Trick or Treat, Pt 7.

By Jill Weber

Big Guy and Rusty characters owned by Sony and Darkhorse and are used without permission or intent to make a profit.

"No, I am NOT going to wear a dress," Hunter said, glaring down at Jo.

"Aw, you'd look so cute!" Jo protested between push-ups. She looked up and caught Hunter's dirty look. "Another ten?" she inquired brightly.

"Just keep going until I say stop," Hunter told her. The lieutenant glared at the other two members of the Pit Crew. "Any *helpful* suggestions?"

"How about dressing up as Big Guy?" Jo said.

Hunter just gave her another dirty look.

"You could wear your flight suit," Garth said mildly from behind his test equipment.

"You and Slate both," Mack added. "You'll be together, anyway, might as well have matching costumes."

Slate looked at Hunter. "That might work," she said.

Hunter shook his head. "Jeffy won't let me get away with dressing in my everyday outfit," he pointed out. "And I'll bet Rusty will be just as picky."

Slate opened her mouth to object, but then had to acknowledge the truth of Hunter's statement.

"You could always add a few frills," Jo said from the floor. "Instead of pilots you could be something like Ghostbusters!"

Hunter frowned down at her. Then nodded slowly. "Okay, you can stop," he said.

Jo bounced to her feet. "And we have just the accessories that you need!" She did the 'game show hostess' wave towards Garth. "Sergeant Williams, tell the nice folk... and the lieutenant... what they've won!"

Hunter didn't even have time to make a face at Jo when Garth pulled out something that looked like a backpack with a long rod attached.

"Here's the gremlin zapper that you asked for," Garth said. He aimed away from everybody and pulled the trigger. The rod started glowing purple and purple sparks danced along the long rod with joyous abandon. "Some static electricity. Showy, but harmless... except to Gremlins, of course."

Jo walked over and touched the glowing rod. Her hair stood out on end and she grinned. "Of course, Slate could always go as Bride of Frankenstein," she said.

"Don't even go there," Hunter said, shaking his head. (After all, if Slate was the *Bride* of Frankenstein, what would that make him?) "Okay, I guess that takes care of both the costume and the Gremlin Zapper. Have we forgotten anything?"

***

Meanwhile, in his prison, Dr. Neugogg was making an interesting discovery. 'Well, what do you know?' he thought. 'I don't need the codes to the locks after all. I can just manipulate the electron flow and open them directly!' He chortled. 'But first, I'll just poke around a little more and see if I can find the identity of that pilot...'