Hey, everyone! Thanks for all the amazing reviews you guys gave me at the end of my last story. I've decided, thanks to your reviews, that I'm going to continue this series. I have a few ideas but suggestions are always welcome. Also, I'd like to get your opinion on something: do you think Morte should be captured? I think I have an idea of what I want to do with her character, but I wanted to see what you guys thought. So, please review when you're done reading this!
Chapter 1 A Ghastly Gift
Chief Kessler looked worried. She had in her hand the note that Morte had left before her escape. Kessler was in her office, a nervous bunch of teenagers standing before her, wondering what to do. She always thought that Morte's arrest had seemed to easy; now she knew that it was planned. "I got what I came for so I have left," the note read. What could the lunatic possibly mean by that?
Fred was pacing back and forth anxiously. He ran his hand through his hair in an agitated manner, thinking over the clue they had received. He had read it so many times that he could recite it backwards if he needed to. The thing that worried him most was the fact that she seemed intent on making them finish this test. There were still three more phases before the thing would be complete, leaving her an ample amount of time to torture them.
Daphne, sitting in a chair across from the chief's desk, shifted uneasily. She couldn't get over the feeling that they were being watched, a feeling which was often followed by trouble. She looked at Fred, aware that he was worried about all of them. Mary had assured them all that Fred would not be captured, for he was the one Morte was truly testing. This had put Daphne slightly at ease, knowing that the boy she loved would be safe. Unfortunately, due to their close friendship, that made her a very likely target.
Velma sat beside Daphne, her mind analyzing everything. She couldn't think of anything they could do until the third phase began. Her thoughts switched to the note they had found in Morte's cell. "I got what I came for so I have left." This meant that Morte had planned the arrest, knowing she would be locked up in Manderly Institute, and then escaped when she had gotten what she wanted. That left one troubling question: what could Morte have possibly needed from an instituation for the criminally insane?
Shaggy was sitting in a chair next to Velma. All of a sudden he jumped up from his seat and began pacing with Fred. Soon after, he stopped this and leaned against the wall. Moments later, he was pacing once more. It seemed as though he could not stay in one spot for very long. His mind was running through all the possible horrors that Morte could inflict on them. He desparately longed to be like Fred, strong and dependable. With Fred around, Daphne felt safe. Shaggy wished that he could provide the same sense of security for Velma, though he knew this would never happen. He was, and always would be, a coward.
Scooby-Doo was curled up in a corner, whimpering softly. The dog hadn't eaten all day, a strange habit for him. This was a sure sign of the anxiety and worry that had overcome everyone in that office.
The group was silent, not sure what to say to one another, each person worrying about their lives and those of their friends.
Finally, the chief broke the uncomfortable quiet that had descended up on the room. "Well, I'm afraid there's nothing we can do until Morte makes contact again," she informed them. "We'll just have to wait and find out what she is going to do next."
Fred was about to reply when the sound of shattering glass filled the office. The noise startled Shaggy, causing him to jump into Velma's arms just as Scooby lept into his. This proved to be a bad idea, for all three of them fell to the floor with a thud. Velma shook her head as she stood, checking to see what had caused the commotion.
The window behind Kessler's desk had been broken by a metallic cylinder that was now resting on the floor. For a moment, all anyone could do was stare at it, wondering what the hell this thing was and why anyone would throw it at them. Then, a low hissing sound was heard as some sort of smoke leaked out. Immediately, Chief Kessler, the nearest to this strange device, seemed to recognize what this was, though by then it was too late. She collapsed to the floor. The gang stared in terror, but soon they felt themselves grow weak. Daphne was the first to sway dangerously, though she was caught by Fred, who soon found it impossible to support himself and Daphne at the same time. The two collapsed lifelessly as the gas took effect. Velma and Shaggy made an attempt to exit, but they had already inhaled too much of the incapacitating agent. Everything grew blurry as they found it difficult to remain standing. Soon they too found themselves falling to the floor.
Velma struggled to stay awake. For a brief moment, before her thoughts became incomprehensible, she knew there was someone else in the room, someone who had climbed through the broken window. Before she could successfully identify this person, Velma's strength and resistance ran out. Her mind went completely blank as she, like everyone else, was now lying on the floor, limp and unconcious, unable to defend herself against the stranger that had done this to them.
