"Mm! I smell yummy breakfast!" Sparkle licked her lips as she and Gherkin headed out through the halls with Phoenix.

"BWEAKFAST! BWEAKFAST!" Gherkin jumped for joy with a laugh.

"Woah, woah, slow down you two," Phoenix laughed as she held their tires to keep them from running.

They soon made it to the kitchen, where they found Crusher yawning as he cooked up omelette with spicy tuna along with some tomatoes and onions.

"Good morning," he greeted with another yawn as he flipped the omelette.

"Good morning," Phoenix returned the greeting before looking around as the girls took their seats. "Where are the others?"

"Pickle's still sleeping from his face-off with his client yesterday," Crusher replied, eyes still on the pan to not burn the omelette. "His cousins went off on a mission, and Lily's at the police station,"

"Oh, I see… wait, why is Lily at the police station?" Phoenix's panic rose.

"Isn't she the last to be with you, Mom?" Sparkle asked. "What if the police think that she kidnapped you?"

"It would be spot on because she did, but don't worry, that's not why she chose to get 'caught' by the police," Crusher assured them, scooping up the omelette to place it on the pan. "They have it all on plan, so let's just let them do what they're best at, and everything will turn out fine,"

"Yeah!" Gherkin agreed. "Big bwotha have best plans!"

"If you both say so…" Phoenix still looked unsure as the omelette was completed and set in front of them.

"But why are you so tired, Crusher?" Sparkle asked.

"Insomnia," Crusher gave a shrug.

"What's that?"

"An abnormal condition of getting little to no sleep," Phoenix replied.

"Big bwotha say it not healthy to not sleep," Gherkin pointed out.

"Eh, I was never really 'healthy' to begin with," Crusher chuckled and patted her head with a smile before he turned to head out. "I'll be back. I need to go and check on something,"

X

"Officer Blaze and Officer AJ, glad you two could make it," Anna gave a nod.

"Glad we could make it too, Officer Anna," Blaze smiled. "Now, where's Lily?"

"Right this way,"

Anna led the duo down the halls of the police station. They soon made it to the interrogation room, and the trio entered it to find Lily behind a metal table.

"Hi, Officers!" she greeted casually, waving her tire. "So what's going on?"

"Sorry, Ms, but only we get to ask the questions here," Anna told her.

"Oh, okay," Lily nodded.

"Alright, Lily," Blaze drove forward to face her. "Do you know why you're here?"

"Nope," Lily shook her head innocently.

"Alright then," Blaze sighed and held out a picture of his mother. "Do you know who this is?"

"Yep, it's Ms. Phoenix, your mom," Lily nodded.

"Exactly," Blaze gave a nod. "Yesterday, she disappeared, with no trace of her whatsoever. After a thorough investigation, it had been confirmed that you were the last to be seen with her. Is this true?"

"Yes," Lily confirmed. "I saw her sulking about Sparkle's kidnapping, so I offered her to some tea from the tea shop to help ease her worries about her. She suddenly felt dizzy, and I offered to help her drive back home,"

"Dizzy?" AJ questioned. "Do you know why she got dizzy?"

"No, I don't," Lily denied, shaking her head.

"According to the security camera that the tea shop owner gave us, you sprinkled something into her tea while she was looking away," Anna spoke sternly. "Can you please clarify what you sprinkled?"

"Some sugar because there was still leftover," Lily cooly answered, already expecting the question. "My tea needed some, but not that much, so I thought some sugar in her tea could be delicious,"

"It also shows in the security footage that you led her to an alley," Anna said.

"She was getting heavier, and I'm not as strong as Tillie or Pickle," Lily explained with a shrug. "We rested in the alley way a bit then we headed down another way through the alley. We separated as soon as we reached the center since she said that she was already fine driving on her own,"

"Mom could always be tough as much as stubborn…" Blaze muttered.

"And you didn't see anyone else follow Mom?" AJ questioned.

"Nope, I didn't," Lily shook her head.

"Hmm…" Blaze thought for a while before nodding and turning to his colleague. "I don't think she had anything to do with the kidnapping, Officer Anna. It all seem to check out,"

"I know…" Anna sighed. "Man, this was the only lead we had. If Lily didn't do it then… who did?"

RIIIING! RIIIING!

"Hey, someone's calling us," AJ took out his digital watch. "Hello?"

There was a sizzle of static flashing on his screen. The police officers gathered around it, confused.

"What's going on, AJ?" Blaze asked.

"I don't know…" AJ looked through the connection and gasped. "Wait! This line is coming from the house!"

"Which means… oh no, DAD!" Blaze gasped. "We need to go back now!"

"I'll go with you!" Anna offered.

"So will I!" Lily volunteered.

"Alright, let's go!" AJ hopped onto Blaze's driver seat then they all dashed out of the police station.

They zoomed through the streets and turned down a corner before finally making it to the home of the Blaze Family.

"DAD! DAD!" Blaze burst through the door and froze at the sight of the place. "Oh no…"

The whole place was a wreck, turned upside down like a struggle had just happened there. The couch was flipped, vases were shattered and so on, so forth.

"Oh my…" AJ gasped, dismounting as he looked around. "What… What happened…?"

"Someone kidnapped Mr. Flame." Anna hissed, turning to see an open window with shattered glass coming from it.

"No…" Blaze's eyes were wide and horrified as he began to hyperventilate. "No, no, no, no…"

"This is the LAST straw!" AJ blinked his tears away as he gritted his teeth. "First Sparkle, then Mom then Dad?! They've taken our WHOLE FAMILY basically!"

"I can't believe this…" Blaze broke down into tears.

"I'm so sorry, Blaze," Lily spoke, guilty as she patted him on the shoulder.

"We'll find them, Blaze, don't give up," Anna assured him, helping him up back on his tires.

"Yeah!" AJ agreed. "Come on, let's get back to the police station to rethink our strategy,"

Blaze nodded as he wiped his tears. As they all turned to leave, however, he noticed a black cap on the floor and picked it up with curiosity.

"Huh, I wonder where this is from…?"

This didn't go unnoticed by Lily, who recognized the cap and stiffened when she saw him pick it up. She didn't say anything, however, and pretended to not look as she followed behind them as they left the house.

X

"You guys didn't put him in a room?"

"Male or female, if they wake up in a room, they will freak out,"

"Yeah, I know I would, wouldn't you?"

"Fair, fair…"

"Guys, look, he's waking!"

Flame groaned as he listened to the voices around him. He opened his eyes and found himself staring up at three masked faces glancing down at him. At once, he screamed and backed.

"GAH! WHO ARE YOU?! AND WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?!"

"Easy, easy, Mr. Flame," one of them said, removing his mask to reveal Ben smiling at him. "We won't hurt you,"

"THEN WHY DID YOU KIDNAP ME?!" Flame cried out, glaring daggers at them as they all removed their masks. "AND WHERE'S MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER?!"

"They're upstairs and fine, don't worry," Crusher assured him, driving forward.

"We should get Pickle to tell him we've got Mr. Flame," Sven suggested.

"Good idea!" Ken agreed before glancing up at his head. "Hey, has anyone seen my cap?"

Ben and Sven shook their heads and drove up the basement ramp. Ken sighed, muttering something about finding it later before following after them. Crusher watched them leave then he turned to see Flame still glaring at them, even him.

Not that he's surprised.

"Glare a little more, and I might burn into ashes," he scoffed. "But I bet that's what you're aiming to do, huh?"

"Why are you doing this?" Flame demanded.

"Hey, hey, it's not me who planned this, just to let you know," Crusher raised his tires in defense.

"Really? Do you really expect me to believe THAT?"

"It really isn't me," Crusher huffed. "If if were me, I'd use robots to do the dirty work, and you'd be dead,"

"Oh, Crusher, I wish you could," Pickle giggled, his voice eerie as a forced grin was placed on his face while he drove to the other's side. "but I think you'd rather lose your sanity than kill anyone! You're too soft,"

"Too late, my sanity's been long gone," Crusher snorted.

"True, true, but you know what I mean," Pickle rolled his eyes playfully before turning to the yellow truck. "Hello, Mr. Flame! Do you like my basement?"

"You… so it IS really you who planned all this?" Flame stared at the green truck in disbelief.

"Yep, it's all me!" Pickle nodded. "Now, now, before you freak out—"

"BEFORE?! I AM ALREADY FREAKING OUT!"

"Of course you are," Pickle sighed. "but let me just—"

"NO! TELL ME WHERE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE!" Flame demanded.

Pickle stopped in his words before glaring down at the other with deadly eyes.

"Interrupt me again, and the next head on that shelf will be yours."

Flame was confused until he turned and froze to see lifeless truck heads on one of the shelves. Crusher gulped and lightly pulled on his best friend.

"Pickle, maybe that's a threat too far…?"

"Well, Crusher, you know how I HATE it when others interrupt me when I'm trying explain something serious." Pickle turned to him with a solemn expression. "Don't you?"

"I… do," Crusher drove back a bit.

"Good." Pickle turned back to Flame with a smirk. "Now, will you let me talk, or will I have to cut your tongue first?"

Flame swallowed but backed down. The green truck grinned at this.

"Good choice! Anyway," His anger demeanor switched back to happy in an instant, which made Flame quiver. "to clarify things, I am an assassin. My whole family is, honestly. It's just a family business we like to do. Now, I kidnapped you, your daughter and your wife for a reason. You see, one of my recent clients is targeting your son Blaze to be killed,"

"What?" Flame's eyes widened. "But… why?"

"His reason were all lies, trying to make it seem like Blaze and your whole family are bad guys, so I honestly don't know his true intentions," Pickle growled. "But I DO know who the guy is now, so I can imagine his intentions being the most disgusting and the worst of all,"

"Is that why you've been so grumpy since you came back last night?" Crusher asked.

"Yep." Pickle hissed.

"But why Blaze?" Flame questioned. "My son has done no wrong, as far as I know,"

"True, true, and that's why I'm kidnapping you all," Pickle said. "My client also wants you and Ms. Phoenix dead as much as he wants Sparkle in a… pedo way,"

"WHAT?!" Flame's eyes grew wide in horror.

"Yep, it's disgusting," Pickle gagged. "Okay, now that's out of the way, follow us, and we'll take you to Sparkle and Ms. Phoenix,"

Flame gave a nod, and they all headed out of the basement. They headed up the secret door and to the living room, where they found Gherkin and Sparkle playing with their toys.

"No, Mama Dolly, no be mean to bestie Sparkle!" Gherkin scolded at the doll she held in her tires. "No mean!"

At the last word, she ripped the doll's head off and threw the body down with a growl, it's stuffing falling on the ground beside them. Sparkle gulped and grinned nervously before turning to see Flame with a gasp.

"DAD!"

"SPARKLE!" Flame took his daughter into his tires. "YOU'RE SAFE!"

"FLAME!" The father and daughter turned to see Phoenix zooming towards them.

"PHOENIX!" Flame set his daughter down and embraced his wife. "THANK GOODNESS YOU'RE BOTH SAFE!"

"D'aww, that is one complete happy family!" Ben beamed.

"Well, almost complete," Pickle shrugged, causing Ben, Sven and Crusher to chuckle.

"Seriously, guys, have you seen my cap?!" Ken cried out.

"No, when was the last time you had it?" Sven asked.

"Well, I still had it when we— oh no," Ken paled. "I must've left it back at the house,"

"You mean, when you guys kidnapped Mr. Flame?!" Pickle's jaws dropped. "Well, that can't be good…"

"But wait, isn't the cap placed in black cloth?" Crusher wondered.

"Yes, but if they open it, it would show the symbol of the Pickle Family, and they'll know that WE did it!" Ken hissed.

"Oh no!" Ben gasped.

"What are you we gonna do?" Sparkle asked. "As much as you guys really kidnapped us, it IS for a good reason,"

"You three are gonna stay here with Crusher and Baby Gherkin," Pickle told them, his voice solemn before turning to his cousins. "Cousins, go to the rest of the family to warm them. Have Tillie and Millie be on guard while Frilly picks up Lily. I'll get the cap… along with Blaze and AJ,"

"You're gonna kidnap them too?" Sven questioned.

"Yes, because now that I know who my client is, they both deserve to know it too," Pickle gave a nod. "Oh, and Crusher, before I go, may I ask for one of your cheats? The jack-in-the-box one?"

"Um, why— oh," Realization dawned upon Crusher as his eyes widened. "OH. Okay, here," He handed the box over. "Just… be careful,"

"I will, don't worry," Pickle grinned and took the box. "And hopefully by tomorrow, this'll all be over,"