Chapter 18: Classic Concentration

Sailor Mercury she is riding the current of the river for a while until she senses she's clear of any more presences of danger, she swims to shore. Once she climes up the lands edge she then stands up and walks and then takes out a compact, opens it up, presses a button. In another place the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew van is in motion and then suddenly on the radar screen there is a signal. Adam is watching the screen and then he looks to Dipper who is at the command chair.

Adam says, "Dipper we have a Sailor signal."

Dipper says, "Can you punch up the coordinates?"

Adam then gets to another terminal and presses some buttons and crosshairs appear on the radar screen to lock onto the signal and on another screen of the terminal Adam is working on there is a display of the map of Vancouver, WA and it zooms in on part of the café from the walkway.

Dipper says, "Miss Mabel, take us to that location."

Mabel says, "Oh, god I hope one of my friends are alright."

"I know Mabel, I know."

The van soon drives over to the location, and it then parks and then only Dipper and Adam come out, Dipper has his magnum drawn with his left hand and Ninja go in his right hand while Adam has a double spear bo drawn out. Both as they are advances are cautiously looking in all direction for any more surprises. They both soon get close to the target zone which is outside of the Waterfront Park café and see Sailor Mercury all soaked in water. They escort her to the van, and she has a towel to dry up and explains what happened to the rest then starts asking a question.

Sailor Mercury says, "Were you all able to find the rest."

Mabel looks down sadly and says, "No, as soon as we got to the van we were going toward the locations of where are other friends were at, only to find we were too late."

Adam says, "We have driven throughout most of the city to find any traces of these unknown enemies and even to pick up a signal from any of you, your are only fortunate break."

Dipper says, "More like misfortune, once again most of our friends are captured and were the only one's left; three steps forward two steps back jeez just like most of my own life.

Suddenly there is a ringing on Dipper's phone and then Dipper gives a sigh and Adam says in a sarcastic tone, "I wonder who that could be."

Dipper he gets his phone up and then turns it on speaker.

Caller says, "If you're listening to this Dipper then you have made it."

Adam says, "Ah screw you, have you done anything to my brother and friends?"

"Looks like you made it to I'm flattered, as for your question don't worry their alright the gas was only for sedation."

Dipper says, "What are they for."

"Only for the next part of the game that you have to play."

"Wait a minute you haven't given us the coordinates."

"I'm afraid this time, it's something you're going to have to figure it out on your own."

"What how?"

"Dig deep that always helps in finding the answer."

Dipper stays silent to ponder for the moment the nest thing to say next after the worst news imaginable, suddenly something comes to mind.

Dipper says, "What about a hint?"

Caller says, "Why Dipper, I though you never needed any."

"In order to keep the game moving the players need some kind of clue to keep the momentum of the game going, otherwise how do you expect any of us to play; and if we can't play then you don't have your game."

"You make a good point, alright you get just one."

Dipper and all four they listen to the phone carefully and then the caller give them the hint.

"There is a place which holds many people, which fulfills every desire, I have plenty of spaces and places, may lights and noises, I'm a place that could be lived in but no one can ever live in, I harbor many ships and slides, the symbol of my country is a part of nature, and I'm a place that none have every been torn down yet; so what place am I?"

Dipper is puzzled by the little thing he just received.

Caller says, "I recommend you figure out the answer fast, because just as the time for Christmas is running down so are the lives of all our friends, this call is now terminated and so will all of you soon."

The call then seizes. Mabel then looks at everyone as she ponders the riddle.

Mabel says, "I don't' get it do you?"

Dipper says, "Not just yet, but right now the first thing to do is to travel to our assigned neutral location."

Adam says, 'But we don't even know where they could possibly be within the state."

"I know but at least we can get one foot forward wherever we need to go."

They all take the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew van, and they immediately drive off. It takes about half of one day as they have been driving for hours to Bellingham, Washington. They go to another RV park and Adam he goes out with one of the cars of his choice which is a Red Ferrari his favorite car, it comes out of the back of the van and then he drives off to Downtown Bellingham and he goes for food at the "La Flamma Wood Fire Pizza" their best coffee spot called "The Woods Coffee". He then comes back, and he is giving out everyone's separate boxes of Pizza along with the coffees.

As Adam is serving Mabel last there is one cup holder tray with four mochas latched on. Adam takes both his Gingerbread and Peppermint Mocha and puts them on his TV tray with two black "Alien Annihilation" coasters as each one has a trading card photo one of "Scary Zombie Alien Heavy Metal rockers making Congressmen's heads explode from their laser electric guitars." and another "Giant Boxy Robots throwing Corporate cars with the corporate suits still trapped in them in their mouth to chop on and convert to fuel." Adam still has the tray with two left which are the same order as his. He moves this tray near Mabel.

Adam then says, "Here Mabel here are your two."

Mabel takes another Peppermint Chocolate Mocha from Adam and drinks it and says, "Thanks."

Dipper is puzzled by this.

Dipper says, "Why do you both have second mochas?"

Adam says, "Second Mocha always calms our nerves."

Dipper looks and Adam and says, "Wait that's not accurate."

"It is now."

Dipper just shakes his head and then takes his mocha goes back to the board which is the riddle they hear on the phone typed in.

Dipper says, "Alright let's review, most to all our group are kidnapped except for us whom thankfully were able to make it to this van on time; but in the meantime, just gives us this riddle and we all have at least a matter of hours to solve this riddle."

Adam says, "Or even just mere minutes, God knows what's they doing to all of them right now or what's become of some of the one's my brother hasn't exercised yet."

Ami says, "Patience Adam, we will get to them."

"Your right I think I need another sip of this."

He then takes two of the mochas and at the same time takes a jug of both. Ami and Dipper are amazed by this, but Mabel isn't surprised as she seen him drink that way before.

Adam then brings both drinks back and that says, "Ah, much better."

Dipper says, "Alright before we get to brainstorming, does anyone have any ideas on the riddle."

Mabel looks more and then she raises her hand, Dipper shakes his head and says, "You don't have to do that sis just speak."

"Sorry reflex action, anyway I think I might have figured it out, Minako."

Ami says, "What about her Mabel?"

"Oh, c'mon Ami think remember how she is a lover of the movies and one time I, Candy, Makoto, Gretchen, Wendy, we visited Tokyo and she would take us to one of her favorite movie theaters called Grind and Guts Theater. And one film that was one of her favorites is this 70's girl street gang film called 'Switchblade Sisters".

Dipper says, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything Dip, you see this theater was located in one of the biggest malls in the world from Tokyo, the Aeon Shopping Mall."

Dipper says, "How is it you figured that out."

Ami says, "It's actually quite simple Dipper when you think about it more."

"I've been thinking the heck out of the riddle but enlighten me anyway."

Ami says, "You want to take it Mabel."

Mabel then clears her throat and says, "Well think about the first lines, "Place that holds many people, fulfills almost every desire with plenty of spaces and places and the last line I'm not torn down yet" the caller is describing a Mall which is one of Minako's favorite places."

Dipper says, "That is actually very accurate, but the problem is we don't know where and what kind of mall."

Ami says, "Actually I have the answer as to where."

"What do you mean?"

"The line in the riddle, the symbol of my country is a part of nature, there are sports teams along with states and countries that have things of nature as their symbols, but they mainly consist of animals, the line refers to a part of nature which doesn't necessarily mean animals; this deduces only one country and that is Canada which has the leaf as their National Symbol."

"Nice deduction but we still don't have the exact location as to where they're at."

Adam says, "We do now, I got that licked."

"What, when…when did this happen."

"Right now."

Dipper breaths a sigh and says, "Alright lay it all down on me."

"Well, it's actually really easy, it's someplace my family use to go to every summer but anyway there is only one mall in Canada that has some of the best water slides and a ship and that is Edmonton Mall."

Dipper says, "Wow those are excellent deductions and I don't believe it?"

Mabel says, "Don't believe what Dip?"

"Well, everyone else figured it all out except me."

Dipper looks down in a feeling of slight shame but then everyone else comes near him and pats him softly on the back and shoulders for reassurance.

Mabel says, "Alright before we go so there are no hexes, lets drink a toast to the rescue of our friends and Christmas."

Mabel, Dipper, Adam, and Ami they all put their cups up and then sip their mochas and then everyone says at the same time, "Mmmmm, Cobbler's Crystals."

Dipper says, "Wait why are we all saying that."

Mabel says, "I don't know just felt right."

Soon everyone gets to their stations and then the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew van then starts going.