Chapter 10

"Wow, I've never been to Oakhaven before," said Shaggy the next day. "My grandma said it was a great little town during Thanksgiving. Lot's of fun and games for the little kiddies to play. They even had a reenactment of the pilgrim village that started it all."

"That sounds real nice, Shagster. But we're not exactly going for the holiday festivities," said Fred in a bummed-out tone. "We've got a top-secret bunker to break in to, remember?"

Lester had provided some supplies for their trip and the two guys loaded up a duffel bag with gear: batteries, medicine, all the basics.

"Fred, you ok?"

"What? Yeah, I'm fine."

Shaggy pondered him a second longer. "Are you sure?"

"Can we just pack, please?" he snapped.

"Dude, what's your deal?"

"I don't have a deal."

Shaggy stopped packing. "Fred."

Fred wanted to ignore him, but eventually looked up. And by that point he couldn't keep it in. "It's Daphne," he confessed in annoyance. "We're in some kind of fight I think."

"Aren't you two like a couple or something?"

"That's just it," he said, dropping his fists on the table. "I really want us to be. I keep hoping that we will be. But I think I have to start facing the facts that it's never gonna happen."

"Never, man?"

"Never ever."

"Dude, that's harsh."

He dropped his head. "I know."

Shaggy rubbed the back of his neck and winced. "Can I like ask why?"

"Sure but I don't think I could give you an explanation. She's just so adamant that we don't date. She keeps saying that she doesn't want to be distracted from her work. But I know it's more than that. Unfortunately, I don't know what 'more' is."

"Huh," said Shaggy. "Like, I get she's really guarded, but I thought she'd at least lower her walls to you."

Fred shook his head. "She's locked up tight."

"Was she hurt by someone?"

"I doubt it…" then he trailed off. His jaw dropped. "Hold the phone," he said looking at Shaggy with an epiphany shining in his eyes. "Right after we met, she was into this older guy. A real charmer. I thought he was a scumbag from the beginning. But then this one day in our junior year of college he just disappeared. She never even mentioned him. I completely forgot about that 'til now." He clapped his hands together. "That must be the reason. Maybe there is hope!"

Shaggy shook his head, torn between pity and amusement. "You got it bad."

"Yeah, I know."

Laughing, Shaggy continued packing. "I'm so grateful my ex didn't get dragged into this trip with us. That would like suck."

"Well, Daph's not really my ex, so to speak."

"You've been carrying feelings for her that have never been returned though."

"Well, yeah."

Shaggy shrugged good-naturedly. "It's a bit similar I think. There's that tension. Y'know?"

Fred watched him with suspicion. "You're not experiencing any tension with anyone right now, are you?"

"You mean like… the Mad Scientist?"

He laughed. "Perhaps."

Shaggy's grin faded. "Well like, She's still so wrapped up in her own head. I doubt she can see me at all. But then she's always been that way. Don't know why an apocalypse would change any of that."

Fred tried at an optimistic smile. "There might be hope there too, Shagster."

He just shook his head doubtfully. "Sure. Maybe."

!

Velma and Daphne plotted out their route on the QuickMouse when Crystal walked by.

"Is everything going well?" she asked. "How does the computer suit you?"

"It's amazing," said Velma. "I never got to thank you, so… thanks."

"It is my pleasure. Daphne, how is your leg healing?"

Daphne hesitated, her mind roiling. "It's swell."

"Excellent. Let me know if you need anything else." Then she sauntered off. Nearly oblivious, Velma jumped back into picking an alternate route for emergency purposes.

"If we take highway seventy through Missouri we'll add a few hours but the difference won't be astronomical. What do you say, Daph?"

Daphne didn't respond.

"Daph? Are you listening to me?"

"Do you think there's something strange about Crystal?" she asked in a low voice.

Velma didn't know how to answer her right that moment. She couldn't very well give away someone else's secret.

"Well, I don't suspect English is her first language but that's not really strange… is it?"

"No it's not. And that's not what I mean."

Velma hardly knew why the volatile journalist was even speaking to her. It made her horribly suspicious. But she figured she should at least try to maintain peace for the time being. Though, she doubted it would last.

"Why? What have you noticed?" Velma probed.

She rubbed her chin. "Nothing concrete. But something about her rescue mission doesn't add up. I mean, four injured people and a dog fitting into her Jeep? And how did she deal with those goons with the sleeping gas?"

Now she questions this?

"You think we should ask her about it?"

"Not sure if it's worth it yet. She has been awfully helpful. But that might be a good idea."

"Right."

"Hey, did you do something different with your hair?"

"What?"

"It looks nice."

Crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair, Velma finally had to ask, "Why are you being so cordial with me?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Daphne asked innocently.

"You know exactly what I mean. What's going on?"

"Nothing. Can't I be a little less than hostile once in a while?"

Velma hated to stir up another tirade from Daphne, but she had to get the truth. "I've never thought you capable to be honest."

Daphne huffed in irritation. "Am I really always awful to you?"

"Yes."

Daphne made an uncomfortable face. "Oh. Well, I guess I didn't notice."

"You didn't?"

"Ok, so I've been a complete bitch to you for weeks. An apocalypse is a lot to take in."

Velma sniggered. "So what's going on that you're buddying up to me?"

"Buddying up, is that really the right phrase?"

Velma merely shrugged.

Relenting, Daphne sat down and folded her hands. "Don't you think that we could perhaps be friends? Ever?"

"Why? You've made it pretty clear what you think of me."

"All right, so I might've been a little harsh. And sure I pegged you as the evil genius behind humanity's destruction… which would be a significant detriment in anyone's friendship… but perhaps it could work out."

"But why?"

Daphne's head sunk. "Me and Fred are fighting. I need a friend right now."

"So what about Shaggy?"

"He's Fred's friend."

"So?"

"So… it would force him to choose sides."

"Well, I'm certainly sorry to hear that."

"But… you won't be my friend? Is that fair?"

"Look, Daphne. I've never been one to have friends and you're not about to be my first. And honestly, I'm still too focused trying to figure out where everything went wrong concerning 'humanity's destruction' forget socializing. Just for the record, I never intended to hurt anyone, whatever my level of responsibility is for this apocalypse, not that I have or ever could convince you. And you know what, I'm sick of trying."

Daphne tried to interject but was cut off.

"And about this whole 'friendship' thing you're after, what happens when the whole story comes into view and it turns out I really am all those awful things you said? What happens to your apologies? I'm sorry Ms. Blake, but I don't trust you. So. Is highway seventy an option or not?"

Her mouth hung open in protest but nothing came of it. Distantly, she sat back, dropping her hands on her lap. "Yeah, that highway is fine."

!

"So, Crystal gave Scooby the 'all clear' as long as he takes it slow," said Shaggy that evening. He seemed more energetic than usual. And he smelled nice.

"That's great," Velma said.

He'd found her by the balcony door staring through the glass. The day had fallen to a close and they planned to depart early the next morning. They'd each get in one last night of comfy beds before returning to the chaos. Velma didn't want to go back. But she had promises to keep.

"Yeah, I think he's about ready for round two with Scrappy Doo."

She snickered but didn't know what to say. Hugging herself, she looked between him and the window thinking about their night on the couch. Self-conscious, she wondered if he'd been aware of it at all.

"You ready for the trip?" he asked, absently rubbing the back of his injured hand.

"Hardly," she uttered, but then noticed the bandages hugging his bite wound. "How's your wrist?"

"Oh, it's pretty badly bruised," he said, "But not broken. Man that little fiend's got a hell of a chomper." He looked down at his bandaged wrist with amusement.

"But she cleared that too?" she asked struggling to maintain eye contact.

"Yeah. Crystal's pretty cool! Strange, though."

"Strange? How?"

He looked around to make sure no one could hear him. Then he leaned toward her ear. The brush of his beard sent a strange rush of excitement through her.

"Call me crazy," he started, "But isn't it kinda weird for an alien to parade around as a human in the middle of a monster apocalypse?" He stepped back to read her reaction.

Her mouth fell open.

"'Cause like she'd totally fit in, you know?"

"How did you know she was an alien?"

"Don't you remember? She swept us up in that UFO of hers and then tried to control my mind. But of course, my brain's so fried from television there's hardly anything to control." He laughed. "But it was a good try."

Smiling, she patted his arm. "You know, you raise a valid point. I'll be right back, ok?"

"Uh sure," he said and watched her go.

Velma found Crystal in some kind of study. Bookshelves with hefty volumes coated the walls, offering that sacred scent of aged pages. Velma breathed it in with relief and looked up into the skylight. It allowed starlight to shower onto the mahogany desk in the center.

"Daphne's onto you," Velma warned.

"It is to be expected. Curiosity is in her nature," said Crystal busily typing at a keyboard. It didn't host the same alphabet as hers. She doubted the letters were even Earthly.

"And Shaggy knows."

The alien woman smirked. "I wondered at that."

Velma brushed past the leather spines with her fingertips, nostalgic for the library of her hometown.

"It makes me wonder," Velma continued, "How safe your secret really is."

"And therefore yours?"

"Something like that, I guess."

"Do you not trust your friends?" Crystal asked.

"Do you trust your dad?"

Crystal paused her work and settled back in the desk chair. "He is obsessed with my kind. I simply do not want to be another obsession. I just…" she looked away. "I want to remain his daughter."

Velma stared blankly at the wall of books. "I don't want to be left alone."

"They seem loyal to your cause."

"Sure. But if they confirm their fears about me, then what? Right now, we're all safe in keeping it a theory."

Crystal stood up. "But you and I know the truth, do we not? And those theories are inaccurate. Are they not?"

Velma met her gaze. "It was my research that they used. I enabled this. That much is true."

"But you did not activate the Nanites."

"The Four wouldn't have had anything to activate if it wasn't for me and my pride."

Crystal walked around and leaned against her desk. "That may be. But you had no intention of changing the entire world."

"Intentions…" Velma scoffed. "In the end, what do they matter?"

She blinked, calm, emotionless. "Intentions drive every great act and every great mistake. You made a mistake…"

"A catastrophic mistake!"

"…That you must accept. It is not your fear of abandonment that keeps your secret a secret. It is only your pride."

"And what, you're going to keep you true identity from Lester while I spill my own guts?"

"That is up to me," she said fiercely. "But as someone who walks in shadow as you do, I know how lonesome that can feel. You cannot afford to be alone right now. You need each of them; Fred, Shaggy, Daphne, Scooby… and they need you."

Velma swallowed and stared down at her feet.

"Tell them the truth. All of it."

"I don't think I can do that."

Crystal offered a grim smile. "Then I fear you have already failed."

Plopping down into a cushioned chair, Velma wallowed in her own self-pity for a moment. Deep down she knew Crystal was right. She just hated it. But she could hardly stand to dwell on it.

Then, "Crystal. Why have you been helping us?"

The alien woman smirked. "You are not the only one who wants Earth restored. Now go. I have an important letter to finish crafting for my superiors."

"Your superiors?"

"Go," Crystal urged.

Shoved back into the hallway, Velma came to a conclusion. She had to tell the gang the truth. And now that she'd actually built up the nerve, this moment was the perfect time. So, sucking in a deep breath, she found the others in the living room.

"Guys…?" she started, heart fluttering.

But then Scooby stepped out into the hall, the IV dragging behind him. His long face foretold the oncoming horror before he said a word.

The gang went quiet staring at him.

"He's here," Scooby said.

Daphne and Fred exchanged worried looks.

"Scoob?" said Shaggy.

Velma glanced around the room. "Who…?"

Suddenly, the far wall exploded shooting hot debris at them. The explosion shook the ground, knocking them off their feet. When the dust cleared, a huge hole gaped into the desert night, and three sinister beings stood inside it.

One of them, short, round and bald spat out pure nonsense.

"I dare say, Old Chap," replied the other portly creature with a waxed mustache and glittering monocle, "The dog was right. There are indeed humans here."

"And you doubted me," said Scrappy with a malevolent growl.

Behind them hobbled a dozen or so mutants from the center of town. Their eyes glowed in the darkness, thick with hunger.

That's when Crystal and Lester jumped into the room armed and ready to fight. Amber joined in, barring her teeth.

"You kids, get!" said Lester, taking aim. "We'll hold 'em off."

Daphne already had her rifle locked and loaded. "We can help!" she said.

"No, just run!" said Crystal.

"Like, I'll get the bags," said Shaggy, but he paused, him and Scrappy staring each other down. Fred had to yank him away.

Once the gang ran out, Velma paused. She grabbed Crystal's arm in solidarity. "Thank you."

Crystal met her eyes for a second. "Run."

!