The gang were in the staff common room drinking coffee as Shaggy outlined his plan.
"Guys, remember the film Mission:Implausible 3 – Mirror of Mercy?" said Shaggy.
"What has this got to do with Velma?" said Fred.
"Well in that film they used the reflection from the baddies glasses to find the location of their hideout."
"So?" said Daphne draining her coffee mug, Fred leant forward, Shaggy was on to something.
"We've been thinking all wrong, food, bedding and a mattress have all been stolen from the store, they never left the store, Velma never left the store, she's still here down there somewhere," Shaggy pointed to the ground "There was stuff reflected in Velma's glasses if we can work out what it'll give us a clue as to where down there she is, I can get a copy of the DVD…"
"Velma could use her computer to do that, we don't have the skills," interrupted Fred.
"I know someone who does, Eric Staufer from the school cyber club," Shaggy took out his phone and called Eric, Daphne leant over and snatched the phone before Shaggy could speak.
"Eric, this is Daphne Blake whatever you are doing now is seriously not important, Velma's been kidnapped and we need you to help find out where she's being held."
A short while later Eric had joined them. They had moved to the security office so they could use the video equipment. Eric picked up a security camera that was lying around in the room as Shaggy described what he wanted Eric to do.
"Not my area of speciality, I'll call in some help. Do we know what type of camera this was taken on?" Eric peered through the lens of the security cameras "We can do some reverse optics to improve the image; I don't suppose any of you would have a laser on you?"
The gang turned out their pockets; Scooby dropped a couple of Scooby Snacks in Eric's lap and looked expectantly at him.
"We'll borrow one from college," said Eric patting Scooby on the head. He then wrote down a list of people to call and the gang hit the phones.
A couple of hours later and the phones were still buzzing as the reverse engineering of the reflected image got underway. Eric was glued to the phones, constantly taking and receiving call at the same time as trying to direct the image processing efforts. Shaggy had given Eric a new list of names to call; these people were needed for the second part of his plan. Shaggy and Scooby were outside dealing with the increasing numbers of people arriving to help. Soon people from every science, technology and workshop club in the city were there.
Shaggy climbed into the back of the Mystery Machine, it was the only place where they could get a bit of peace and quiet as the common room had been turned into a small server-farm. A lot of people were milling around doing a lot of things Shaggy didn't fully understand but Eric seemed to have it all under some kind of control. It felt like this was taking on a life of it's own which was what Shaggy had hoped.
"Any news?" said Fred when Shaggy had settled himself down.
"A deep basement, from what they could see and what we know of the place it was the level below the official basement."
"Anything else?"
"While it was a fishy hand that pulled the hood off, the people in the reflection were human. People in masks, I knew it."
"Sure you did Shag," smiled Daphne, "how long do we have to wait here?" "Eric will come and get us when the command tent is up and running."
"A command tent, sweet," said Fred.
"Honestly when will you two grow up..."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"It's open!" said Fred.
The door opened, a hooded figure leant in.
"Excuse me have you seen my brother?" the voice was that of a young woman, a very worried young woman.
"Your brother?" said Fred.
"Yes he helps run the herring stall, I turned up as normal but he wasn't there, I thought he'd gone to get the stock for the day but he hasn't arrived. He's not at home and his phone is off."
"And you are?" said Fred, the figure pulled back their hood.
"Wait I recognise you…" said Shaggy
"Yes, I'm Sonia, Sonia Nordskov. The last message I had from Rudi was that he was following a tapping noise he could hear in the store. Believe me we have nothing to do with what ever happened to Velma, I fear whoever has taken her and tried to blame me and my brother for it have now taken him."
The gang looked at each other.
"We are now," said Daphne.
Eric appeared from behind Sonia.
"Tent's ready guys. I called those people you said Shag, and they brought along some friends and they brought some friends and... well I hope you don't mind."
He stood aside; the car park was full of people.
