AU: Happy Halloween!

Virgil paced beside Thunderbird 2 trying to hold back tears. "We have to get down there Scott, it's Gordon's life in danger! What happened down there?"

"We were walking along the old rails back to where we came down, and this creature leapt from the shadows and dragged Gordon down a tunnel," Zack held his wrist painfully. "Sorry."

"And you didn't go after him?"

"We don't know if there are more of these creatures, Virgil. I had to get Zack to safety."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this! If you're not going back down there, then I will."

"No, you're not!" Scott snapped. "You're taking the explorers to the nearest hospital. I'll go down there."

Alan stormed over overhearing the argument. "And I'm going down too. I saw something earlier."

Scott rounded on him. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You weren't the slightest bit interested, and when I told John, he didn't believe me either. So I called Kayo."

Almost on Alan's words, Shadow swooped down and landed neatly between the rocket and the transporter craft. Kayo leapt out and ran over to the boys.

"Who's going down there then?"

Scott raised an eyebrow. "And hello to you too."

Virgil shook his head. "I can't believe you let this happen, Scott."

Sam approached the group. "Hey, umm, sorry to interrupt, but I feel like I owe you guys for saving my brother. I want to help rescue yours."

Scott smiled. "That's very sweet, Sam, but I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"I don't mind, and we need the footage," Sam shrugged. "Besides, we're the ones who got your brother captured in the first place by coming here. It's the least I can do."

Virgil looked up at Thunderbird 2. "Scott, can you stay here with Zack? I'm going to get Gordon."

Kayo smiled at him. "I think that's a good idea, Scott."

Scott looked around at the group. "Fine. But please stay in contact?"

"FAB. Now let's go. Alan? Bring the first aid kit," Kayo put her helmet on and smiled at Alan who was suddenly looking worried.

"I'll add the cargo carrier onto the back of the Mole Pod, we're going to need it. Wait here," Virgil ran into the module and came back driving the Pod out, Kayo and Alan got into the carrier as Sam climbed into the backseat of the Mole.

"Take us down Virgil!" Alan called from the carrier.

"FAB, burrowing now. Sam, I need you to be my navigator. You know these tunnels better than I do."

"There was one to the right of the one we got stuck down, we should try down there."

Virgil nodded as he stabbed his foot down on the pedal. "If anything has happened to him…" He trailed off as he drove down the tunnel, the high beam of the Mole had shown him all he dreaded, spots of blood. "Come on baby, faster."

Kayo looked behind her as the tunnel entrance disappeared. "This can't go on forever, it's a mine shaft."

Alan nodded. "It's not that deep either. I just wish I had got a good look at that creature earlier," the Mole screeched to a halt and he fell against Kayo. "Sorry."

"Not a problem. Virgil, what's happening?" Kayo asked over the radio.

Virgil replied in a whisper. "There's something up ahead, a figure. It could be Gordon, or it could be the creature."

Kayo nodded. "Right, leave this to me," she stretched, then slithered out of the cargo box making sure not to make a sound as she padded her way forwards.

Suddenly, Sam's camera beeped and the figure whipped its head around to face them and screamed. It was a white ghostly Skincrawler. A horrible eerie sound cried from the gaping hole for a mouth, and its expressionless white glowing eyes pierced through the dim light. Kayo shot a tranquilliser dart at it and it launched itself at her. The Skincrawler grabbed her arm as it tumbled down a hole taking her with it, and Virgil leapt out of the Mole in terror.

"Kayo!"

Sam jumped down. "I think I know what that was. It's known as The Rake."

"The what?" Alan asked as he looked down the hole his best friend had fallen down.

"It's an ancient being. It's known to attack and sometimes take people and animals. It could have once been human, but that's all rumours and myths."

"We need to find Gordon, and Kayo," Virgil sighed unhappily. "Keep filming Sam, and use the night vision, it might come in handy."

Sam nodded. "Should we split up to find your girlfriend?"

Virgil chuckled lightly through his fear. "She's Scott's actually, so it's best not to tell him yet," he looked across to Alan who was slumped against the wall. "And no, I don't want Alan to be alone down here. We'll find Gordon first, together."

"But what about Kayo?" Alan asked quietly.

Virgil rubbed his shoulder. "We won't leave her, I promise. Come on, let's go down this way." He offered his brother his hand and pulled him up.

The trio trod carefully down the tunnel, and the walls closed around them slightly. Virgil looked down following more spots of blood. They turned a corner and heard sobbing from up ahead, Virgil gasped and took off at a sprint as Alan followed with Sam close behind him.

"Gordon, are you okay?" Virgil fell to his knees as he wrapped his arms around his brother. "Thank God."

"It attacked me. It tore at my back and dragged me here. We've got to get out of here Virgil, it wants to kill us, it said so," Gordon whimpered as he clutched Virgil's suit.

"It wants to kill? Kill who?"

"It just said it wouldn't leave until someone was dead."

Alan looked behind him and his face paled. "Kayo."

Gordon frowned. "What about Kayo?"

"Kayo went after it and it attacked her."

Scott's voice broke the silence of the tunnel through Virgil's sash. "Virgil, come in? What the hell is going on down there?"

"We've found Gordon, and we're returning to the surface."

"Good, hurry up. I want to get Zack to the hospital, this cut is nasty."

"FAB. Thunderbird 2 out."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Gordon asked as he stood up shakily.

"Because then he would come down, and it's too dangerous. Now, let's find Kayo."

"I'll go ahead with the night vision, that shaft is pitch black," Sam smiled. "Stay close guys. I won't film this for our horror episode, it would be disrespectful to your friend."

"Thanks, Sam. Keep a lookout guys, and be vigilant."

"Yeah, we'll be Virg-ilant," Gordon smirked and winked at Alan who laughed.

"Very funny. What a shame your humour wasn't injured," Virgil rolled his eyes as he watched Sam's screen. "Tread carefully, or we might go tumbling down as Kayo did."

They skidded their way down a tunnel as quietly as they could following the sound of tortured screams which gave everyone goosebumps.

"Virg, what's our plan to get that creature away from Kayo?" Alan asked in a whisper.

"Use me. I'm already covered in blood, it might want to finish the job," Gordon shrugged.

"Are you insane Gordon? There's no way I'm letting you do that."

"Trust me, big guy, I've come prepared," Gordon grinned at Virgil as he flicked a switchblade up.

Kayo struggled against the rope as the creature circled her. "I don't fear you, you're merely an image from my nightmares!" the Rake snarled, and Kayo laughed. "Just you try to touch me again, it'll be the last thing you do."

Gordon approached the collapsed tunnel and looked down at his bare chest. "I hope this works," he unravelled the bandage over his wound and exposed the blood which dripped down his back.

The Rake reared and spun on its heel sensing the blood and Kayo watched in horror as it fled from the tunnel. It ran out of the tunnel and its eyes fell on Gordon. Its mouth widened exposing sharp teeth, that glowed in the light from Sam's camera in the darkness. As it jumped at him, Gordon thrust his knife into its abdomen crippling it, and it fell to the ground lying still and silent. Virgil ran around the corner and knelt down next to Kayo who was holding her wrist.

"Virgil, how did you find me?"

"We followed the sound of struggles, and Gordon gave us some help," Virgil smiled as he examined Kayo's hands, before checking her for concussion. "Are you okay?"

"My wrist is sprained. That creature threw me down the shaft with it. How do we get out of here?" Kayo asked as Virgil squeezed her wrist tenderly feeling for the break and she winced.

"Sorry," Virgil smiled. "I'll set this properly for you. Come on, Alan will be happy to see you."

"Shut up. You always know how to tease me," Kayo smirked then gasped in pain as she was scooped up into Virgil's arms. "Is Gordon okay?"

"He's the one who tricked The Rake out."

"Is that what it's called?"

"Apparently," Virgil walked around the corner and smiled at the small group. "Kayo's fine. And that's all that's left of the creature."

"Well done, Gordon. You saved my life," Kayo smiled at Gordon then her eyes widened in shock. "You're bleeding!"

"I'll be alright, let's just get in the Mole and go home," Gordon held a new bandage to the cuts on his lower back.

The group made their way painfully back to the pod vehicle, and with a fast reverse, they got back to the surface. Scott ran down to the module with Zack to await their return. Sam was the first out and leapt into her brother's arms then gave him the camera.

"We got it. The Rake."

"No? That's fantastic! Oh, but are you okay?"

"It was terrifying, and we've all got scratches, but the footage is proof enough."

"What happened to the creature?"

Sam looked over to where Scott and Kayo were sharing a kiss and Virgil was redressing Gordon's injury. "It disappeared down one of the shafts, then we got out of there before anything else happened."

Scott walked over to them and gave Sam a tight hug. "You saved my girlfriend and brother. Thank you."

"I didn't really do anything. I just knew my way around the tunnels," she shrugged with a smile as her cheeks reddened.

"I better take Kayo home, she needs medical attention. It was great meeting you. Good luck with your hauntings."

Zack smiled. "Thanks, but I think we'll be avoiding any more mines for a while. Maybe some forest campouts are in order."

Thunderbird 1 took off and sped off into the sunset leaving Shadow and Thunderbird 2 on the ground. Alan leapt into Kayo's jet and took off with a wave to the hunters, he slid the roof back and called down to them.

"Hey guys, can I come along on the next adventure!"

Zack nodded. "Sure thing! It was great to meet someone else who loves the weird and wonderful as much as we do!"

"That's me in a nutshell. See you around!" Alan closed the roof and took to the skies.

Virgil smiled. "Let's get going, there's a hospital not far from here."

'Thank you, Virgil," Sam smiled. "Will Gordon be okay now?"

"Oh yeah, he'll be fine, he just needs rest," Virgil stepped up onto the lift with the ghost hunters. "Make yourself comfortable."

Sam looked around at the cockpit. "Wow. So this is Thunderbird 2? It's amazing."

"Thank you. Belt up, we're about to take off," Virgil smiled to himself then looked across to Gordon who had fallen asleep. He fired the VTOLs and Thunderbird 2 rose into the air. "ETA, thirty minutes."

Zack gasped in awe. "This is incredible."

"I'll say. What a craft. Is she yours, Virgil?"

"Yep. Gordon is my co-pilot, but I have full control, and ownership," he smiled then looked back at them. "I'm curious, what is your web series about?"

"We just call it Hunted. We get reports from people who write in about spooky encounters and stuff like that, then we go to those locations and see if we see anything ourselves," Zack got out his camera. "In retrospect, the Rake wasn't a great one. Especially since it almost killed us, but it was certainly interesting."

"We had a good experience in a haunted prison once. We had chills for weeks afterwards," Sam laughed. "We got great footage there too."

Thunderbird 2 banked, and the hospital came into sight below them. Virgil fired the VTOL engines again and landed. He stood up and the siblings followed him onto the platform.

"Say thanks to Gordon for us," Zack smiled, seeing that the other International Rescue operative hadn't woken up.

"Will do. Let's get you two inside and signed up," Virgil smiled back at them and the lift went down. The two walked through the doors and the reception workers grinned at the pilot. "International Rescue. These two have just been caught up in a mine, they're alright, they just need a check-up."

"We'll take it from here International Rescue, thank you very much."

"Thanks, Virgil, we owe you our lives," Zack shook Virgil's hand. "We would've died if you guys hadn't come."

Sam nodded then hugged him. "Thank you, Virgil. I hope Kayo gets better soon."

"Ha. Yeah, she'll be absolutely fine. I'm sure she's being smothered right now," Virgil smirked hugging her back. "It was great to meet you."

"And you. Oh, and Happy Halloween," she grinned.

"Is that the date?"

"Yep, October 31st last time I checked. That's why we wanted to check that mine out. Get some Halloween footage," Zack nodded. "Have a safe flight home, Virgil."

"Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your day, umm, if you can," Virgil added with a smile, then leaving the siblings in the safety of the hospital, went back to Thunderbird 2. He sat down in his chair and heard Gordon groan, "hey, you awake buddy?"

"I am now, why aren't we flying?"

"Cos it's Halloween and it's time for some tunes!" Virgil hit play on his phone and began to sing. "Boys and girls of every age. Would you like to see something strange!"

"Why me!" Gordon groaned as he fell back against his chair, then winced as his back touched the material, "you are my worst nightmare, Virgil!"

END