A/N: Halloween is one my favorite holidays, so I've been thinking about some stories to fit that theme for a bit. This one is inspired by an Instagram reel (as so many of my stories are.) Here's the link to watch it: https//reel/C_ZsSh3Rjmm/?igsh=MmZ5ZnB6cHcxem01

Enjoy this plotless fun!

Xoxo

"Hey, have you guys seen Sylvester's stupid drone? I left it on my desk last night, was upgrading the wires for Sly, but it's gone." Happy asked the group, receiving an audience of head shakes and half-interested no's in the process.

"Birdroni… is missing?" Sly shrieked, rising from his desk to search.

"Maybe it's like Rise of the Machines, and Birdroni is now forming alliances with other drones to take over the world." Paige chuckled, attempting to repair a ceramic pumpkin decoration they had found on the floor this morning broken in half, next to the stacked boxes of Halloween decorations she had pulled out yesterday to start decorating the garage.

"What is Rise of the Machines?" Walter chimed in, confused, making her smirk.

"I'll add it to the list, Dear." She teased back, opening her phone to the notes app file she kept for all the things Walter needed to watch to be knowledgeable in pop-culture references.

"Not like you to lose something, Happy." Toby added into the conversation, strutting across the short distance to Happy's desk. "You feeling okay?"

"I feel fine numnuts. And I didn't lose it. I left it right here! Look, here's the wires."

"Well it's not like it just got up and walked away…" Sylvester chided.

"Unless…" Paige chuckled.

"This is not Rise of the Machines! Someone had to have taken it."

"But who? It's only us and Cabe that are here, Happy. And Cabe can barely operate his cell phone." Paige teased, while defending, the older man.

Right at that moment, Cabe walked in.

"What about my cell phone?"

"Cabe, you didn't happen to grab Sly's drone from Happy's desk last night before you left did you?" Paige changed the subject.

"Uh. No. Toys aside, I have a case for you… or, well, something." Everyone moved around as Cabe handed Walter a flash drive to plug into the television monitor tree. "Last night… a being was captured on video downtown terrorizing residents. Given the circumstances, Homeland is trying to keep it very hush hush."

"What do you mean being?" Toby asked, adjusting his hat.

"Watch."

Walter loaded the file, and they all watched as a security camera feed played, and a ghostly figure, with glowing eyes, skeletal arms, and flowing old fashioned clothing shot out of the tree line, at least eight feet in the air, chasing down people walking on the sidewalk.

"Well, I just got goosebumps!" Paige exclaimed, rubbing her arms, to which Walter immediately pulled her into his side.

"How long did this go on for? Times?" He asked, collecting facts.

"About two hours. There were seven 9-1-1 calls made from the area, and from the security camera, we're estimating between 8:30pm and 10:30pm, maybe longer, but that's what we can verify.

"So, ghosts are haunting the streets of L.A… cool." Happy shrugged, making Toby give her a humored, but questioning glance. "What? It's been a boring week."

"I mean, it can't be real…" Sylvester started, his voice however not displaying the confidence in his words he was aiming for.

"Try it again, Sly, but this time try not sounding like the girl in the horror movie that's about to die." Toby teased him.

"Obviously it's not real." Walter deadpanned, wiping his face in frustration at the antics of his team. "Cabe, any evidence of zip lines? Wires? Cables? Something like that at the scene?"

"Nothing."

"Besides those movements were too erratic to be from a suspension line. That… thing… was moving at different heights, speeds and directions. Completely autonomous movement." Happy argued.

"You're right." Walter went silent for a moment, then slowly his face shifted gears and he sighed. "I know what it is… and more importantly… I think I may know who it is."

"What? Who is it?" Paige inquired, frustrated at how Walter always withheld the most key information.

"Come on." Taking her hand, he led them to the back of the garage kitchen where the Halloween boxes were stacked up. "Maybe it wasn't rats that got into the decorations, Paige."

"I'm not following. But any theory that means there's no rats, is one I want to hear!"

"Think about it. The being in the video is dressed in ornate clothing, like a costume…" he paused to pull out handfuls of costumes from the top box. "Your pumpkin was broken, like someone must have been digging through the boxes."

"So, you're saying a ghost stole my costumes? And broke my pumpkin?" She smirked at his instant disapproval of her assessment, as did the others.

"No! And Sly's stupid drone is missing. That wasn't a ghost in the video. It's a drone dressed as one."

"Birdroni lives! Or does it? If it's a ghost…" Sly mused.

"So it is Rise of the Machines!" She giggled, thoroughly enjoying messing with him.

He didn't even acknowledge it, knowing exactly what she was doing.

"What time did Ralph go to Tyler's last night?"

"Ralph? Umm, I think he left around 8pm? He said they were going to the library, then sleeping over Tyler's house since they have the teacher development day." Truth be told, she hasn't really paid all that much attention, desperate for a night alone with Walter. They had been at the restaurant when he had texted her he was leaving. She paused. "Oh no. Oh no…" Rushing to her desk, she grabbed her cell phone and immediately called Ralph's cell phone.

"Wow, boy genius is in trooooouuuuble." Toby muttered to Happy.

"I mean, kind of funny though, using his genius to scare unsuspecting fools."

"Ralph Benjamin Dineen!!!" They all flinched at her tone and use of his full name as she yelled into the phone. "What were you thinking!!!... Homeland is involved!... What do you mean 'why?'... What? You didn't think anyone would call the police?!... For someone so smart you sure failed to show it here, Ralph!... I will be there in ten minutes! You had better be ready!... Excuse me?! Yes I damn well will be telling his mother!!!... Actually, you will be telling his mother!"

"Probably best I drive her… make sure she doesn't kill him in the process." Walter awkwardly told the others as they all stood there voyeuristically monitoring the phone call.

"Note to self, don't piss off the Waitress, boss." Happy quietly suggested. Walter just nodded silently.

"I am thoroughly scared for Ralph."

"I think it's safe to say you guys won't be having another night alone for a while, Walt." Toby chuckled and immediately went stone faced when Paige turned back to them.

"Uh, sweetheart… sounds like Ralphie was just looking to have a little fun, play some pranks. Normal teenage boy stuff. Don't be too hard on him." Her glare shut Cabe up. "Or you know, I can arrest him if that's what you'd prefer."

"I can't believe he would do something like this! Stealing? Lying?!"

"He's a teenager, Paige. Genius or not, he's still just a teenaged boy. They're kind of dumb."

The entire group nodded in agreement at Toby's explanation.

"Well, dumb teenager or not, he's grounded."

"He just really likes Halloween… like his Mother." Walter attempted, quickly regretting it. "I am going to refrain from speaking and simply drive you to get him."

As they walked out, the others released their breaths.

"Well, that video might note be a ghost, but something tells me after Paige is done with him, Ralph might be…" Happy grimaced, pitying the boy.

"His skeleton would make a great decoration for the Halloween party!"