Chapter 4: A school lockdown
Meanwhile, back at Coolsville Central High School, the students warming up at the track were ordered back to the school building for a lock down as police was called.
"How could she had vanish like that?" Tinker asked, referring to the female student that vanished in the library earlier.
"Like, search me." Shaggy shrugged. "Perhaps there's something going on in the school library."
As soon as they entered the school building, Mr. Kane ordered the students to stay in the gym.
"Everyone, stay inside the gym until the lockdown has been lifted." He ordered. "And nobody make any noise during the lockdown."
Soon, everyone was gathered in the gym before Mr. Kane headed for his office located just next to the gym and with a glass window facing both the gym and the hallway.
In the same time, police cruisers arrived at the school front entrance, where Principal Spears was waiting.
The third cruiser arrived and stopped, and out came Chief of Police Sam Rogers, who promptly walked over to the school principal.
"This is like the second time this week alone, Mr. Spears." Sam said as he and several officers approaches the principal.
"I know, Chief Rogers." Spears replied. "Has there been any new developments in the investigation in this string of disappearances?"
"I'm afraid not." Sam replied. "Who's the victim?"
"Debora 'Debbie' Golonka." Spears replied as they escort the chief of police over to the library. "She's a junior in the school cheer-leading team and was last seen at the library."
"The site of the past three disappearances." Charlie interjected.
"Correct." Spears nodded. "Before we go on, I want to be be assured that your men can handle this and find out who's responsible, Chief Rogers."
"I wish I could say that with full confidence, Mr. Spears." Sam sighed. "While there has been plenty of connections between the victims, such as them being, well, attractive female students involved in a school club, my men are still baffled by the whereabouts of the victims, not to mention that neither of the victims knew each other or has someone in common that will wish them harm."
Mr. Spears nodded understandingly. "I wish I can be in your position, sir, because if I were you, I'll ask for some help."
"That's what we had in mind, Mr. Spears." Sam replied. "And we'll be happy to use the help we can. Sadly, Big City Police has the Blue Falcon and Dog Wonder occupied with dozens of cases, and the Toth League has been busy elsewhere with problems of their own."
(Note: The Toth League in this dimension, as well as Dimension Four, is a superhero league consisting of Hanna-Barbera superheroes created by Alex Toth, so Space Ghost, The Herculoids, Birdman and the Galaxy Trio are members of this league.)
"Well, then it looks like that unless we have a miracle, this string of disappearances at my school is going to run cold." Spears sighed as they entered the library.
Sam didn't reply as he stood back while the officers get to work.
Several moments later in the gym, Mr. Kane waited in his office while the students waited silently in the gym with the lights out.
It wasn't long before two uniformed officers approached the office door and revealed the badges as Kane answered.
Entering the gym through the office, the two officers looked around in the crowd of students before spotting Shaggy.
Nodding, one of them reported through the radio and said, "Inform Kilo that Sierra is secured."
Understanding the code language used by the officers, Shaggy knew that the "Kilo" is the coded name for his police chief father, while "Sierra" is the code name for him.
"Kilo? Sierra?" Daphne asked as she turned to Shaggy upon overhearing the message.
"Like, that's the coded name the cops used for my father and I, Daph." Shaggy whispered.
"Ah, I see." Daphne nodded understandingly.
It was then that the two officers said to Mr. Kane, "Tell the students that they can resume their activities quietly, but no one will be allowed to leave the gym until we give the all-clear."
"Yes, officer." Kane nodded before the two officers leave.
Back in the school library, investigators were still searching for signs of Debbie after an extensive interview with possible witnesses.
"This sure is baffling, chief." One of the investigators said. "There's been no sign of a struggle, especially given that no one heard anything in the library, and it was only after one of the victims friends noticed that she wasn't around did they alert us."
"I sure hate to see this one going into the books as 'Unexplained disappearances'." Sam replied.
"If no one heard anything, then the victim must have wondered off to somewhere isolated within the library." Charlie theorizes. "Perhaps some place where it's isolated enough so that no one else could hear anything if there's a struggle."
"Could be." The investigator agreed.
It was then that one of the officers entered the library and went for the chief.
"Sir, the officers had searched through the school grounds and no sign of any suspicious person on school grounds." The officer reported.
"Alright." Sam nodded. "Have the lockdown lifted, Mr. Spears."
The principal nodded before leaving with two officers accompanying him.
After the lockdown has been lifted, officers continued to remain at the school for extra security.
During the lunch period, Shaggy was seated at his usual spot enjoying his lunch. Most of his friends were out of school for lunch that particular day, so he was on his own.
As he finished a triple-decker sandwich, he noticed Daphne was staring at him as she carried her lunch.
"Uh...hi." She said. "I was wondering if you mind if I use the chair across from you, Shaggy?"
Noticing the chair she was gesturing at, Shaggy shrugged. "Like, be my guest, man."
"Thanks." Daphne smiled as she took the seat.
There was some silence between the two schoolmates as they ate their lunch.
The silence was broken when Shaggy happened to turn his head and saw his police chief father walking towards him.
"Hey, Pops." Shaggy said as his father approached him.
"How are you, Norville?" Sam asked as he joined his son at the table. "I hope you guys weren't shaken by the lockdown this morning."
"Like, given what has happened in the library, Pops, I understand." Shaggy replied. "It had to be done."
"Say, speaking of the lockdown, Chief Rogers." Daphne said, deciding to join the conversation. "Do you have any idea on what has happened to Debbie?"
"My men are looking into it, Miss Blake." Sam replied. "We're trying everything we could, but so far there's no sign of her whereabouts."
"That's too bad." Shaggy frowned. "It's the second time this week that this has occurred, Pops."
"I know, son." Sam agreed. "Which is also why I want you and everyone else to remain vigilant at school. Where were you when the lockdown was issued?"
"At the school track, Pops." Shaggy replied. "And speaking of the lockdown, I thought I might have noticed something when we were ordered back into the school building."
"What is it?" Sam asked.
"Like, on my way back to the building, I happened to be looking around and I thought I have catch a glimpse of some suspicious-looking guy watching us." Shaggy explained.
"Oh really?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can you describe the suspect?"
"Like, the guy was standing a distance away watching us, sir, so I couldn't get a good look of him and his face." Shaggy replied as he gathered his memory. "However, I can tell that he was wearing a dark brown fedora and a dark-coloured trench coat."
"Alright." Sam nodded. "I'll have the officers to be on the lookout for that man and have them review the security footages from near the track."
The police chief then got up and left, leaving his son and Daphne.
A while went by before Daphne asked, "Norville?"
"That's the name that's on my birth certificate and any other official documentation." Shaggy explained. "But I don't mind the nickname. In fact, I kind of liked it better than 'Norville'."
"Ah, then Shaggy it shall be, then." Daphne nodded. "And I didn't know your father is Chief of Police Rogers."
"Yeah." Shaggy said. "Like, there's a reason why the cops have to report on my status when they were at the gym during the lockdown, and there's a specific unit within the department that is in charge of protecting the chief and his family."
"Wow." Daphne remarked. "It's like having your own private security, although it is a good idea that you don't abuse that privilege."
"Of course." Shaggy agreed. "My father worked really hard in getting to the top, and my sister and I have promised him to not mess things up."
"That's good to know." Daphne nodded before they went on to discuss several other topics.
During this time, Shaggy happened to see Velma sitting alone at her usual spot having her lunch, with Fred seated a few seats away from the girl watching her as he ate his lunch.
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