As Wheeler, Turmagar and Tygra started to leave the large chamber after their battle with one of Spidera's children, Wheeler started to remember a time when the group was still back home on Earth after their latest victory against Dr. Blight back in Florida about a year and a half after all becoming Planeteers. While Wheeler was remembering, the others were looking at him with a confused look in their faces.
"Wheeler my friend are you alright?" Turmagar asked as they continued to track the readings.
"Huh …what.. Yea…I'm OK…Sorry about spacing out like that." Wheeler responded.
"If you don't mind me asking, what were you thinking about Wheeler?" Tygra asked.
"I was just remembering a time back on Earth after we all became Planeteers about a year and a half ago." Wheeler responded.
"What brought up these memories my friend?" Turmagar asked.
"I guess being in this place sort of reminded me of the time when I did something very special for my friends when we were all in Florida during a completed mission." Wheeler stated.
"Could you please tell us about it my friend?" Tygra asked.
"Yes maybe talking about these memories may explain why you are having them right now and it could help pass the time until we get to the others." Turmagar stated.
"Besides, I am also curious about what you and your friends did for fun back on your planet anyway." Tygra added.
"All right you both have a deal, just please lets hurry and find the others and I'll tell you what happened." Wheeler said.
"Deal." Both Turmagar and Tygra said at the same time.
As the group continued their journey deeper into Spidera's kingdom to find the others, Wheeler started to tell his tale about what happened after the Planeteers stopped Dr. Blight with her computerized friend MEL and the Blight Power Plant from creating a out of control Greenhouse effect on the Earth's ozone layer.
As the Planeteers finished laughing with the President after the little joke that Kwami made about solar energy, Wheeler quietly moved out of the range of the others to secretly contact Gaia.
"Gaia, can you hear my thoughts?" Wheeler started to think.
After a moment, Gaia the Spirit of the Earth and the Planeteer's closest thing to a mother appeared before him in her ghostly form.
"Yes Wheeler, what is the problem?" Gaia asked.
"There is no problem Gaia, I was just thinking about doing something special for the rest of the team and I wanted to get your approval first." Wheeler stated.
"Wheeler, what are you planning?"
"Everyone is completely exhausted from the ordeal with Blight and Cap said that he needed a major recharge, so I figured that we could do something fun to take our minds and bodies off of what happened here today."
"That does sound like a good idea, what do you have in mind?"
"It is near Halloween and a theme park is having a special event going on from now to the beginning of November, so I figured that I get everyone tickets for the event and just have some fun."
"That does sound like a good idea Wheeler, but why tell me and not the rest of the team?"
"I want it to be a surprise for them. I know that they sometimes think of me as a none caring jerk but I want to do something that changes their minds about me."
"How are you going to get these tickets for this event?"
"My mom called me up before our mission to ask if I wanted to go and to see if the others would like to go as well. I'll just call her up and my parents will pay for the tickets for the group."
"I just hope that your folks can afford them."
"They can, besides I've been sending them a little now and then from our missions just to help out."
"In that case Wheeler, your idea is a go, and please tell the others to have a good time."
"Thanks Gaia, you're the best." Wheeler said as Gaia's form disappeared from sight.
After Gaia left, Wheeler took out his cell phone and called his mother to arrange everything at the ticket booth. Now all he has to do is to pilot the others to the theme park for a good evening of fun.
As Wheeler finished his call, he started to walk back towards the others while they were all outside the Geo Cruiser and Eco-Copter.
"What took you so long Yankee?" Linka asked.
"Yes my friend, we were about ready to leave without you." Kwami added.
"Sorry about that guys, but Gaia just told me that we have another mission that we need to take care of right away." Wheeler responded.
"Another mission? But we just got done with this mission." Gi stated.
"Calm down Gi it shouldn't take too long." Ma-Ti stated.
"I agree." Kwami added. "So where are we going for this mission Wheeler?"
"That is kinda hard to explain." Wheeler started to say. "I'll have to punch in the destination on the computers on both the Eco-Copter and the Geo Cruiser."
"Yankee, can you please just tell us where we are going?" Linka asked.
"Sorry Babe, this was from Gaia and she only wanted me to know." Wheeler responded.
"If it is from Gaia, then we all understand." Ma-Ti stated as the rest nodded their heads.
"Thanks guys." Wheeler started to say as he programmed the destination into both the Eco-Copter and Geo-Cruiser. "Kwami, why don't you Linka and Ma-Ti take the Copter, Gi and I will take the Cruiser."
The rest of the team was almost in shock, normally Wheeler would take this opportunity to spent some quality time with Linka but instead he wanted to spend it with Gi. Now the team knew that this had to be part of the mission that he got from Gaia.
"Ok my friend." Kwami stated as he, Ma-Ti and Linka entered the Copter and started to take off leaving Wheeler and Gi to leave in the Geo-Cruiser.
"All right Wheeler." Gi started to say as they both sat at the pilot and co-pilot seats. "What is going on here and why are you being so secretive?"
"Trust me Gi you and the others will like what will happen next just please don't ask any questions until we arrive." Wheeler said as he started to pilot the Cruiser towards the coordinates that he programmed earlier.
As both vehicles were traveling through the air, Wheeler's cell phone started to ring distracting Gi from her Co-Pilot duties.
"Wheeler your phone is ringing?" Gi stated.
"Thanks Gi." Wheeler said as he answered it." Everything is set? Thanks for everything. I'll tell you how it went later." Wheeler finished as he ended the call.
"What was that all about Wheeler?" Gi asked.
"Just a little final check before our mission could begin." Wheeler responded as both the Geo Cruiser and the Eco Copter started to land on a very high parking structure of some sort.
As both vehicles came to a complete and safe landing, Kwami and his team exited the Copter as Wheeler and Gi exited the Cruiser.
"All right Wheeler, now please tell us what our mission is from Gaia." Kwami asked.
"Just as soon as we enter the area, then I will explain Gaia's mission to all of us." Wheeler responded.
"Yankee, you are driving the rest of us crazy with this mission from Gaia and why did she only tell you about it is completely weird."
"Trust me babe, you won't be sorry."
"We all trust you my friend, but this is a little strange, even for you." Kwami stated as they all started to follow Wheeler down a few flights of stairs.
After going down the stairs and coming to a security checkpoint, the group then continued to follow Wheeler while looking up at some signs that started to catch their eyes.
"Wheeler, do you know what those signs mean?" Kwami asked while looking at the Halloween Horror Nights signs.
"As a matter of fact I do Kwami, that is part of the mission from Gaia."
"Yankee,you better tell us what is going on here or we will turn around right now." Linka said as the whole team stopped dead in their tracks.
"All right guys." Wheeler said while looking at his friends. "This was supposed to be a surprise for all of you but I guess I will have to explain it right now."
"Explain what and what surprise are you talking about my friend?" Kwami asked.
"This whole mission was a fake, Gaia didn't tell me about it, I asked her about it."
"WHAT!?" The rest of the team said.
"This is my surprise for all of you, a night full of fun and frights here in Orlando Florida. I just wanted to do something for the team to help us relax and recover from our latest mission."
"Wheeler my friend, why didn't you tell us all of this before?" Kwami asked.
"Cause I know how you all think of me and I wanted to do something special for the team."
"Yankee, you know that you didn't have to keep this a secret from us." Linka started to say. "We all could use a little time to have some fun."
"But how did you pay for the tickets for this event?" Gi asked
"My mom asked me about it before our last mission and I wanted to share it with my family so she helped me arrange everything."
Both Gi and Linka said nothing and just walked over and gave Wheeler a great big hug followed by both Kwami and Ma-Ti.
"Now that we are here, let us all have a good time." Kwami stated as the group separated from their hug and walked towards the entrance to the theme park.
After a brief walk the group finally arrived at the front gate of the theme park. The entrance to the theme park was beyond a yellow/brownish archway with big letters above the arch.
"Guys and gals, welcome to Universal Studios Orlando and get ready for the most frightful night of our lives." Wheeler stated as they all entered the park and walked over to the ticket booth to get their passes for the park's main event.
As Wheeler was about to continue with his story, he was stopped by the noise coming from the tracking device inside Spidera's underground chambers.
"Looks like I will have to continue this story later on guys." Wheeler stated as they started to close in on the next reading.
"I am looking forward to hearing what happens next." Tygra stated.
"As am I my friend." Turmagar also added. "But right now we have to save our friend from that cocoon." He finished as they all saw another web cocoon about a few feet right in front of them.
"Hold up a sec you two." Wheeler stated as both Tygra and Turmagar stopped right away.
"What is it Wheeler?" Tygra asked.
"Tygra, you are the smartest one of the Thundercats so you should know that we might be walking into another trap right now." Wheeler stated.
"He's right my Thundercat friend, this is almost looking too easy for us." Turmagar added.
Both Wheeler and Turmagar's hunches were dead on target, cause unbeknownst to the small group the cocoon that was keeping another one of their friends captive was being protected by not one but by four giant spiders just as large as the one the small group encountered earlier. These spiders were ordered by their mother to protect this very important source of food from all intruders and to attack anyone that came within range of it. Even though Spidera can't move around a lot she does however have a special link between herself and all of her children. It is this link that alerted the queen to the intruders from before and what was happening right now deep within her kingdom. Through her link, she then ordered the bravest of her children to protect their newly captive food sources until they can all feast on them, except for a special food source in her own private chamber, but she wasn't prepared for this intruder and his so called bag of tricks. Now that she knows what to expect from the small group, she ordered her children to attack them without any delay and to make sure that no one escapes alive.
"Wheeler, you seem to be an expert on figuring out certain traps, why is that?" Tygra asked as the group stopped a mile away from the cocoon.
"It was the way I was brought up in my hometown when I was a lot younger and before I met the Plantteers." Wheeler started to respond. "Some of the skills from back then are still good for situations just like this."
"There must be a way to save the captive without triggering the trap." Turmagar asked.
"Or maybe we should trigger it." Tygra stated.
"I think that I follow your reasoning Tygra." Wheeler started to say. "If one or two of us enters the trap and sets it off then we will have a surprise in reserve."
"Exactly. That way we could get the drop on whatever the trap is."
"But won't that be a little dangerous if you don't know what to expect?" Turmagar replied.
"He's right, we should be a little cautious." Wheeler stated.
"I agree also but we have to find out what the trap is to avoid it." Tygra stated.
"I'll go." Wheeler replied.
"No my friend." Turmagar stated.
"Look they probability already suspect that someone else is here so let them see me. Besides, if I know the two of you by now, then I will be in safe hands." Wheeler stated as he put the laser weapon back into the tote bag.
"OK Wheeler, but we will be watching you very carefully to make sure that nothing happens to you." Tygra added.
"One more thing Wheeler, take this with you." Turmaghar said as he took out a small dagger carved with the Tuska's clan face on it.
"Thanks Turmagar, I take good care of it." Wheeler stated as he took the dagger and hid it inside one of his vest's pocket. "I better get going." He said as he gave the tote bag to Turmagar and then started to walk towards the cocoon.
"We better keep on eye one him Turmagar." Tygra stated.
"Agreed my friend, I don't want his friends to get mad at us if anything bad happens to him."
As Turmagar and Tygra watched Wheeler walk straight towards the cocoon, they still couldn't shake the feeling Wheeler has had about all of this being to easy. They both know that Spidera is a very cunning and predatory creature and that it is foolish for anyone to underestimate her and her home, but for this moment they just hope that their friend was wrong about his feeling.
As Wheeler walked ever closer to the cocoon, the spiders at the top of the chamber saw him walking in alone and unarmed. The spiders couldn't believe that someone would be so stupid as to journey into their home and not carry a single weapon. Their seemingly nasty thoughts set aside, they decided to wait until Wheeler is at least a few feet from his prize before they all sprang out of the darkness of the cave's roof and pounce all at once. They knew that he would never survive an attack from four spiders all at once and that there would be no one to help save his life.
As he started to head straight towards the cocoon, Wheeler could almost see a light blanket of spiders covering the webs trying to gain access to their new source of food. At that moment, he was hoping beyond hope that Linka wasn't inside there and if she was that he would be able to save her at last. All of this was also starting to remind Wheeler about an old video game that he had played once with his best friend back home in Brooklyn NY. In this game they both had to rescue a princess from an evil monster, but every time that they thought that they had beaten him and saved the girl, she was taken to another location within the game. Wheeler felt almost like the game's main character, but he then realized that this was no game and that he had to hurry and save whoever is trapped up ahead. As he just about reached the cocoon, he was unprepared for what was about to happen next.
Without warning the four spiders from above started to drop down making their usual spider noises completely surrounding Wheeler and the cocoon. The impact plus the compress air that followed was enough pressure to completely knock Wheeler off his feet and down on his back. As Wheeler fell down, both Turmarag and Tygra were watching everything unfold, and they couldn't believe that Spidera would have four spiders guarding that cocoon. After a brief moment, the Turmagar, powered up his laser blaster while Tygra got his bolo whip ready and the two of them started to race towards Wheeler and the cocoon.
As he was recovering from the impact that the spiders made when all four of them dropped down to the ground, he started to see all of the red eyes looking at him as if they were trying to hypnotize him into submission. That feeling only lasted a moment as he started to hear both Turmagar and Tygra running and yelling as they were heading towards him and the spiders.
"Time to put this to some good use." Wheeler stated as he took out the hidden dagger and started to swing it at the spiders.
At that moment, the spiders started to back off a little when they saw Wheeler's dagger swinging at them. They all didn't know about his little surprise and tried to regroup.
At that moment, Tygra's weapon started to extend into three bolo lines while the bolos at the end started to glow red and burst into fireballs completely scaring the group of spiders. These creatures are so nocturnal that the slightest glimpse of intense bright light or sunlight will cause these creatures to run and hide in any dark corner that they could find.
"That's it my friend keep it up, but please try not to hurt Wheeler in the process." Turmagar stated as Tygra continued to use his bolo whip.
"I'll try but I don't want to harm the spiders either, just frighten them enough so that they will leave the chamber and allow us access to the cocoon." Tygra replied.
"KEEP IT UP GUYS, I THINK THEY ARE JUST ABOUT READY TO LEAVE US ALONE!" Wheeler shouted while he was trying to avoid the spiders and Tygra's flaming Bolo balls.
After one more swipe of Wheeler's knife and Tygra's bolo, the group of spiders decided that they have to retreat back into darkness or be forever blinded by the intense light.
"You've done it my Thundercat friend, they are starting to leave the chamber and without the cocoon." Turmagar stated.
"Good cause I don't know how much longer I could have gone without hurting those creatures." Tygra replied as they both met up with Wheeler while he was still on the floor.
"Are you alright Wheeler?" Tygra asked as he and Turmagar arrived next to him.
"I believe so guys." Wheeler responded as Tygra and Turmagar helped him back on his feet.
"Thanks for the use of this dagger Turmagar. I'm glad that I didn't have to hurt anyone with it." Wheeler stated as he was about to return it.
"No my friend, keep it you have definality earned it."Turmagar replied.
"I agree with Turmagar Wheeler, it is quite rare that anyone would receive a gift from the Tuska leader."
"All right if you insist but first I'm gonna use this to open that cocoon." Wheeler stated as he went over towards the cocoon. "If you can hear me then please watch out, I am gonna try to get you out of there." He finished as he started to use the knife on the cocoon.
It took a while, but the sharp blade from the dagger that Turmagar gave him started to cut down the layers of webbing, at the same time Wheeler made sure that he wasn't hurting the person inside the cocoon. A moment later, the webbing around part of the cocoon started to reveal who was trapped inside. As Wheeler continued to cut the webs, he also started to notice the skin color of the prisoner inside. "Panthro, hold on, I'll get you out of there." Wheeler stated as he started to cut along which he hopes is the outside of Panthro's chest hoping that cutting there will cause Panthro to fall out and start to wake up. It took a while longer then the others thought but Panthro was eventually freed from his prison of webbing.
"Panthro, are you alright?" Tygra asked as he walked over to Panthro's body laying down on the ground.
"I believe so Tygra, thanks for getting me out of there." Panthro started to say while he was making noises as if he was waking up from a nightmare or something.
"I didn't free you Panthro, he did." Tygra said as he gestured in Wheeler's direction.
"You saved me? We are supposed to save your wife, not get saved by you Wheeler. No offense by the way." Panthro stated as he was being helped up by Tygra.
"No offense taken Panthro, I'm just glad that you are fine." Wheeler responded.
"Same here Wheeler, now what about Lion-O and Linka, any luck with them?" Panthro asked with a worried tone in his voice.
"I'm afraid not Panthro, you were the closest signal so far." Tygra stated as he showed Panthro the tracking device.
"I see." Panthro started to say while looking at the device's readings. "It looks like the last two signals are right next to each other." Panthro stated while we was making a little adjustment to the device.
"Right next to each other? What does that mean Guys?" Wheeler stated while trying not to look worried or sad.
"It means that they are both alive and inside the main chamber of Spidera herself." Panthro replied.
"We have to go and save them my friends." Turmagar stated.
"I agree with you but we need to formulate a plan here. This time we were lucky but the next time we might not be able to make it out alive." Tygra replied.
"Then the first thing we need to do is get my tank down here." Panthro stated.
"No! That is the last thing that we need right now Panthro!" Wheeler said while trying not to yell.
When Wheeler started to countermand Panthro about going for the tank Turmagar, Tygra and Panthro himself all looked at Wheeler with shock.
"Wheeler we need the tank and it's weapons in order to have a chance against Spiders." Panthro started to say.
"Look Panthro I know that you mean well but bringing the tank down here will just give away our position from the noise and we need to be a little stealthy in order to reach Spidera's chamber without being noticed." Wheeler stated.
"He's right Panthro, we need to be smart about this." Tygra added. "Besides he managed to free us and you as well as well as keeping us out of one of Spidera's traps.
"OK Wheeler, we'll try it your way." Panthro started to say. "But please let us hurry and get out of here."
"What is the matter my friend?" Turmagar asked.
"It's nothing, I just hate spiders either big or small." Panthro replied, causing the small group to break out in laughter for a moment.
"Well we better get going and save the others." Tygra stated as the group started to stop laughing.
"Hang on Linka, I'm almost there." Wheeler said as he and the others started to head out of Panthro's prison chamber and towards their final confrontation with the Queen of Eight Legs.