Ghostbusters. It was also a chance to pull in a little extra cash for New York City by making the destruction of the Ivo Shandor building out to be their fault. Insurance didn’t cover demonic acts, but it certainly covered sabotage. Forget about the fact that they didn’t conjure Gozer, nor did they beg on hands and knees for that pencil-necked, dickless asshole Walter Peck to shut down the containment unit and level the firehouse. Justice wasn’t always as blind as she should be. Sometimes she peaked out from under that blindfold of hers just long enough to screw a handy scapegoat.

After much chaos and several arrests, order was restored. The Ghostbusters and Janine reclaimed their seats and waited patiently for the judge’s decision.

The judge cleared his throat. “Dr. Venkman, Dr. Spengler, Dr. Stantz, Mr. Zeddemore, Ms. Melnitz. se sse stand.” They all obeyed. “Gentlemen and lady, we have heard your arguments and we have heard the people’s arguments. You stand accused of the unlawful destruction of private property and the rendering of fraudulent services to the community at large. The burden of proof stands to the people to prove without a shadow of a doubt that you are guilty of these charges. I don’t feel that they have done this.”

There was another eruption of noise: cheers from the Ghostbusters’ supporters, and rather “colorful” words from their opponents. “Order! Order I said! One more interruption and I will clear this courtroom and issue more arrests!” Everyone quickly quieted down. “As I was saying, the District Attorney has not been able to prove without a doubt that you are guilty, but you have also not been able to prove your innocence. Therefore, this is my decision. No criminal charges will be brought against you, but I cannot allow you to cnue nue to practice your Ghostbusting efforts. I’m sorry, gentlemen, miss. For the good of the public, I am issuing a judicial restraining order prohibiting you from any further paranormal investigation. Ever.”

“What?!?!”

“You can’t close down the Ghostbusters!!”

“For the good of the public?!? They’re the only ones who can keep us safe from these things!”

“They saved my kids’ lives last year! They saved all our lives! This is how ya repay ‘em, ya hack!”

This was from their supporters. There was much rejoicing from their opponents. Janine let her tears spill over freely, and a photographer took a picture of her that would be on the front page of the New York Times in the morning. The guys stood in utter shock. The bailiffs cleared out the courtroom before the chaos had a chance to begin again. Only Janine, the Ghostbusters, and the D. A. were allowed to remain.

“Your honor, may I speak?”

The judge sighed. “Yes, Dr. Venkman.”

“Please don’t do this. We haven’t done anything wrong. The supernatural entities that plague this city will know that we’re out of business.”

“You and your colleagues are the only plague in this city,” the D.A. muttered hotly. Peter ignored him.

“I can assure you, sir, that if you close us down, there’ll be pandemonium.”

“Dr. Venkman, is that a threat?” the D.A. drawled.

“No, counselor. It’s a fact! Your honor, we’re the only buffer that keeps them in line. Putting us out of business will be like Christmas to them. I don’t want to see what will happen to this city if that happens.”

The judge frowned. “Dr. Venkman, my decision is final.”

“Then we won’t be held responsible for the consequences of your decision,” Egon announced acerbically.

The judge sighed tiredly. “That’s just a chance the city, county and state of New York will have to take, Dr. Spengler. Case closed.”

And with a bang of his l, tl, the Honorable Marvin Lange undid everything they’d worked so hard to create. Ghostbusting in New York was dead.