Venn, Zip, and Reed stood in the grand entryway of the old castle turned hotel. The three gazed around with an intense stare. Zip was between Venn and Reed, having the weakest sight of the trio.

"We got here waaay too late," Reed said quietly. "I don't like this at all. I expected us to be here before midnight."

Venn checked his pocket watch even though he had checked it right outside the door. "Almost one in the morning. Whatever is going on here will be in full swing."

Zip closed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. "Oh it is. Could you two shut up for a minute?"

With Reed and Venn falling into silence, Zip got a clear shot at hearing the psychic noise all around them. There was a lot of it. In the distance he could hear several different screams, whether they were pained or angry he couldn't tell. More closely, was a cruel laugh. That was drawing closer. There were several other faint noises, but he couldn't hear them clearly enough.

Zip opened his eyes and looked down the hallway. "There's more than one here, which we already knew. One of them is really close though. It's laughing at us. There's a few screaming farther off."

"MOVE!" Reed shouted, he shoved Zip into Venn.

Venn and Zip stumbled out of the middle of the room as Reed leaped back the opposite direction. A spirit flashed dangerously close to them. Burning cold shot up Zip's back from a small spot near his left hip.

Zip's left leg gave out suddenly. Venn caught him and held him steady. "You alright? Reed pushed you pretty hard."

Zip touched the small spot on his hip. It was barely bigger than a coin, but it felt cold as ice. "Yeah... I'm good. Just pulled a muscle I think." But he knew that was a lie. It was ghost touch. Nothing else burned so cold.

Venn kept a hold of him until Zip was stable on his feet. "You sure you're alright?"

Zip stepped away from Venn and reached into his pocket. "Yeah I'll be fine." His fingers sorted through the contents of the coat pocket. A watch, a pouch of emergency iron filings, and two adrenaline shots. He started to pull out one of the shots as Venn crossed carefully to Reed. He paused, two shots... If he took one and both Venn and Reed got ghost touched, one of them would die.

The shot dropped back into his pocket.

"Zip!" Reed called. "Did you see where it went?"

Zip turned and walked over to the other two, glancing around warily. "No I didn't. It came really close though. I think it's going to play with us."

Reed nodded. "That much is clear. Come on, let's go." He started off deeper into the castle. He led them toward the door at the end of the entry hall.

Zip took up the rear, limping slightly. He could feel the cold pain spreading down his leg, up his side, and around his back slowly. Reed gave a sharp cry and jerked back as he opened the door. He drew his rapier and swung it through a pale spirit, but not before it touched his shoulder.

The spirit vanished and Zip darted forward with one of the adrenaline shots. "I've only got two of these," he warned. "Tell us before you open the next door yeah?"

Reed winced as Zip injected the shot into his arm. "Yeah. Sorry."

They continued on more slowly until Venn stopped them in front of a door part way down the hall. The door had no markings on it at all. Simply solid mahogany with a gold handle.

"There's something in this room. Strong psychic glow coming under the door," Venn pointed at the floor. "Should we go in?"

Reed looked past Venn's shoulder for a moment. He nodded slowly. "Yeah. We're here to clear the place. If there's anything that might help us with that we go for it."

Zip put a hand on Venn's shoulder before he could open the door. He heard a soft rustling inside, like a skirt or a curtain. "There's something in there."

Venn glanced at Reed and raised an eyebrow. Reed nodded. He and Zip pressed themselves flat against the wall on either side of the door. Reed held his rapier ready while Zip had a salt bomb in his hand.

Venn drew his slender rapier and held it up. He checked again to make sure Zip and Reed were in position before he shoved the door open. He jumped back and swung his rapier as soon as it started to open. Lucky he did, because a ghost surged out the door. Zip threw his salt bomb at the ghost's feet.

The ghost screamed in rage as it burst apart from the explosion of salt as well as two rapiers being swung through it.

Venn slipped into the room first with Reed and Zip close behind. Zip moved much more slowly than before and leaned against the wall just inside the door. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the constant whispering that was all around him now. Hundreds of voices all competing for his attention. His eyebrows furrowed as he realized the ghost touch had crept up his torso a bit further. His whole left leg felt numb. The nerves had likely been almost totally blocked.

Zip opened his eyes again when Reed shook his shoulder gently. Reed looked worried. "Are you good?"

Zip shrugged and gestured vaguely around them. "As good as I can be with hundreds of voices whispering at me. There's still the screaming in the background too."

Venn leaped backwards with a curse. He started toward them, limping on his right leg. "Get out. A hand just reached out of the floor and grabbed my foot. There's no source in here, just that death glow. You got another shot on you Zip?"

Zip handed over the final shot as he stepped out of the room with Venn and Reed. "That's the last one. I meant to grab more but I couldn't find any."

Venn nodded. "That's alright. We'll just need to be extra careful now."

Zip opened his mouth, then felt suddenly cold. This cold wasn't only from his ghost touch. He shoved Reed and Venn back against the wall as a gust of wind flew at them. It caught Zip in the chest, throwing him down the hallway.

The maniacal laughter of the first spirit they had come across grew loud again. It hovered over Zip, reaching down. You're mine! it hissed.

A salt bomb exploded near Zip and the shower of salt made the spirit retreat a fair distance down the hall.

The intense cold had spread up Zip's entire left side, making it hard to breathe. He knew there was no hiding this from Venn. He shivered and closed his eyes, making no move to sit up.

He sensed Venn kneel down next to him and could tell Reed was standing facing the ghost. "Zip? You alright?"

Zip wanted to say he was fine, but knew Venn wouldn't buy it. Keeping his eyes closed, he reached across and pulled up the left side of his shirt. He didn't look to see how bad the ghost touch was. He could feel it affecting his lungs and freezing his bones, so he knew it was pretty serious.

Venn gasped. "Zip..." A burning hand touched the icy area, making Zip inhale sharply in pain.

"I can keep going," Zip said through gritted teeth. "I mean... if there's a powerful ghost here... I can draw it out." He finally opened his eyes and looked up at Venn with a resigned expression. "I'm already dead. If it gets me... consider it mercy."

Venn took a shaky breath, the broken look on his face made Zip regret not having mentioned it before. "We can probably still get you out. We might get to London fast enough."

Reed listened intently to their words, but didn't take his eyes off the ghost. It hadn't made any move toward them yet, but seemed to be searching for the perfect opening. "We aren't going to let you be ghost bait."

Zip shook his head and reached out a hand to Venn. "I wouldn't survive the trip back to London. If I can help here I will. If it means dying, fine. Help me up."

Reed glanced back for a second. "I'm calling it. We're leaving now. There is a chance you'll make it."

Venn hesitated, then took Zip's hand and stood, pulling the younger boy up. He supported Zip with an arm around his shoulders as Zip doubled over, struggling to regain full control of his breathing. The ghost touch was getting dangerously close to his heart.

He's mine... the spirit down the hallway said, sounding annoyed. He is mine.

Zip coughed and managed to straighten himself up, leaning heavily against Venn. "That must be the lead ghost... it wants me."

Venn scowled at the spirit. "You can't have him! He's ours!"

He's mine.

"It doesn't agree," Zip said, smiling faintly. "I'm a wanted agent."

"Darn right you are," Reed said, looking over. "Did that thing get you?"

Zip nodded. "All up my side. We need to get moving. We're on the clock here."

Reed grimaced and nodded. He pulled a flare from his belt. "Alright. I'm going to toss this and we run for the entry hall. The cab should still be waiting for us."

Venn turned his head to look at Zip. "You think you can run or should I carry you?"

Zip paused. "I wouldn't be fast..."

Venn bent over and picked Zip up with one arm going under his knees. Zip grimaced in pain and whined slightly. Venn adjusted his hold. "Sorry, sorry."

Reed chucked the flare at the ghost. It exploded into white fire. Before the fire and smoke had cleared, Venn and Reed were running. They made it into the entryway before the ghost shrieked, announcing it had reformed.

"You'll need another flare now," Zip said. His voice was quiet and weak. Really it was a miracle Reed had heard.

Another flare exploded behind them. Reed flung open the door and ushered Venn out past the iron line.

Zip shuddered from the cold and pressed himself into Venn. "We should have gone for the source... I won't make it."

"You don't know that," Venn said sharply.

Reed yanked open the cab door. Venn quickly put Zip into the middle seat before he climbed in and sat on the other side. Reed got in, telling the driver to make for a hospital and fast.

As they started moving, Zip gazed at the ceiling. He couldn't move his left leg, the left side of his chest barely moved with each breath, and now he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He put a hand to the ghost touch. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't bring himself to.

Venn pulled Zip close. The warmth felt good, but Zip knew it wouldn't help. Venn's heat did nothing to stop the constant shivers shooting through him, though they were getting weaker. "Hang in there, Zephyr..."

Zip's eyes slid closed. He felt his heart skip one beat, then two. "I c-can't... I'm sorry," he breathed.

He felt suddenly far away. He missed what Venn said, but felt the hand shaking his shoulder. He felt his head fall limp.

His heart gave out completely. With a shuddering gasp, Zip's life faded. Darkness spread across his already closed eyes. Just before he completely died he heard Venn say his name in a pleading tone.

Zip didn't try to reply. He followed the tug of his spirit. His body fell limp in Venn's arms.