Two days later.
Louise Webster was adjusting her make-up. Her boyfriend Nicholas Zimmer of Storybrooke, Maine, was visiting her. They were currently in a converted outbuilding at Old Park House on the outskirts of London. The house was the family seat of Sir Jasper Ryde, or Jim as he was universally known. Her parents Liz Spencer and Jeff Webster (there was no chance of her fierce "women's libber" mother taking her father's name despite over twenty years of marriage) had been young detectives in their friend Dan Robinson's Baker Street Irregulars. Having helped retrieve a stolen painting and later resolve a faked haunting, Jim Ryde had become a patron of the team and later provided the old outbuilding for adaption into a base of operations once the Irregulars once they turned professional. Dan, ironically, had taken the name from his love of Dr Watson's accounts of his friend's exploits. He later learned he was Sherlock Holmes' great-grandson, and had gone on to meet his 163-year-old forebear a number of times. Thanks to his cultivation of the Royal Jelly honey, the old boy looked and felt younger in his 160s than in his 60s!
Louise had met the former Hansel of Hansel and Gretel fame when Storybrooke and Themyscira had made a joint state visit to the United Kingdom almost two years before. They had been dating ever since. Following an attempt by Ra's and Talia Al Ghul to cause a war between the Amazons and the people of Storybrooke about six months before that, the two countries had been allied. Hippolyta had set up a permanent portal between Storybrooke and Themyscira. When her granddaughter Athena fell in love with Reuben Morton, the son of two members of another team of no longer young detectives the Lone Pine Club, another portal was set up between Themyscira and 7 Brownlow Square, London. Louise and Nicholas regularly took advantage of the portals to visit the other. The young couple were discussing getting engaged, although Louise was definitely not changing her surname to Zimmer, thank you very much!
"Any new cases, Dad?" she asked her tall stocky blonde father, who was gazing at a computer screen.
It was her beloved "Uncle" Dan Robinson who replied. He was tall, slim and dark, like a slightly less hawk-nosed version of his great-grandad. "No, Louise, there is nothing of interest. Hold on, there's a new e-mail from someone named Mason. Hang on, wasn't he the one who had that haunted house he wanted us to look into?
"If it's more of the same, I'll redirect him to Jon, George and Jigger again. Chasing after phantasms is their stock in trade, not ours. 'This agency stands flat-footed on the ground, and there it must remain. The world is big enough for us. No ghosts need apply.'"
"You quoted that same comment of your illustrious great-grandpa when Jim wanted us to look into that faked haunting at Old Park," the tall slim blonde Liz pointed out. "We ended up investigating that and other possibly real hauntings.
"Why tempt fate? If it is of interest to you, or if the money is good, we will be looking into the matter, ghosts notwithstanding!"
"Well, let's look at what he has to say," Jeff agreed. "It might be a more down to earth case this time. Ugh, what is that thing?!"
Dan opened the e-mail to find a couple of short video clips of, well, some red shape looking for all the world like the traditional image of a demon, with its cloven hooves, forked tail, two horns on the head and the red hot pitchfork in its hands. Pointing the pitchfork caused sparks to fly in that direction. As the (for want of a better word) demon was hovering a couple of feet off the ground, it was clearly a very professional effort if faked.
"Well," Dan commented, "this is interesting. I'll call Jigger at once, then tell this Mr Andrew Mason to await our arrival."
"Whatever is going on here," Jeff noted, "I can say one thing for certain. It isn't Rentaghost this time. They have the McWitch, a fire-breathing pantomime dragon and a fairy godmother, but no demons on their roster.
"Has that chap who hired Rentaghost been released? If so, do we know what he's up to?"
"I'll look into it, Jeff." Dan grinned. "A new case is always exciting."
Liz, who was also a freelance journalist like her mother, was checking the newspapers. She suddenly burst out laughing. "It seems Mystery Inc. are holidaying in London again. Déjà vu, anyone?"
"I'll contact Fred."
"Thanks, Dan. You might want to speak to SHIELD, Torchwood, UNIT, the W.I.N. and the Ministry of Magic as well."
"Do you want me to speak to the folks back home or to the Amazons?"
"Thanks, Nicholas. For the moment, just ask if they know anything that might be of use and would they be willing to assist in an emergency.
"Now, I believe you and Louise were meeting up with Athena and Reuben for a double date?"
"We are. Thanks, Uncle Dan." Louise smiled. "Come on, Nicholas. We need to get to the tube station shortly. The restaurant is booked for forty-five minutes' time."
Velma Dinkley looked up from her laptop screen. "We've just had an e-mail from the Irregulars, guys. Can you remember a previous stay in London, when we investigated a haunted house and it was a crooked property developer hiring Rentaghost? Apparently, a demon has been seen at that same property. Can we look into it?"
"Err, let me think," Shaggy suggested. "How about no?!"
"Aww, come on, Shaggy," Fred chided, "we need a good mystery to solve."
"Reak ror rorself, Red!"
"Scooby, you're the dog! You don't get a vote!"
"Raphne!"
"Per the e-mail, Scooby," Velma interrupted, "Dan's bringing the fifth Irregular…"
"Raskerville?!" Scooby-Doo suddenly seemed excited.
"Yes, you like Baskerville, don't you? Every team of sleuths needs a mascot. Look at our best friends. The Teen Angels have Captain Caveman and Mark, Tinker and Debbie Speed Buggy.
"Let's return to the old crime scene."
Princess Athena of Themyscira loved being in London. She loved her home (she lived in her grandma's palace, with its luxurious rooms and beautiful garden), of course. There, however, save when she was with just her closest friends, she was treated as royalty. In London (and Storybrooke, Metropolis or wherever), she could be just Athena, the fiancée of Reuben and friend to many.
This lunch was a perfect example. The four were dining at a pub-restaurant near Brownlow Square. There was nothing to indicate that she was of higher status than Reuben, Louise or Nicholas. Sure, her long raven hair, tall stature and increasingly curvaceous figure earned her plenty of admiration, but that was a different matter. Reuben loved her as much for how she was as he did for how she looked. His tall dark Romany looks (inherited from his eponymous maternal grandfather) meant he was guaranteed a few lingering glances himself.
"There's a fascinating case Mum, Dad and Uncles Dan and Mickey are working on," Louise remarked. "A creepy old house has a resident demon, or so it seems. Nicholas will alert the Storybrooke people about possible back-up. Could you alert the Amazons please, Athena? In the mean-time, any insight into demons would be appreciated."
"They are more Judaeo-Christian-Islamic than Greek in origin," Athena noted. "You would be better asking an exorcist for advice than us!"
"Mum, Dad and my honorary uncles are to meet with Mystery Inc., Rex, Jigger, George, Jon and company later today. Mum might get a scoop out of it, but, if it is a demon, probably only Rex could report the true story. The Quibbler can publish the weird stuff!"
"What counts as weird seems very different these days!" Reuben agreed. "You are dating a genuine fairy tale character and I'm going to marry Wonder Woman's niece!"
"What about the wizards?" Athena asked. "Harry and Wednesday are…"
"Currently honeymooning with Ginny!" Nicholas reminded her. "The ginger Mrs Potter is seriously scary when she's angry. A furious Bruce Banner is probably less dangerous!
"Louise's folks are contacting the British Ministry of Magic, though. Perhaps you could have your aunts contact Wonder Witch, Athena?"
"Good afternoon, everyone. You heard the news too, then?!"
"Hi Rex. We always seem to keep meeting here. Good to see the Irregulars' here too."
"It is indeed, Velma," Dan agreed. "Baskerville, Scooby's here!"
A large black dog appeared. He had been obtained by the villains behind the Irregulars' first case and used as a guard dog. Despite his intimidating size, however, he was only likely to harm someone by knocking them flat and licking them to death! Dan adopted him and renamed him "Baskerville", as he was clearly not a "Killer"! A regular treatment with the Royal Jelly honey meant that Baskerville was still fit and healthy despite being nearly 300 in dog years. The Irregulars' adored him and were loved by him in turn.
Baskerville woofed delightedly and ran up to Scooby, who barked out his own greeting. They then sat down facing each other.
"How are things going, Scooby my good chap?" Baskerville asked in Dog.
"Very well, thanks" Scooby replied, having no problems getting his genetically-modified jaw around Dog. "My friends still have a death wish, though, investigating spooky old manors and meddling. What about yours?"
"The same, old boy."
"Hello, Baskerville, Scooby," barked out another voice in Dog. Both turned respectfully to the new arrival. If Baskerville was about 300 and Scooby pushing 350 in dog years, George Kirrin's Timmy was very senior indeed at over 400. Smaller than the two younger dogs, the same Royal Jelly treatment as Baskerville ensured he was still as lively as ever. "Don't tells I we have another mystery to solve!" Timmy of course was a West Country dog and spoke in a canine version of the local dialect.
"I'm sure Fred would find a mystery anywhere," Scooby commented.
"Arrh, that he would!"
Jigger had brought his monkey Ranji along, although the dogs didn't speak Monkey and he didn't speak Dog, so no conversation was possible. He did, however, jabber excitedly in their direction, so they correctly assumed that he was pleased to see them.
The four animals' humans were gathered in the house's main hall with the others. "Now," Fred said brightly, "time to look for clues. Everyone, let's split up…"
"Who put you in charge?" Mickey Denning grumbled. Short and dark, the fourth Irregular had large protuberant ears that had earned him the nickname "Mickey Mouse" in his schooldays. "I don't work for Mystery Inc.!"
Before Fred could reply, a mocking laugh came from above and the demonic figure appeared, hovering a few feet above the floor again. "Leave at once, or join me in hell!"
The demon raised his pitchfork. Everyone began to scatter. Velma, however, tripped on a rug and fell flat on her face, losing her spectacles in the process. "My glasses! I can't see without my glasses!" As she groped around on her knees for her glasses, a spark flew a past couple of inches above her head.
Jigger saw Velma's distress from his shelter behind a sofa and crawled over to pick up and hand her back her spectacles. "Thanks, Jigger. I owe you… Jinkies! That was close!" Another spark had missed her by millimetres. Jigger led her out of the room, the demon's laughter still resounding around them.
A few minutes later, Fred poked his head back through a doorway into the hall. "All clear here, guys. There must be clues around here somewhere.
"I wouldn't be so sure, Fred," Dan told him. "This scanner isn't picking up any holographic projectors, bugging devices, transmitters or anything that can cause those sparks."
"And this scanner," Jon said, waving a mobile-shaped device with one hand and readjusting his specs with the other, "says that there are elements of sulphur found everywhere those sparks hit to support this smell. I think this demon is the genuine article, chaps."
"Well, Mystery Inc. looks for clues," Fred announced firmly. "Let's split up, guys. Daphne, with me. Velma, take Shaggy and Scooby…"
"No!" Shaggy announced, shaking his head and crossing his arms. Scooby grunted in agreement.
"Come on!" Velma said. "I've got Scooby snacks…"
"I'll call Louise," Liz said, getting out her mobile. "She's still with Nicholas, Reuben and Athena. We need to get the wizards, spies, aliens, meta-humans and the like involved."