For a few seconds there was silence, apart from Andy, Lynda and Flask's fast breathing. Michael's by contrast of course was totally steady, calm. "You!" Andy snapped at Flask. "Sugar Bowl, Teapot, Cups, Milk Jug or whatever the fuck your stupid name is! You've got one chance to help us! You haven't threatened or attacked any of us and from what Laurie told us, you didn't threaten or attack her or Tom. That's probably why you're still alive right now unlike your… unfortunate colleagues. So listen up! You're going to help us or we won't stop a damn thing from happening to you!"

Flask swallowed audibly. "How? What can I do?"

"There's a young woman bleeding and badly hurt somewhere down here, you're going to help me find her." Andy very slowly turned to face Michael. "Mr Myers," he took a steadying breath. "I… I don't know what's happened between you and Laurie tonight, but… that's still your wife down here! I will go with this guy and find her, if…" he swallowed. "If you can't. If… this thing is preventing you or you're too angry hey man that's ok, leave it with us."

"I'd shut up while you're alive," Flask warned. Andy looked up and saw Michael was glaring directly at him, deadly fury in his eyes through his mask. "Yeah ok," Andy raised his hands and stepped back. "Just an offer." Myers' eyes were fixed on Flask and Andy shivered. It was clear he didn't trust him anymore than Andy did and whatever had made Michael so angry also meant he wouldn't hesitate to strike if necessary. Flask seemed to have realised this very thing too because he nodded to the killer.

"Did you see which way she went?" Andy asked him bluntly.

"No," Flask shook his head and Andy saw he was shaking. He couldn't blame him either, he was terrified too. "I… I wasn't watching."

Andy smiled but without humour. "Hardly surprising when your colleagues have their throat slit and abdomen slashed open."

Flask gave him a sickened look. "Precisely."

The two men walked back to the tractor and its now righted train. Andy glanced over his shoulder and saw Myers following them still in absolutely no hurry. Without meaning to, he caught Flasks' eye and knew they were both thinking the same thing. This guy is fucking terrifying!

"Ok," Andy said, taking charge. "We take the tractor and look for her." He was just about to get into the tractor when this time it was he who was grabbed by the shoulders and spun to face Myers. Flask looked as if he'd like nothing better than to get the hell out of there and again Andy couldn't blame him. He looked up into the masked killer's ice cold gaze. I'm friends with his wife, he thought, this going round and round his head like a mantra. I'm friends with his wife, so I'm safe, I'm safe… right?

"M… Mr. Myers," Andy's voice shook and he made no attempt what so ever to hide it, it was far too late for that. The killer's cold gaze didn't leave Andy's face even as his breathing remained calm. Then to Andy's shock, the killer raised a message to his eye level, consisting of five words.

You agreed to do this.

"Huh?" Andy stared back at Myers, trying not to quake under that deadly glare. "She made the decision Mr. Myers, it wasn't my call to stop her. You know Laurie," in spite of the situation he was in, Andy Markaz smiled affectionately. "She doesn't let anyone stop her!" The killer's glare didn't soften, but Andy this time held the other man's gaze. He knew he had to, for Laurie's sake as much as his own.

Perhaps I should rephrase. You were with her when she asked to go. I blame you; I blame Townsend, but above all I blame her! Surely she told you what happened between us?

Andy nodded, there was no way in hell he was going to lie. "Yeah, but it's not our call to stop her Sir, if she wants to go, that's her call. None of us had any idea she'd be in… this much danger. Also, no disrespect, but Laurie's your wife not mine. If you wanted her to come home so damn badly, where the fuck were you?" WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? BACK CHAT TO Michael Myers? FUNERAL COSTS NOT INCLUDED! "Don't put this one on me or Tom. It's neither of our faults. Have you any idea how annoyed Laurie would be if she heard you talking like that?"

Michael raised an ice cold eyebrow and Andy thought he might be about to have a heart attack, as this time it was his neck Myers knife rested against.

…

Laurie had no idea where she was, as she crouched in a pitch black tunnel. She was starting to feel slightly dizzy and could only hope some kind of help would arrive soon, even if it was her death. How much blood had she lost? Her shoulder too felt as though someone was taking a hammer to it every five seconds and running was becoming increasingly more difficult. She was just thankful she'd had the foresight to grab Tom's bag from the train. Opening it now she took out one of the bottles of water and took a carefully controlled sip. Drinking it too fast could prove a very bad idea.

Leaning against the wall in her sitting position, she couldn't stop her thoughts going back to Michael. What on earth would happen between them now? Could they ever resolve this, get past whatever had made him so angry at her? Not that she had to think too hard about what that might be, she'd put herself in danger not once but twice, and perhaps this was the only way Michael knew to deal with his worry, by killing people. She smiled humourlessly. At least he'd only killed the ones responsible for hers and Tom's danger, so far… Reaching into the bag again, she pulled out the clean cloth which Tom hadn't used on the gravestone and used it as a bandage, winding it tightly around her bleeding cheek. She couldn't run any further for now, she needed a brief rest. It wasn't as if a killer was catching up with her.

Yet.

…

Andy's whole body went weak and he slumped to the ground. Myers grabbed his jacket and yanked him back to his feet, the knife steady against his neck. Andy looked up into the killer's eyes and felt certain he was in a nightmare, he had to be. Right? But he knew he wasn't and didn't dare close his eyes even for a second to check. "I'm serious," somehow he found his voice. "She absolutely bit Tom's head off when he dared to suggest you would be angry if she didn't get home safely on his watch. Called it damn right sexist. Said she was your wife, not your possession," he couldn't help smiling again even given his current situation as he remembered Laurie's indignation. "Believe me Mr. Myers, your wife is no pushover."

But you still agreed to this and didn't even try to persuade her otherwise.

"Mr. Myers," Andy's voice was soft now. "Listen to me man, please! She wanted to go home to you so badly, but was terrified of doing so in case you weren't there. That was her biggest fear, she said she needed the distraction. She was heartbroken, all she wanted was you. Yes she told us some of what was said and she felt terrible about it! All she wanted was to explain and fix things between you. But shit man, she's scared of you! No sin there, we all fucking are! She was heartbroken and almost crying when she was talking to us. You could've found her, I'm almost certain of this. How else would you know she was down here tonight? We all know you have… abilities which aren't human."

That last was kind of obvious, wouldn't you say?

"Perhaps," Andy nodded. "But right now she's running from you, absolutely terrified and she's hurt! Are we going to stand here talking, or are we looking?"

"Mr… Mr. Myers," Flask piped up. "If you want to blame anyone Sir, blame me. I'm part of the gang who endangered her and Mr. Townsend, it's not… it's not Andy's fault it's ours." Andy stared at the other man, feeling a grudging respect. Carton or whatever the fuck his name was had balls, that much was clear. The killer's cold gaze turned on him, but the other man stood his ground.

I will deal with you later.

Flask took a deep breath and nodded. "That's fair Sir."

Myers looked back at Andy, the knife still against his neck. Their eyes locked. "Listen Mr. Myers," this time Andy didn't cower back. "I love Laurie to pieces, she's one of my best friends. I would never, ever willingly put her in danger and I'll tell you something else, she fucking adores you! She'd do anything for you, anything in the world! I know that just from the times she's spoken about you! Even tonight she was on your side! Even when Katie totally flipped out and told her she was no friend of hers, she made it very clear where her loyalties are and Mr. Myers they're with you! You're her husband man, she fucking loves you! She was heartbroken when you argued tonight and all she wanted was to be with you! It was only the fear you wouldn't be there or that you were still angry which stopped her going home! Also no offence, but if I was your wife and you looked at me the way you just looked at Laurie, I'd be fucking running too!" He could've sworn even Flask nodded. After a second Andy dared to look over at him, Myers knife still unmoving from his neck. "Go and look, please," he pleaded now. "Take the tractor and look, keep calling if you have to. Please man, get her back here." Again Andy's and Flask's eyes locked and they seemed to understand each other. Do that and it might just save your life. As far as Andy was concerned, he wasn't going anywhere while being held at lethal knife point. "Listen Mr. Myers," his voice was now gentle as he actually touched Myers' arm. "You know Laurie, she's a strong willed and stubborn woman! Given that, you know better than any of us if we hadn't gone with her she'd have just gone alone. Do you really think we were going to let that happen? Over my dead body!"

Andy, Flask and Lynda all heard it when Michael sighed softly and slowly, his knife left Andy's neck. Andy stood his ground though and didn't cower away as he was sure many would've done. "She loves you," he murmured.

Lynda finally spoke up, perhaps because the imminent danger to her boyfriend's life had passed for now. "I even asked her if she was just doing this to be… reckless. I won't lie, she was really upset when you walked away from the ambulance, and I wondered if she was doing it to… I don't know, show you that she could fight back."

They were certain they heard Michael sigh again, before the knife finally slipped into his belt. When Andy looked back into his face, his gaze was still blank, emotionless, but a lot of the anger had left it. "Good work," Lynda mouthed to him. Andy shook his head. He wasn't trying to be a hero, he didn't hate Michael Myers and wanted to respect him as Laurie's husband. Flask took another step towards the tractor. "I'll get moving," he said quietly.

…

A few minutes later, Laurie struggled to her feet. What the damn hell are you doing? You're not some fucking damsel in distress waiting for your handsome prince or your pumpkin coach! Get moving! Running from Michael isn't going to fix a damn thing, if you want to be with him so bad then go to him damn it! Of course he's angry, you've done some damn reckless and maybe even stupid stuff tonight!

She knew her internal voice was right, so tightening the bandage further around her face, she started slowly walking, wincing as agony shot through her clearly dislocated shoulder. She just hoped dislocated was all it was, not broken. Christ, I hope I can find them again, I wasn't thinking about where I was going, I just ran in panic! Soon however she found the pain in her shoulder was so bad, she had to crawl. Her left arm hung uselessly at her side, good for nothing except swinging which it did whether she wanted it to or not, and fuck it hurt! Please any God out there let me find them soon, because I can't do this much longer! She kept crawling.

…

"Look!" Lynda's exclamation made Andy and Flask look up. Slowly as if in unbearable pain, Laurie was crawling up the tunnel towards them. Her face was bandaged with a cloth and she was carrying Tom's bag over her good shoulder. Blood was staining the cloth and she clearly hadn't seen them, because she was weakly blowing a safety whistle for help. The sight and sound tugged at Andy's heart, Lynda's too judging by her expression. They saw Laurie see her husband and her face turn pale with fear. But before any of the other three could move, Michael had and had lifted Laurie up into his arms. She blinked for a second, dazed, then her eyes slowly rested on his masked face. She opened her mouth but seemed unable to speak, or unsure what to say. Andy didn't blame her.

"Flask," he said, this time using the man's given name, he'd earned his albeit grudging respect. "Bring the tractor and train over here can you?" Flask nodded and jogged over to it, climbing onto the tractor and driving it back to them. While he did that, Michael gently removed the safety whistle from Laurie's mouth and the cloth from her face to look at her cheek wound.

"Doesn't look like the bullet entered," Andy said, also looking closely. "Shit you were lucky!"

"Fucking, feels, like it did," Laurie said through gritted teeth. "Jesus it fucking hurts!"

That was when Michael tightened his arms further around her so her head was against his shoulder, before leaning in and taking her lips in a soft, gentle kiss. Lynda blinked back tears; Andy smiled. Flask returned with the tractor and immediately Michael lifted his wife into the train and sat at her side, still holding her tightly. Andy and Lynda took the seats behind them, not caring they had blood on them, it was their friend's blood and he hadn't deserved any of this.

"Go Flask," Andy nodded, as he and Lynda belted themselves in, watching affectionately as Michael did Laurie's belt before his own. Flask nodded and pushed the throttle lever forward, once more driving them back towards the light and the exit.

…

"I knew I should've adopted you as my daughter after you called me mom," Laurie looked up at the sound of the voice and smiled faintly. It was Tracey, the paramedic who'd treated her just hours before. "What have you been up to now?"

This time, Michael carried her into the ambulance, Lynda at her other side and laid her on the bed himself. Laurie couldn't help looking desperately at him, terrified he would walk away again. But he just knelt beside the small bed and Lynda blinked back tears as he actually breathed, "shh," before taking her hand in his.

Tracey saw Laurie's wedding ring. "If you have a good husband or boyfriend you're lucky," she smiled at Laurie. Mine is amazing."

"As is mine," Lynda smiled back.

"Right then you," Tracey turned to Laurie fully and looked at her shoulder. "What happened here?"

"I…" Laurie hissed with pain as she spoke. "I got hit with… a crowbar." A short way away, Andy and Flask were in conversation with two uniformed police officers. "This," Laurie gestured at her cheek, "was a very near miss from a bullet."

Tracey tutted sympathetically, then slipped a biting tool into Laurie's mouth. "Just can't stay out of trouble can you? This is going to hurt sweetheart, I'm sorry."

"Please don't?" Laurie begged. "I can't…"

"If I don't hon," Tracey took her other hand. "It'll only get worse and may quite possibly break. Right now it appears to be only dislocated, and if I do this now it'll heal a lot smoother, trust me?"

"Do I… have a choice?" Laurie said through gritted teeth and winced. Lynda came up on her other side and laid a hand on the top of her head.

"Bite down on the tool," Tracey instructed, sounding more like a mother than ever. "This is going to hurt."

She wasn't wrong. As she set about resetting Laurie's shoulder, Laurie screamed in pain against the biting tool and felt Michael squeeze her hand. She squeezed his back as hard as she could, but of course he didn't even flinch.

"FUCK!" Laurie howled as with a loud 'CLICK!' Her shoulder popped back in. "Jesus Christ!"

"There we go," Tracey smiled. "All done. Now just take a minute."

Laurie was gasping for breath, as Lynda lovingly stroked her sweat soaked hair off her face. "You're braver than I am," she smiled at her best friend. "I'd have fallen off that bed I think!"

"Fuck that hurt," Laurie was deathly pale. "Anyone got any water?"

"Right here sweetheart," Tracey said as Lynda held an ice cold bottle of it to her lips. Laurie took several sips then slumped back, regaining some but not all of her colour.

"Better?" Tracey and Lynda said together.

"Kind of," Laurie muttered. Now the adrenaline was finally fading she was beginning to feel exceptionally sleepy. "Can I please just go home? I don't want to go to hospital again."

"I can understand that," Tracey nodded. "Let me just have a quick look at your cheek and then I think you should be fine to go home."

"Andy can drive us," Lynda nodded, gesturing towards Andy's car. As she looked back at Laurie and their eyes met, both girls knew immediately they were thinking exactly the same thing. What on earth are Andy and Flask telling the cops? It'll have to be good…

…

"So, you're telling us that two of your colleagues turned on each other?"

Flask nodded. "All got a bit… ugly. They threatened the guy who owns this and many other horror attractions, he was down here tonight and they assaulted him with a crowbar."

"So you were obviously with them to know this? You were watching them too?"

Flask took a deep breath and nodded. Andy felt another rush of respect for him. "He didn't touch them though," Andy clarified. "It was only the other two who did. One's down with a slit throat and the other…" he looked away.

"They both had knives," Flask said. "My second colleague who's known as 'Box'," he saw the officers exchange looks. "Had his throat cut by the other, known as 'Jars.' Jars cut Box's throat first and as Box fell, he slashed Jars with his knife and cut his stomach open as he died. I have the knives here." Flask opened his bag and showed the officers two huge knives which were covered in blood. Hopefully they wouldn't find out the blood was in fact Townsend's before they could prove their story. "They also had guns," he continued. "My friend here gave them to you." He nodded at Andy who'd done just that, knowing full well the cops wouldn't find his DNA on either of the triggers just the handgrips. Andy had been very careful not to touch the triggers for precisely this reason.

"We'll have to get a team down there soon as," one cop said to the other who nodded. "You know you'll quite possibly be charged as an accessory to attempted or even murder, Mr. Townsend could die from his injuries and you were there," Andy felt his heart contract with fear at these words. Townsend couldn't die, he just couldn't. "Even if as you say as do you," he shot a glance at Andy. "That you didn't touch him?"

Flask nodded. "I understand, I'll come in voluntarily, no need to arrest me."

"Fine," the cop nodded and gestured towards their squad car. Without a word, Flask walked over and got into the back. Andy stared after him. Is he genuinely sorry, or is he just doing this to save his own life after coming face to face with Michael Myers? Not that I could blame him either way mind! If he is truly sorry, then fair fucking play to you man! "Can I go," he asked the other cop after a moment. "Please? I'm so tired and I want to get these guys back home and get to bed."

Slowly, the cop nodded. "Yes, but we will be in touch later today for more details and information. The hospital said they would keep you updated on Mr. Townsend's progress?" Andy nodded. "Ok, then yes, go home. It would appear you, Miss Van Der Klok and Miss Strode were all very brave down there this evening."

Andy shrugged. Or stupid. "Thanks officer." Without another word, he started to walk away.

…

An hour later, Andy dropped Laurie and Michael off outside her house and both he and Lynda hugged her tightly. "Speak later babe, ok?" She nodded; grateful both had been mindful of her shoulder injury. "Night babe I love you," Lynda murmured in Laurie's ear. "I'll call later if you don't first."

As Andy and Lynda drove off, Laurie opened their front door and she and Michael entered. As she flicked on the light, she saw Michael was once again looking at her and despite his loving treatment towards her in the ambulance the second time, he was now glaring at her once more. This time though, she could see something within his look other than pure anger. Emotion. she still took an involuntary step backwards; Michael was terrifying when he looked at her that way. This time though she wasn't running anywhere, she would let him say whatever he needed to. Unsure if her shaking legs would support her weight for much longer, she sank onto the sofa just as Michael raised his notebook and showed Laurie the four words everyone dreads when they see. Blunt, without preamble.

We need to talk.