Chapter 17
Myers: Well, I´m not surprised to hear that. Biggs and I have found a few things you'd like to see...
Involuntarily, I glanced at my watch, at the samples, and then at Fred, showing that I was in a hurry to meet FBI, but Myers didn't notice my non-verbal language and took me into agent Biggs' office. Fred and Shaggy followed us and Miller brought the samples.
Myers: Remember when we told you there was nothing wrong with the other financial transactions that Liberty did, no evidence of fraud or money laundering…?
Velma: Yes, I remember the cybercrime department reported that only Cho Sang-woo was doing something wrong…
Myers: All right. There's nothing wrong with the transactions, except for one small detail: the customers don't exist.
Velma: What?
Biggs: Analysing transactions between Liberty and hundreds of "clients", we realized the clients are all shell companies, registered with a false number…
Myers: Many of them were registered with the same number. Take a look, these seven different companies have the same registration number... a very old registration, by the way...
Shaggy: How old? Like, 1988?
Myers: How do you know?
Shaggy: Like, I have good informers…
Shaggy looked at me victoriously while emphasizing "good informers" and I rolled my eyes.
Myers: The strange part is: since 1988, these companies have only done money transactions to Liberty… we haven´t found absolutely anything else about them… no sales, imports or exports, it seems they were made especially for these transactions…
Velma: Are they american companies?
Myers: No, no there are some European and Asian companies too…
Biggs: In some cases, the registration number leads us to giant companies… for example, this client here, "Cyrus Financials"… the registration number is the same for Global Holdings… why would a huge company like Global Holdings pretend to be a smaller company?
Velma: To make secret things that huge companies can't do in public...
Shaggy: Like, turning poor people in debt into valuable organs…
Fred: You mentioned there are several companies registered with the same number… how many different numbers did you find?
Myers: I think about twenty… and each number leads to seven different companies…
Fred: Is it possible to get information about these companies?
Biggs: We already have that information, that´s why Myers said your discovery wasn't that surprising. One of the records belongs to MD Financial Group… MD being an abbreviation for Mayberry-Dawson…
Fred: Alan Mayberry's fintech?
Biggs: No, it's a very old gigantic British bank founded in the Rothschild era, but Alan Mayberry is one of several heirs to this family, I looked it up...
Velma: Are you saying that Alan Mayberry comes from a billionaire family of bankers?
Biggs: It's not a simple billionaire family, it's practically the royal family of the bankers... one of the biggest and the most traditional in the whole world...
Shaggy: Like, why would a billionaire sue a company for losing millions of dollars? All he had to do was ask his dad for more money!
Fred and I snickered at Norville's childish habit of asking his dad for financial help at adult age, but his argument was correct. That fact was a proof that the whole thing was a hoax.
Fred: Well, if they are such royals, I imagine they don't like Applegate and Blake's existence in the business...
Velma: They must hate it! The day we went to Blake Manor, George was mad at us for missing a meeting in London that would get him a £200m deal, remember?
Fred: Are there any other big shots like that on this list, Biggs?
Biggs: There are only big shots, Captain, so you should be very careful. If they can control the FBI, you can imagine the kind of people you'll be dealing with...
Fred: We know who they are, Biggs, they are the VIPs. That's why we need all the information you can get about them.
Biggs reluctantly agreed and handed a tiny flash drive into Fred's hands.
Velma: Jinkies! Fifteen minutes have passed, we need to meet the feds!
Miller handed me the forensic reports and samples in the same sad way a parent gives a child for adoption, and I promised him I had a plan. When the elevator stopped on the right floor, Fred grabbed me by the wrist.
Fred: Are you sure we're going to do this? You know these samples will disappear…
Shaggy: Yeah, like, you´d better pretend you don't have the samples anymore... if you want, I can get Scooby-Doo and we tell them he ate the reports...
Velma: No, gang, we can't do that! If we don't give them the samples, it will be obvious that we are doing our own investigation, and that can be dangerous! We need them to believe we are supporting them. Plus, we have copies, we don't need to worry...
My answer calmed them down and we walked to the meeting room. My presentation was brief, when I finished, I gave them the samples and we left. Fortunately, they believed me and there were no questions. When we were back in the car, Fred asked.
Fred: So, what's the plan?
Velma: The plan is to let them talk. In the same way they have divulged information we didn't know, we will let them tell the media extra information that we still don't know. Clearly the case is a hoax and they know the truth about the murders, so let´s wait for the braking news to give us further directions…
Fred: Sometimes I wonder why you're not the captain, Velma... just brilliant...
I don't know what physiological response my body resorted to, but I blushed at Fred's compliment. The first compliment in ten years working together.
Velma: Because all leaders are despicable... and you still don't know the difference between DNA and RNA, so you would suck as a forensics agent…
Fred: I told you, I liked you better when you weren't making jokes…
We laughed and Shaggy asked Fred to pass by the kennel because Scooby-Doo training was over.
Velma: Shaggy, can we go back to your apartment to analyse Biggs' flash drive?
I suggested Shaggy's apartment before they suggested mine because I didn't want to lose my entire food supply. Shaggy stuttered to give a convincing answer, while he looked at his cell phone quickly and hid the messages he sent to Crystal, telling the things they wanted to do with each other that afternoon. Fred signalled to me to not repeat the question, so we left Shaggy and Scooby and set a time for the Blakes' dinner. Fred then drove to his own apartment before I could justify why I didn't want him in my apartment. After all, he understands all my neurosis, we're ridiculously alike. When we arrived at the elevators, Fred signalled to me to enter.
Fred: You can go up first, Dinkley. I don't want the neighbors to think I'm sleeping with you... it might ruin the reputation I have here…
Even annoyed, I showed him my middle finger and tugged at his sleeve before the elevator left. Then I laughed at the joke, because I missed the times when Fred was my friend, we made jokes with each other and he pissed me off in a good way. In other words, I missed the times before NYPD, before the never-ending professional feud between two egos, and all the grudge it has generated. I think Fred missed that too, because I could see some joy in his eyes for a moment (they are always so serious and distant). When we arrived at the apartment, I had my revenge.
Velma: The apartment is very clean, very organized and very well decorated for the straight standards. I think that's what your neighbors really think about you, "Mr. reputation"...
We laughed again, but I didn't feel the same joy. All of a sudden, that strange tightness in my chest returned, and it made me have tears in my eyes. It was as if the universe was telling me that moments like that would end and I should stop immediately what I was doing. Fred noticed my reaction and asked if I was okay, but I denied everything. Then we both stopped joking with each other and started our activities.
I was digging through more than ten thousand anagrams for almost two hours when I finally found a bond between an anagram and the name on one of the doors at Applegate Bank.
Velma: Jinkies! Look at this, Fred, "Aron Linkmen" was written on one of the doors. It's an anagram for Norman Klein, one of the owners of Global Holdings, according to Biggs´ report!
I stopped talking when I realized only the walls were listening. The cards were still around the table and Fred gazed at them, his eyes full of sadness. I repeated what I had said raising my voice, and he looked at me for a second to show me he was listening.
Fred: Great. We found another VIP…
Fred's half-hearted answer discouraged me to continue looking for familiar names among thousands of anagrams. Befotre I could find some motivation back, I was interrupted by the abrupt noise of Fred getting up from where he was.
Fred: Make yourself comfortable. I'll check if Daphne is ok and I´ll be back in half an hour. She hasn't answered me since this morning, something must have happened...
Inevitably, I checked my cell phone and saw that Daphne's last Whatsapp activity was ten minutes ago, when she posted at the girls group the three new pairs of shoes she had just bought. Even though I was quick, my gaze wasn´t unnoticed, and he understood exactly what I wanted to say. He went back to where he was just as abruptly as he'd gotten up, sat down and lost himself in sadness again. I was really frustrated that I would have to check each one of those names by myself, so I faked a cough and asked him a random question about the cards he was supposed to be analysing. Instead of answering, Fred just gave me the cards.
Velma: Okay Fred, enough, do you want to talk about it?
Fred: Talk about what?
I sighed at his insistence on pretending he wasn't feeling anything. So I decided to open up, in an attempt to get him to talk too.
Velma: Do you want to talk about the things we both are feeling, but we will deny them to death because our reason won't allow us?
Fred: Ladies first...
Velma: You decide to be a gentleman at unnecessary moments, you know?
He smiled a little and I sighed, dreading the words that would come out of my mouth.
Velma: Well… when I said goodbye to Marce at the airport… I felt a tightness in my chest, a very strange sadness… as if that was the last time, you know? As if… something really bad will happen at any moment and there's nothing I can do about it... ok, I'll say the right words: I had a bad omen... I felt the same when you played with me... it's like something is ending and I can't stop it... I can't control this feeling, even though I know there must be a logical explanation for it…
Fred: Velma, it's guilt. You don't need to theorize neuropsychologically, I understand. I feel it too. Surely you're feeling guilty about the situation between you and Marcie.
Velma: No! Look, there's nothing bad going on between me and Marcie right now…
Fred: A few hours ago, a jerk told me: "ignore all the problems and they will disappear, what a great rational strategy"…
Fred's imitation of my voice made me laugh, and it was so ridiculous that he ended up smiling a little too.
Fred: …and that jerk is right. It's even annoying how right she is...
Velma: Okay… maybe the irrational part of me is blaming myself for everything I´ve done… and the rational part is simply scared to death about what our life will be like from now on…
Fred: And the emotional part of you just wants things to be okay between you both, because you can't even imagine what life is like without her...
This time, my admiration silenced my words. My facial expression showed Fred that I was in complete agreement with what he had said.
Velma: I'm sorry if I once said you don't understand me... it seems like you understand me way more than I myself do...
Fred: It's easier to understand when its about someone else's feelings...
Velma: I agree. Also, it's easier to solve when its about someone else's feelings...
With that, I hit the wound. Fred sighed and walked away, showing that the conversation was over.
Velma: Come on, Fred, at least you know what to do to change everything! I have no idea about what I should do to change things with Marce…
I expected all kinds of answers and prepared myself to continue pressuring him to talk about his own feelings. But after some progress, Fred decided to go back to his emotional cave and remain silent.
Fred: Velma, I think it's time to get back to work, we still have two cards and thousands of anagrams to go through.
Many hours - and thousands of anagrams - later, Fred and I finally found out the VIPs´ real names. I typed Shaggy a message to let him know the good news, but I thought it was not safe to share such important information through cell phone, so I deleted. I believe Shaggy saw my message attempt, because he sent me a video call request.
Shaggy: Hey gang, like, someone wants to talk to you!
Shaggy put the cell phone camera in front of the computer screen, where the Flim Flam image greeted us shyly.
Flim Flam: What's up, gang? Shaggy told me about intelligence department's recent dircovers, so I bring you some interesting news…
Velma: Hello Flim Flam, we also have good news for you…
Fred immediately nudged me to stop talking.
Fred: …but we'll talk about it when we meet in Seoul, because it´s confidential.
Flim Flam: Great, so I'll have more time to explain what I´ve just found out… do you remember we asked if the victims owed Liberty money? So… none of our victims had debts with Liberty, which leads us to a dead end again… so I asked myself: "who the hell is the real owner and founder of Liberty?" And I discovered this person: Oh Il-nam, a discreet South Korean tycoon and the 5th richest man in the entire world… the only problem is that he was an old man with brain cancer who could never kidnap people…
Velma: He WAS?
Flim Flam: Yes! Unfortunately, he passed away a few months ago, so he couldn´t transfer 38 million to Silmido last month because he was too busy… uh…being… dead…
Velma: Oh, you must be kidding, so what´s the point of it all?
Flim Flim: Let me finish! I promise it will be worth it… well, then I asked myself: "do people voluntarily disappear to pay their debts?", and I discovered… uh… a light in the end of the tunnel… most of victims remain in debt after the disappearance… but there are exceptions… in June 2015, a corrupt police officer named Hwang In-ho disappeared near a marina in Seoul. However, about a month later, he was found and thousands of wons just appeared in his bank account… and guess what? The money came from Liberty's accounts in Silmido, and the amount in wons is exactly 38 million dollars…
Fred: Can he be the one who sends the money to Silmido every year?
Flim Flam: Not at all. Although he is listed as Oh Il-nam´s right-hand man, Hwang In-ho is missing since June 2020, and so is his brother Hwang Jun-ho, a Seoul Police detective.
Fred and I both sighed impatiently at a revelation that, again, destroyed our reasoning and led us to absolutely nothing. Flim Flam apparently felt our anger and continued.
Flim Flam: Calm down, gang! It may sound silly, but you will understand my point, just pay attention and let me continue, ok?... Well, the other missing debtor who reappeared with the same millionaire amount is this man…
Flim Flam paused his camera's image for a moment and shared a photo of a middle-aged Asian man with bright red hair.
Flim Flam: His name is Seong Gi-hun, an unemployed who had gambling debts when he went missing in June 2020…after a month, he returned to his neighborhood in Seoul as a millionaire…but the curious part in both cases is: they didn´t use the money. Hwang In-ho has rent arrears and Seong Gi-hun barely touched the money he won…
Velma: So Gi-hun and In-ho are survivors of whatever happened in June 2015 and June 2020? I mean, the fact that they are the exceptions and returned with millions makes me believe they survived something…
Flim Flam looked at us in awe.
Flim Flam: Honestly, I hadn't thought about that, Velma, but it´s brilliant to consider that every year something happens in June, this event makes about 400 people disappear and only one survives…
Shaggy: Like, they might be responsible for the disappearances... and received the money as a prize…
Velma: I don´t think so, Shaggy. Both are millionaires now, but they barely used the money. Makes me think the money isn't exactly theirs…
Flim Flam: I think Velma is right, but let me finish: I found out that Gi-hun and Cho Sang-woo were friends since childhood. And every week Gi-hun visits Sang-woo's mother, who works as a street vendor in Seoul. Most of the times, he sends her some money.
Fred: What if these men were hired by the VIPs to kidnap all those people and remove their organs? I mean, annually the VIPs hire someone to do that…
Velma: I don´t think Gi-Hun would do it with his childhood friend…
Fred: A psychopath could do it, if he was rewarded with millions to do so…
Velma: Rewarded with millions that they never used? Plus, psychopaths don´t use send financial help to the moms of their victims…it sounds remorseful to me… I think Gi-hun knows exactly what happened to Sang-woo, so he sends money to make amends for Sang-woo's family.
Fred: But, let's face it, it's much easier to deceive a friend and take him to death than convincing a stranger…
Velma: But we don't have only one "friend" missing, Fred, we have more than 400 people! And we have no proof that Gi-hun and In-ho are friends with the other victims…
Flim Flam: Well, in my humble opinion, you both are right at some points... I think Liberty´s owner hired people to kidnap all the victims, but I don´t think he hired ordinary losers like Gi-hun or In-ho. If Oh Il-nam can corrupt FBI, I think he would hire better ones to do such a thing, so I think these ones are the VIPs. The VIPs are powerful people in America and Europe, and that makes Il-nam´s business expand overseas… plus, they are qualified and nobody would ever consider them as suspects.
Fred: Makes sense. And the old man died, so it seems he has chosen heirs to continue his business...
Flim Flam: Exactly! I think the VIPs took over Il-nam's activities…
Shaggy: Ok, like, now listen to my theory: a lot of people disappeared, but there are no evidences that prove the disappearances happened in a violent way. In addition, everyone was in debt, so a kidnap makes no sense because nobody was rich enough to pay amounts in exchange. And among the victims, we have two friends and two brothers. So, I think the mass disappearance happened voluntarily… like, everyone was lured by a big money offer, for example… or a big food offer… at least, that´s what I would do…friends and brothers can compete for food and job offers, Sugie and I do it all the time…
Velma: Jinkies, that´s brilliant, Shags!
Fred: Maybe everyone was lured by a job offer. Liberty is a stockbroker, maybe everyone was seduced by those "get-rich-easy" speeches… like those ads that say you can earn hundreds of dollars a day by watching videos…
Velma: And the job was fake and the people were captured for organ trafficking…
Shaggy: So Gi-Hun and In-ho were the only ones who got the real jobs?
Flim Flam: I´m sorry to disappoint you, but who would pay two simple men 38 million dollars? And for doing what? Not even qualified hitmans at dark web earn so much… plus, the money was not used at all…
Velma: And don´t forget about the desert island, the two cards, and a group of American billionaires destroying other American billionaires by using their own illegal business... Jinkies, we must be dealing with two or three different cases, it´s not possible that everything is connected!
Fred: I hate to say that, but I think you are right… at each discovery, it seems like the motherfuckers are playing with us…
Suddenly, Shaggy's eyes widened, he smiled and clumsily dropped his cell phone. When he returned to the camera, he started talking ecstatically.
Shaggy: Gang, that's it! Like, they're playing with these people in the same way they played with us! Like, do you remember our operation at Liberty? And those scary games that hurt some agents? That's it! Liberty must play those games with ordinary people! And must make big money offers for the winner! Like, think about it, they had scary robots and sinister magnetic fields, why would they invest so much money in such things? Obviously, those weird games are a business… and they make those games, like, for money, you know? Rich people must put bets on the ones playing, stuff like that!
Strangely, the idea was brilliant and very ridiculous at the same time. Flim Flam's eyes widened, showing that he was thinking rationally about what he'd heard. Fred and I just looked at each other doubtfully, and our cruel skepticism brought a smirk to our lips.
Velma: Really, Shaggy? How did you draw this brilliant conclusion?
Shaggy: Nooo, Velma, like, don´t mock my idea now, just let me explain, ok? This theory is the only thing that can explain all the evidences we have! Like, only two people reappeared with a lot of money…why? Because they must be the winners of the game! What about the ones that never returned?… like, they must have died while playing, and their organs were sold! The cards we found can be the game´s visit card, and people voluntarily attend by calling the number… the 38 million dollars must be the prize, and the desert island must be the place where the game happens… like, a jungle survival game, or… or a reality show! A reality show at a distant place, like, Ex on the beach, you know? Liberty and the VIPs have enough money to make such a thing happen…and they would get millions back with bets, you know, people watch the show and place their bets on their favorite players… and… and of course this is an horrid thing that would cause a huge social scandal, so the VIPs are trying to blame George and Steven now, so they will never pay for their crimes in the future!
Shaggy ended his explanations with a big smile, but our facial expression worsened and we sneered at him, so Shaggy got annoyed.
Shaggy: Damn, don't you watch Big Brother? Like, people locked in a house for months playing a game worth millions, it's not hard to understand!
Fred: Shaggy, I thought you had quit weed when you left DEA…
Fred's comment inevitably made me laugh. When he realized that I agreed with him that Shaggy´s theory was ridiculous, he laughed too.
Velma: Shaggy, Jinkies, what the heck was that? No… don't answer, I'm afraid to hear again…
Fred and I still laughed for some time while Flim Flam looked at us serious and Shaggy got angrier and angrier.
Shaggy: So, Miss PhD. and Mr. Know-it-all, could you give me another logical explanation for all this shit?
Velma: I could give you countless explanations that sound more logical than that, Shaggy…
Fred: Well, I think the only logic part of that is: you need to change your TV shows repertoire, Shags…
We laughed again for some time, but Shaggy didn´t seem to care about out attitude.
Shaggy: No, gang, wait! Like, don't make fun, I know it sounds absurd and a little crazy, but think with me… what evidence did we find at Liberty? Bizarre games! The way we played those games shows that someone was filiming, or watching us fail and having some fun with that… doesn´t it? An elevator without a button, confusing stairs, a magnetic piñata, they seem like those online pranks! Then Daphne found that card… and after, Fred found hundreds of identical cards. You don't have to be a gamer to know that those symbols look like video game controller symbols, and…
Fred: It seems logical, Shaggy, but it doesn't explain the disappearance of so many people… I´ve never seen a reality show with more than 20 people… people watching the show would barely know the names of all participants…
Velma: Yeah, and if it were really a reality show, all the participants would be a little famous with it, wouldn't they? I mean... even when a person doesn't win a reality show, he or she ends up like a celebrity. They get fans, followers, sponsors, some television jobs... no reality show participant ever became more anonymous than before! And in our case, that's exactly what happened, the other participants just disappeared… some of them died… it's totally illogical…
Shaggy looked at Flim Flam's image and the ominous silence that followed that scene caused a shiver down my spine. Flim Flam looked at us shocked, then sinalled that Shaggy would be in charge of saying the terrible thing they both were thinking.
Shaggy: Like… let´s suppose… all the other participants were killed during the show…
Fred chuckled again and looked at me, hoping for some sort of support to taunt Shaggy. However, I felt that strange tightness in my chest again, a feeling that silenced my voice and made me gulp. I tried to react and show that I totally agreed with Fred's opinion, but an irrational fear made me feel that something was very wrong. Fred noticed my discomfort, so he replied.
Fred: Oh, come on, gang! Are we really considering that people are dying at a creepy reality show? What TV channel or streaming service would do such a thing?
Shaggy: Like… nobody's talking about TV or legal services, Fred… we're talking about deep web… and gore sites…
Flim Flam: Or even viral gore videos spread through tiktok or whatsapp…
Fred: Oh, c´mon, everyone knows this is fake! Hackers spread this stuff to make unprepared people access the dark web in a wrong way and…
Flim Flam: Uh… not really, Fred. Unfortunately, such things really exist down there… and we're dealing with very powerful people with a lot of technical knowledge, so I believe Shaggy is right...
Shaggy: Like, have you ever supported a reality show participant with tweets or hashtags? Now just imagine… if you had a lot of money like the VIPS, what would you do to support your favorite participant?
Flim Flam: Or worse! Imagine that you had so much money that you could pay to see bad things happen to some people... and when I say "bad things", I mean all kinds of bad things, including "see people become organs"... imagine how many millions Liberty would make with such videos…
Shaggy: Like, you all know there are a lot of monsters who like to watch stuff like that… and a lot of monsters who do stuff like that… Alan even cited Jeffrey Epstein, maybe he himself is some sort of Jeffrey Epstein…
Velma: Well, I understand your point, but if it´s true, why didn´t the "winners" use the money?
Shaggy: Like, what? Isn´t it obvious? How would you feel if you won a reality show in which the other participants died? Like, I would be traumatized, at least... I would be afraid as hell that the VIPs would find me again, so I wouldn't even touch the money, not even a cent…
Fred: You're always afraid of everything, so it doesn´t count. Plus, now that you´ve put in your two cents´worth, we need to get back to reality…
Fred's rude response made Shaggy and Flim Flam glare at him, demanding explanations.
Fred: Sorry, gang, I can't take this theory seriously, it's just a crazy assumption like telling everyone was taken by ETs, there's no evidence about it at all! I know we're dealing with confusing facts, but we must keep the focus on reality, ok? We have to think more rationally...
Shaggy and Flim Flam didn't disagree verbally, but the expressions on their faces clearly showed they were not with Fred. At that moment, a bad omen disabled all the logical thoughts in my mind, so I couldn´t say my opinion.
Fred: Velma? Does forensics have any objections?
Velma: No… none… I mean… I… well… sorry gang, I'm not feeling ok… I think we had enough for today, can we talk about it tomorrow?
Flim Flam agreed – after all, it was early morning in Beijing, and he was visibly exhausted after working all day on the case. Fred accepted too, the only one who refused was Shaggy.
Shaggy: C´mon, Velma! You are the gang´s genious, you know my theory is logic!
Velma: No, it seems logic, Shaggy, but there are a lot of inconsistencies in…
Shaggy: Like, do you want to talk about inconsistencies? Well, then let me tell you… your theory makes no sense! You are crazy about these blood samples and those stupid VIPS... but Scoob didn't sniff out Alan anywhere at Liberty…
Fred: Of course, he's a billionaire and one of the VIPs, he certainly hired someone to do the dirty work...
Shaggy: LET ME EXPLAIN THIS SHIT, JONES!
We were startled to see Shaggy raising his voice. He only gets angry when the problem involves food.
Shaggy: Like, just listen to me, ok, Fred? Like… I have evidences: 1st: the building was empty, right? There was no evidence that people worked there and stuff, we only saw machines and weird stuff… 2nd: we don´t have evidence that Alan was there, and this is strange, because he is a VIP… 3rd: the only human evidence we´ve found was inside a secret place, and the dogs sniffed out a trail to this place, isn´t it strange? It´s like someone showed us the way!
The logical argument made Fred's facial expression change and show a little admiration.
Fred: Okay… go ahead…I´m listening…
Shaggy: Like, 4th: neither Alan nor the media has ever mentioned where the blood samples were found. Why? If Alan knew lots of murders happened inside a fake fridge, I´m sure he would spread the information in all TV channels, wouldn´t he? Like, that proves he knows those people died somewhere else. And the last: we have blood samples of 35 people, but we could barely put our little team inside that corridor, how in hell did they kill so many people in a tiny place? Like, that´s it, these evidences show Liberty is not our crime scene… now you can mock, captain, go ahead!
After so many facts, Fred was serious, I could see him thinking about everything he had heard. Then, he looked at me, expecting that I´d use my scientist authority to help him decide if he should believe Shaggy or not. At that moment, the bad omen hid all my words, my mind wanted to tell how ridiculous Shaggy´s theory was, but my heart felt there was something wrong. I took so long to answer that Fred decided to do it himself.
Fred: C´mon, Rogers! These evidences don´t prove what you´ve said! In fact, the only thing they prove is that Alan doesn´t know where the murders happened because someone else killed the victims…
Velma: But they also prove that Scooby wasn't sniffing out blood…
Fred frowned and looked reproachfully at me because I supported Norville's theory.
Velma: When Norville and I approached the building, Scooby escaped from the leash and ran into the hall. When we arrived there, we smelled bleach and Scooby was insanely sniffing everywhere…
Fred: So the samples are worthless and our brilliant conclusion is that Scooby sniffed bleach? Will forensics really support such denialism?
Velma: They are not worthless, Fred, they showed us a crime happened, but maybe it didn´t happen there. My point is that maybe the trail was made with bleach on purpose to lead Scooby Doo to the blood...
Shaggy: Scooby behaved in the same way at the restaurant and at Applegate Bank when the girls found that card under the chair, I think he sniffed the same thing! Yesterday, we had to keep him away from the card, remember?
Before Fred could argue, Shaggy took the card found at Applegate Bank and sniffed it. The facial expression of disgust he made was enough to show the card´s smell was not normal. Fred got annoyed and sighed.
Velma: Fred, listen, I have many doubts about Norville's theory too, but I confess that he is right on many points... Alan didn´t know the samples were found at the secret place, Daphne and I lied to him saying that blood was found at the elevator, and he believed us… so I agree with Norville that if Alan really knew, he would tell the media about it…
Flim Flam: Well… if the media scandal was set up and so was the lawsuit, why wouldn't the crime scene be set up too?
Fred: And who would do that? One of the VIPs? It doesn't make any sense...
Shaggy: Like, any surviving victim would do, Fred…
Flim Flam: And we have one: Seong Gi-Hun. He is a millionaire now, he can travel to NY…
Fred: But why? If he is a survivor, why would he get involved with the VIPs´ shit again?
Flim Flam: Isn´t it obvious? To denounce the whole damn thing!
Fred´s ego was bruised, so he couldn´t say anything. Instead, he looked at me impatiently, waiting for my verdict.
Velma: Like you said, if we don't find the bodies, blood stains are only blood stains, Fred. And blood stains can mean anything. We´ve been on circles for days, without hopes to solve this mystery… so I think we should give Shaggy a chance… we won´t discard our theory, we will only open our mind to a new point of view…
Fred rolled his eyes and sighed loudly to show the frustration he was feeling. Flim Flam yawned in the same outrageous way, showing that he needed to end the call. When we said goodbye to Flim Flam, my phone received several messages from Daphne, all them had pictures of the clothes, shoes, and jewelry she chose for the dinner.
Velma: Jinkies, I forgot about dinner! We need to go, guys, it will start in an hour!
Shaggy: Like, it's okay, Vel, I'm ready.
I couldn't hide the indignation I felt.
Shaggy: Like, come on, Velma, this shirt is new!
Velma: The first time I saw this shirt was ten years ago, Shaggy, and it was already a rag.
My answer offended Shaggy and he started arguing, but I just I rolled my eyes and ended the call. I asked Fred to pick me up in half an hour and left. On my way home, I begged Crystal to convince Shaggy to take a shower and dress something appropriate.
When Fred arrived, I couldn´t decide whether I should wear glasses or contact lenses. I opened the door, and instead of telling me to hurry up, he sat on my couch and looked at me.
Fred: I don't think I… should…go…
His eyes begged for my intervention, but I ignored all the feelings he was hiding.
Velma: Of course you will… you´re my Uber tonight… for free, of course…
He was still apprehensive.
Fred: Ok, but… I don´t think… I should… be there… you know, she dumped me…
When I finally decided to use glasses, I gave him a fierce glare.
Velma: Look, your presence is unpleasant and nobody cares…
This time, he laughed.
Velma: …but Daphne cares. A lot! And she's waiting for you, Fred. All those damn clothes and jewelry are for you… so, please, go… and try not to be the giant asshole you usually are…
Fred smiled and got up quickly, then we left. In the elevator, he impatiently fought against his tie, he tied the knot and then untied it many times.
Velma: Don´t expect my help with your tie, this is one of the reasons why I never dated men…
Fred: This is one of the reasons why I´ve told you Daphne and I live in different worlds, Velma, I hate this shit! Ties, suits... just for fucking dinner! Damn, I was not born to dress like an Oscar´s actor just to have dinner, this is insane... I just don't fit this shit, I am not one of them… can you finally understand me?
Velma: I do, Fred. I really do, believe me! But I think the one who doesn't understand at all is you... because your mind is trying to convince you of something that your heart visibly doesn't want... it keeps making up excuses, so your heart will find a way to stop wishing it… wouldn't it be easier to find a rational reason to want it? I mean… captain Frederick Jones will really give up…because of a tie?
Fred quit the tie and the discussion at the same time. I am not sure if he quit making excuses to run away from his feelings, but my heart hopes that he will never quit that love.