PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 41: Halloween Surprise

Maya, determined to find her team, moved towards the stairs that led to the upper level. "Come on, they're probably in the beanery or something."

Megan, hobbling along, followed closely behind, her crutches scraping against the floor. "Or maybe they're all out on a call, and we came at a bad time."

Carina, still looking around the empty lobby, frowned. "I don't know...it just feels off. Like something's not right."
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Maya shrugged off Carina's concern, her excitement still overpowering her caution. "You're just being paranoid. Let's just go up and see what's going on. They're probably just playing a prank on us or something, trying to scare us."

Megan huffed, rolling her eyes. "Right. Because they have nothing better to do than plan pranks for us. Come on, they're probably just upstairs."

Carina, not fully convinced but still willing to follow Maya, nodded. "Okay, fine. Let's go check it out."

They ascended the stairs, their footsteps echoing in the silence of the station. Carina followed closely behind, her senses telling her that something was amiss.

As they reached the top of the stairs, they found themselves in the common room. The room was empty, the couches and chairs unoccupied. Everything was in its place, and not a sound could be heard.

Maya glanced around, her confusion and disappointment growing. "This is weird. Where did everyone go?"

Megan leaned against the wall, frustration seeping into her voice. "Maybe they really did go out on a call."

Maya was the first one to enter the kitchen, with Carina and Megan following close behind. As they stepped into the room, they were met with a strange sight.

The lights were dimmed, and the room was adorned with various Halloween decorations. Jack-o-lanterns, spiderwebs, and fake bats hung from the ceiling. Soft candlelight flickered from each corner, casting eerie shadows across the room.

Maya, though puzzled, tried to maintain her composure. "Alright, what the hell is going on here?" she muttered, eyes darting around the room.

Carina, looking just as perplexed, moved deeper into the kitchen. "This feels like some kind of prank. But why would the whole team go through all this trouble just to mess with us?"

Megan scanned the room, her crutches making soft tapping noises on the floor. "Maybe we're the victims of a really elaborate prank. But where's the camera crew?"

Maya, now slightly annoyed, put her hands on her hips. "Guys, this isn't funny. Where the hell is everyone?"

Just as they were about to start searching the room for clues, a sudden voice broke the silence. "Surprise!"

Maya, Carina, and Megan whipped around, their hearts racing from the sudden interruption. Standing behind them, with grins on their faces, were the rest of the Station 19 team - Andy, Ben, Dean, Jack, Vic, Travis, and Sullivan and Theo and Emmett.

The trio gasped in surprise, relief washed over them at the sight of their friends.

Andy stepped forward, a cheeky grin on her face. "You guys look like you've seen a ghost."

Maya let out a mix of a laugh and a huff, still recovering from the shock. "You could say that. I thought you guys had gone crazy! What is all this?"

Jack chuckled, gesturing to the decorations. "We thought it'd be fun to throw a little Halloween surprise party for you guys.'