Chapter 08
Shaggy and Velma were getting on in years and they had just been awakened from a sound sleep at 5:00 AM by the call from Barty Blake. But on hearing the words 'I've found out what Scooby was doing with the lawyers in Los Angeles', they were instantly awake and alert.
Velma almost crawled over Shaggy to get closer to the A-Eye, "What was it?"
"He was transferring his financial stock in your television show production company and replacing it with the real-estate-based stock within the company."
Velma's mind started whirling, "Real-estate-based stock? But the only real estate the production company owned was…"
And it all came together.
Shaggy and Velma said in unison, "Spooky Island."
Barty continued, "Exactly. The last thing Scooby Doo did was to take sole ownership of Spooky Island."
Spooky Island was a real place although it's official name on most maps was 'Unnamed Island at latitude 19°18'31"N, longitude 166°31'59"W. It had been used in the filming of the movie which had included none of The Gang. But CBS had a stake in the movie and the assets of the movie rolled over to the Scooby Doo program which had, in turn, rolled over to The Gang when they had severed ties when the show was cancelled. It had been listed as an asset of their production company even when the company became just a shell for distributing residuals.
The small island was off the sea lanes with no population and no infrastructure other than the decaying sets of the one movie which had been filmed there. A lot of birds and animals had been brought to the island by the film crew in order to create natural background sounds for the filming. Velma had always wondered if the island's ecosystem had been able to support them all after the crew left. But she had never been curious enough to want to go there. They had not gone during the filming of the movie. The only movie shots they had visited were the ones filmed in the Los Angeles studios.
So, Scooby Doo had bought a worthless island with nearly worthless stock and none of the rest of The Gang had ever realized since their royalties were so small by that time that the slight increase wasn't noticeable.
Velma was now catching up quickly, "Mr. Blake, didn't you give Daphne a small yacht when she was a teen-ager?"
He thought for a moment, "Yes, I had forgotten about it. I gave each of the girls one when they turned sixteen. Daphne named hers the Purple and Green. I know that the other girls sold theirs because maintaining them was too much hassle since they were docked in San Diego. I assumed Daphne had done the same.
Velma was sitting up and typing into her holographic keyboard at a mile a minute. She was totally in the zone.
Shaggy was still processing, "But Scooby owning an island should have shown up in some record somewhere."
Barty shook his head, "Technically the island isn't anywhere. It is not a protectorate of any country and there is no deed of record. Legally, it exists solely as an asset of the production company and its only record is the stocks. The lawyers did an expert job of covering up what Scooby had done while staying within the boundaries of the law. It was paperless and untraceable."
Shaggy understood financial matters well but couldn't quite get his head around that. He shrugged, "Well, to get you up to date, we've tracked Scooby to Hawaii where he got on a boat. Now, I guess, we know where he was headed."
"Got it!" Velma's voice rang out. She started talking rapidly, "There is no record of sale of the Purple and Green. It sailed away from its mooring 35 years ago and never returned. The pier kept billing against Daphne's account until the contract ended seven months later and then stopped. After that, there aren't any mentions of it."
Barty's face reddened, "Why didn't any of the investigators I hired at the time find that?"
Velma shrugged, "I don't know. I didn't look for it until we knew that she needed a boat."
Barty took a few deep breaths, "It probably wouldn't have helped anyway. We needed the information from the lawyers to bring all of this together. How are you planning to get to the island?"
Shaggy answered, "The quickest way is a seaplane. We'll try and charter one."
"I'll have my people take care of that. They'll let you know when it's all set up."
"Thanks, Mr. Blake."
Barty's shoulders slumped, "I believe that I've done all that I can do here. I'll be heading back to Crystal Cove. Please keep me up to date on your progress."
"Of course, Mr. Blake."
"Shaggy, it may now be time for you to start calling me 'Barty'."
"I'll do that, Barty."
The conversation ended.
Shaggy turned over and looked at Velma, "We may almost be to the end of this."
Velma didn't respond. She stared at her husband with what anyone else would describe as an unreadable expression. Shaggy knew exactly what her expression meant. Velma was frightened. He reached out and held her.
They showered, packed, ate breakfast, and were ready to go three hours later when Shaggy's A-Eye broadcast a placard which read 'Incoming message from Blake Industries'.
"Play message."
The A-Eye's voice continued, "For Mr. Norville Rogers. The seaplane which you requested will be taking off from Honolulu within the next thirty minutes and will be at the Hilo Bay Seaplane Anchorage in a little over an hour. They will be fully charged and ready to go in an hour and a half from now. Can you get there by that time?"
"No problem. We'll be waiting. Thank you."
The A-Eye voice responded, "You're welcome."
It was a five-minute P-Car ride to the Bay which meant they had an hour before they had to leave the hotel. Velma placed her A-Eye on the table and brought up a map of Spooky Island from the time the movie was made. There really wasn't much to it. The island was two miles long by one mile wide. It was volcanic and had relatively flat areas around the perimeter extending from the beach inland about 800 feet. At that point, the ground sloped steeply upward to an elevation of over 600 feet above sea level. This tall portion ran the length of the island and divided it into two distinct sides: east and west.
The large amusement park rides which were seen in the approach shots in the movie were all CGI and nothing was actually built to full scale. The large cliff jutting out from the actual island that looked like a face was also CGI. Everything was built on the eastern side of the island since Lathan Stoddard, the director, had wanted early morning light for most of his daytime shots and wanted the maximum time possible per day for evening shots. All of these were facades with partial roofs and not intended to last past the duration of the shoot. All of the internal shots were done back at the studio in California.
The different exterior sets were constructed in a circle around a centralized camera area to minimize camera relocation and reset time between takes. A large crane had also been located in the central camera area. A pier had been constructed for bringing in supplies and personnel. And a power plant comprised of three synchronized 1-megawatt diesel generators along with a large diesel storage tank had been installed adjacent to the pier.
Housing had been 40' shipping containers converted into three types. The main cast, director, and executive producer got a single shipping container to themselves with their own bathroom. Supporting cast and producers were put into shipping containers which were divided into two single rooms plus a shared bathroom. Everyone else were crowded into containers divided into two double rooms and a shared bathroom.
The only real building built on the island was the canteen/dining facility/rec room combination building which was a prefabricated metal building. Two exterior walls of the building had been covered in facades of the clubhouse building from the movie so that the exterior could pull double-duty.
A basin to collect rainwater along with a package water treatment plant was used for water supply and a package wastewater treatment plant had also been brought in. Velma found no record of how much of the equipment remained on the island.
All of this was on the eastern half of the island. The western half was left alone since the terrain made it impossible to get equipment from one side of the island to the other. If the dock was still there, they would land on the eastern side of the island and moor to it. If not, then they would land at low tide and then get as close to shore as possible, jump out, and wade in. But, either way, they would start on the eastern side.
With the exception of a small rollaboard apiece, they left their luggage with the concierge at the front desk and made their way to the seaplane anchorage about thirty minutes before their planned departure time and were able to watch the plane come in. The electric engines on the prop plane made little sound compared to its internal combustion predecessors. It was a small craft with 'Island Hoppers' written on the side and looked basically like seaplanes had looked for the past 100 years. Velma and Shaggy sat on a bench under an awning while the plane pulled up to its mooring.
When it had been tied off, a man and a woman wearing pullover sports shirts with the same 'Island Hoppers' logo emblazoned on the left breast climbed out and walked over. The man spoke first, "Ms. Dinkley, Mr. Rogers, I'm Charles Laudermilch, I'll be your captain on this flight."
The woman spoke up, "I thought I was the captain on this one."
He looked back at her, "Are you? Let me check." He pulled out his A-Eye and checked its built-in screen without putting out anything on holo. After a moment, he stepped back and said, "Oops. You're right. And gestured toward Velma and Shaggy.
The woman now stepped forward and extended her hand, "As my colleague was saying, I'm Marlo Laudermilch and I'll be your captain on this flight. And this is Charles Laudermilch who will be the co-pilot."
Velma queried, "I take it that you two are related."
Marlo answered, "He's my brother. He's a doofus but a darn good pilot. We take turns being captain. It's my turn."
Shaggy got down to business, "Have you been told where we're going?"
She checked her A-Eye, "Unnamed Island at latitude 19°18'31"N, longitude 166°31'59"W. That will be about a two-hour flight."
"Do you have provisions to stay overnight?"
She nodded, "The weather through tomorrow looks fine so we have food water and a couple of tents. We only have enough for one night, though. If it goes longer, then we'll have to come back and resupply."
Shaggy looked past them at the plane, "How many seats do you have?"
"Blake Industries told us to be able to seat at least five. We have eight seats and a belly storage compartment so we shouldn't have any problem if no one has too much luggage."
"That all works. When do we take off?"
"As soon as we're charged. Should be about fifteen more minutes. We'll get your luggage loaded while you're waiting."
After the plane was charged, they lifted off from the still waters of the Bay. There was a running banter between the brother and sister in the front two seats but Shaggy and Velma both looked out the window at the endless expanse of ocean. Each alone with their thoughts. Velma watched as the Hawaiian Islands disappeared and then there was nothing but blue ocean in all directions. She would say that it made her feel small but she was small, so she felt that way all of the time. What she mainly felt at this point was worry. The last 35 years had been a practice in keeping hope alive against all logic. But now, when they were two hours away from the answers that they had been seeking, logic was beginning to flex its muscles.
The chances of her friends being alive after 35 years on that tiny island were miniscule. The most likely outcome of this trip would be finding graves, skeletons, or nothing. For whatever reason, when the producers of the movie had brought in wildlife for background, they had included a full range including animals which could eat and dispose of a human corpse. Scooby, Daphne, and Fred would have been at the top of the food chain but, once dead, the possibility of skeletal remains being undisturbed were slight.
The likelihood that they would get to the island and find nothing remaining after three decades was high. And that would be earth-shattering. Velma couldn't keep hope alive any longer through that. She needed to either find her friends alive or find closure. But whatever happened, she knew that her hope was all used up.
Shaggy's mind couldn't stop a running loop of telling Nan that it was confirmed that her parents were dead. As much as he tried to think about something else, that scenario kept playing in his mind's eye, over and over. With each replay, Nan's reaction to the news got worse and more painful. He scolded himself for tearing himself up over something that had not even happened, yet. Then he scolded himself for the word 'yet'. He didn't fully realize that he had assumed his friends were dead for at least 30 years – just had never faced it.
Although time seemed to move at a snail's pace as they flew, eventually two hours did pass and, at about noon Hawaii time, Charles turned and pointed through the front windshield, "There it is."
Velma had to sit as high as she could in her seat to see out the front. She and Shaggy both squinted until they saw a small speck of land on the horizon. It began to grow as they got closer. Velma tried to get back to business, "Can we fly around the island a couple of times before we land?"
Marlo answered, "No problem. Do you want to land on the eastern side?"
Velma nodded, "Correct." She pulled out her A-Eye and laid it on her thigh bringing up the map that she and Shaggy had previously perused. As the island got closer, she tried to match landmarks. The linear high point running down the center of the island north to south put the island in perspective and, as they got even closer, she could make out some of the man-made artifacts like the dining building and the circle of sets. With the exception of three sets that extended into the sand of the beach, the jungle had engulfed them all. The pier appeared to still be intact. The diesel generators and all other large equipment appeared to be gone leaving nothing but cracked and decaying concrete pads.
They flew over the island and Marlo took them in a circle around the perimeter. Velma looked back and forth between the map and the ground below, hoping to see something that had been added or was newer. There was nothing on the eastern side.
As they swung around to the western side, she saw nothing but jungle and beach. They went around the island another time but saw nothing that indicated anyone was living here.
Velma tapped Marlo on the shoulder, "Let's go ahead and land."
Marlo nodded and started the approach into the area just outside the breaking surf. The plane glided to a smooth stop and then she carefully guided it through the choppier water near the beach and pulled up next to the dock. The dock itself was made of precast concrete planks. Many were cracked or missing but Shaggy could see enough of the pier in place for them to walk to the beach. Charles got out first and tied the plane of to mooring cleats. He then opened the rear door for Shaggy and Velma to exit. The deck felt solid beneath their feet.
Charles smiled, "Would you prefer that we come with you or stay with the plane?"
"Stay with the plane, please." Shaggy answered.
As much as Velma hated it when he walked in front of her (it blocked her view), Shaggy took lead and let her follow in behind. He placed each step carefully and pressed down before placing his weight on it and moving on to the next step. One row of planks was missing completely, and he had to take a risk and jump over. The next row of planks held firm and he held out his hand to assist his short-legged wife.
After a careful several minutes, they were on the beach. The white sand was blinding in the noonday sun, and they had to squint even behind the sunglasses that each wore. The jungle had pushed down to the edge of the sand, and nothing could be seen in the darkness underneath the thick foliage. The decrepit remains of one of the movie sets jutted out from the jungle a little way into the sand and they headed for that as a starting point.
The set had been a cabana area with a raised wooden deck, a thatched awning, a bar, and several built-in tables. The thatched awning was completely gone, and the wooden deck was rotted almost completely away. The ground in the area was darker than the sand around it and a wider variety of moss and vines grew over it. The bar and some of the tables were still recognizable.
They waited at the edge of the jungle for their eyes to acclimate to the shadows. Some motion caught Shaggy's eye and he jumped back, startled. Looking closer, he saw a small object hopping around in the darkness. He pulled Velma away. As his eyes adjusted, he saw more and more of the hopping objects. They looked like tiny kangaroos… they were rats.
"Zoinks! Rats! Hundreds of them!"
Velma nodded, "I see them, and this is certainly less than optimal but they'll probably be more afraid of us than we are of them."
"I don't think that's possible." Shaggy's voice broke just a little.
"Let's go. I'll lead."
With Velma's first step into the shadows, the rats fled in all directions and the area was completely clear within seconds. Velma looked back at Shaggy, "See. They ran away."
"Maybe. Or maybe they're plotting a counter-attack. Did you ever see 'Willard'?"
Velma kept up the conversation to keep Shaggy's mind off of local rodents while they began walking into the jungle, "What's 'Willard'?"
"It's an old movie about a guy who could control an army of rats. He used them for revenge."
"Why on earth would I even consider watching such a thing?"
"I saw it. And I'm remembering it all now."
"There doesn't appear to be any counter-attack. Let's keep walking. One foot in front of the other."
After they got to the other side of the cabana set, they found the remains of an old concrete walk which made a path. They followed it to a large concrete slab and looked around through the trees at the vine-covered remains of the other old sets. Most weren't recognizable for what they had been. Another concrete walk led out of the circle and into the denser jungle where Velma's map said the dining facility building was located.
"Stop!" Shaggy reached forward and touched Velma's shoulder.
She stopped, "What?"
"Listen."
The sounds of wildlife were plentiful, "For what?"
"Listen to everything. We're surrounded by wild animals."
"Technically true. But the list of animals the production company brought over didn't include anything that would be dangerous to a healthy human."
"Unless they start working together."
"Stop thinking about Willard."
"As if I could."
"Let's keep moving."
"At least we'll be a moving target."
The concrete running toward the dining facility was broken into slabs and they had to focus on their feet to avoid tripping. They were so focused on their footfalls that they did not see the shadow of an animal much larger than any brought to the island for the movie.
They walked right up to it until Velma looked down and saw it's claws on the ground right in front of her. She wouldn't have thought that she could still physically jump into the air to land in Shaggy's arms. More amazing was that his back held her when she did. They both looked up from the paws on the ground to then face of the animal who was standing on all fours in front of them.
"Hello Shaggy. Hello Velma."
It was Scooby Doo.
