"K, the rifts are widening and we haven't even had so much as a sign that any actual summonings've been cast yet," Ray says. "The power massing on the other side is composed entirely of would-be armies of invasion, primarily greater servitor and lesser independent races. If we don't slam these things shut somehow then we're going to be overrun faster than a bucket of honey in the path of an army ant colony."

He steps forward and lowers his voice so only K and Venkman can hear.

"Dark Schneider there is capable of closing the rifts, even major ones, but he'd need three human sacrifices per rift to do it. All I'm asking for is one proton pack at a time. The others'll be in operation while I'm doing my work."

The first of the Children of Yig makes an appearance, hissing the sibilant syllables of a temperature-raising spell that can't quite take effect before one of the Danes cuts the snakeman down like a Christmas goose.

"I'm serious, guys."