I was walking home from school, thinking about shoes. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping and the woods beside me was shining with enviromental goodness and the day was absolutely perfect. I was meeting the gang at the bowling alley for the obvious activity (for you people out there with a very low intellectual level, we were going bowling). I had the best girl friend, the best guy friend, the best boyfriend, and the best dog. Life was looking pretty good right then.

And then, before I had time to think, someone grabbed my elbow and I was being pulled through the woods. I wanted to scream, but someone's hand was over my mouth and that made it kind of hard. The branches were ripping at my clothes as if they wanted them (I'm not surprised - they were totally cute) and my heart was pulsing like a bruise and I was terrified.

Whoever was yanking me along suddenly stopped. Naturally, I crashed into them and we both tumbled to the ground. The hand came off my mouth and my elbow was released. I was all ready to beat the crap out of the guy who'd kidnapped me, and then I saw his face.

"Fred!" I hissed. "What are you doing? You almost gave me a heart-attack."

Fred sat up and quickly ran his eyes down me. "Are you hurt?"

"Well, yeah, from that little joyride! What were you thinking? Honestly, Fred, I -" And then Fred put his hand at the back of my neck and was kissing me hungrily, and I lost interest in whatever I was saying.

When Fred finally stopped, it took me a moment to recover. We must have looked completely crazy sitting there, trying to catch our breath after a simple kiss. But that was because no one had the spark me and Fred did.

"Okay, I need answers," I said, a little dizzily.

Fred hesitated, then in a rush, he said, "Velma was walking to the bowling alley when she was attacked by two men in suits. They were trying to take her to some truck, she said, but she just kicked him in his spot and ran like heck." I smiled to myself outside of the shock. Oh, Velma. "Then she called me. And then about three minutes later, I got a call from Shaggy, who said almost the same thing that Velma had said, except that they'd underestimated just how thin Shaggy was, so he was able to get away. And then, before I even hung up, I saw them hanging out in the alley. I'd been walking to the bowling alley, since the Mystery Machine is in repairs and all, so I just started running the other way. And then I figured if they went after the rest of us, they'd be going after you. So I called you, but you didn't pick up. So I went down to where I thought you'd be. I knew they'd see me if I just ran after you on the street, so I hid in the woods and pulled you in when you walked by."

"Fred, you're insane," I muttered, trying to hide my shock and fear.

"That's what they tell me." He grinned, then became serious again. "Did you see anyone suspicious or strange?"

"Well, I saw you, and you're pretty strange looking," I taunted. I couldn't resist saying that.

Fred rolled his eyes and then suddenly pinned me down. His face was inches above me and his blue eyes shone. "Daph, I'm serious."

I sighed. "No, I didn't see anyone." I kissed his cheek. "Thanks, for saving me and all. I mean, you dragged me through unrelenting wilderness and scared me half to death, but it's the thought that counts. I guess."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's okay."

Fred grinned mischeviously. "Would me kissing you make up for it?"

"Let's find out," I teased, and he was about to kiss me, when a sound that should not have been in the woods broke through the perfect silence. Voices. I exchanged a quick, terrified glance with Fred before pushing him off of me, grabbing his hand, and pulling him behind a tree.

Two men stepped through the trees. Both of them had on suits and sunglasses. The only difference is that one was bald and the other had slick black hair.

The bald guy asked something in a liquid language that was unfamilar to me. It sounded a bit like Spanish, but also a lot like Russian.

The second man replied a short answer in the same language. His eyes were scanning the woods expertly. My heartbeat quickened.

The bald man took out a very high-tech walkie-talkie, and said something into it. An angry buzz roared from the walkie-talkie. The man answered quickly and put it away. Then the two men began searching the woods. They would find us in a moment. I locked eyes with Fred. What do we do? I mouthed.

I don't know, Fred said silently back. I shuddered to myself. Fred was the king of plans. If he didn't know what to do -

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes. Music was suddenly ringing through the air. Fred's eyes widened in horror, and he moaned. "My phone."

The two man ran toward us. The bald guy just stood in front of us, but the second one took out another walkie-talkie and began speaking tensely into it. The bald guy spoke first. "Are you Daphne Blake and Fred Jones?" His English was heavily accented, but other than that, it was flawless.

I nodded tensely.

The man with black hair stepped forward. "By the order of Queen Eloisa Socorro Susanita Matilde Russo Paz Vega Costa, you are under arrest."

Well, did you guys like? It's a pretty short chapter - I think that's the average chapter length for this story. I've got a plot worked out in my mind, but the ending still hasn't untangled itself. Anyway, will write more soon!