A/N: Hi. Since my last update, something happened which meant that I needed to take time off, not just this, from my work, everything. It's been a really difficult time but writing has always been a form of therapy for me and I've alluded to this before. Getting my feelings down on paper was such a cathartic release and helped me begin to come to terms with things and then once I was able to start mentally healing from that, I wanted to return to what makes me happy. Writing fiction. It presents such an escape and release for me and to get messages of support while I was absent was so cheering and motivating. Thank you to everyone who reads my writing, even if you are a silent reader, the fact that you take the time to read it is the greatest thank you I could ever have. As you may well figure from the chapter title, there is a bucket load of angst in this chapter. It is my gift to you on this last day of this awful year. Onwards to better days in 2021! (And maybe for the gang here too? Who knows ;)) Thanks again.

The gang gaped at Ethan as he shook the videotape in their faces. "He sent a videotape? How did he know where we are?" Daphne asked in confusion.

"No, as I first said, it was a broadcast, a live broadcast from god knows where, this is just a copy of it. Look that's not important right now, what's important is what was said." He looked quite grave as he said this, unnerving each of the gang.

"What was said, Ethan?" Fred demanded but Ethan shook his head.

"It was bad, you just need to see it. You ALL need to see it," he insisted emphatically.

They were all completely chilled by Ethan's words now as he marched towards the TV and VCR in the room, ignoring the alarming amount of cans and bottles littering the floor.

His half sister looked instantly troubled, clinging onto Freddy for dear life. "I don't think I'm ready for this," she whispered.

Shaggy and Velma had not forgotten their animosity towards Ethan and wisely kept their distance as Ethan cued up the tape.

Velma sat down cross-legged on the floor and Shaggy stood with his arms folded grimly in front of his chest as they looked at the screen expectantly, unsure of what they were about to witness. After the ten minute broadcast had finished, it was safe to say they all sobered up VERY quickly as they began to come to terms with the devastating video nasty.

As Devon Blake finally appeared on screen, you could hear a pin drop in the room, Daphne's quiet gasp breaking the silence.

"Oh my god," she murmured as Fred held her tightly, his own eyes unable to mask the shock he felt at Devon's appearance.

Devon was sitting on a chair in a room with a very non descript background, just a red brick wall behind him, obviously at pains to give no clue to his location. He was dressed all in black, but nobody in the room could take their eyes off his face, drawn to the black mask that adorned exactly half of his face. He looked like a comic book supervillain and the beginning of his speech did nothing to dispel this surreal feeling. Only they weren't in a comic book, this was all too real.

"Good morning, citizens of Coolsville. Well, those of you that remain anyway. You may not remember me, not like this anyway, but allow me to refresh your memories!" he said menacingly, reaching up to remove his mask, drawing gasps of horror from all those watching for the first time. Ethan just nodded grimly.

Devon Blake looked truly grotesque. Half of his face looked relatively normal but the other side was mesmerising for all the wrong reasons. It was completely marred by burns all along his cheek bone and around his eye. He didn't have full lips any more, just a very thin layer of skin.

Fred couldn't take his eyes off Devon Blake, it was completely jaw-dropping. They had long speculated that he probably had been injured escaping the factory but never could have imagined how badly. In fact, Fred realised with a startling jolt, he actually did look very similar to how Fred had pictured him in those initial nightmares he had had at the hospital. He felt Daphne shudder in his arms, obviously completely revulsed.

Devon leered into the camera, letting his viewers get a proper good glimpse at the burns he had kept hidden for so long. "I once owned this town," Devon lamented angrily. "You pathetic people OWED everything to me, without my support and investment, this would have turned into another backward port town. You should have been on your knees WORSHIPPING ME. But you didn't. Not even my own wife did. She betrayed me in the most hideous fashion and I realised I didn't owe anybody ANYTHING. Not her and not you miserable, ungrateful people. I'm sure you all know what happened at that factory and I'm sure you all thought I was gone. Well guess again. The phoenix has risen from the ashes and I am far from done. This town destroyed me and now it is payback. Oh boy is it payback."

He smiled sinisterly and then lounged back in the chair, his hands clasped behind his head. "I'm here to tell you a couple of stories, let me start with The Three Little Pigs. You think you know the story of the Three Little Pigs already? Allow me to elaborate, these three little pigs."

An icy silence settled over them all and rendered them all speechless as he proudly flaunted three pictures one by one at the camera. First Will, then Stella, and finally...Ethan. All eyes in the room swivelled to look at Ethan, who steadfastly didn't react.

"So let me tell you the story of these three little pigs. Once upon a time, these three little pigs decided to get all brave and think that they alone could take down a big bad scary Wolf. See this wolf had been burned but was very much not down for the count. Oh so heroically, they chased and chased and they really thought they had cornered that Wolf for good but what a catastrophic failure being unable to put down that Wolf turned out to be. The Three Little Pigs thought they knew better. They really thought they could win. How charmingly naïve." Devon grinned again and Fred felt like he was going to throw up.

"Dear viewers," Devon drawled salaciously. "Those poor little pigs were so wrong. The wolf bared his teeth, invited them in and that house went up in flames. And my what a spectacular fall that was. Those two little pigs were gone for good." Devon made a show of reaching forward and drawing a huge red cross through Will and Stella's photos, sending a dagger through Mystery Inc's collective hearts.

Devon's voice became more buoyant as he continued his twisted and deadly fairy story, clearly enjoying himself immensely as he taunted his captive audience.

"And what of that third little pig, I hear some of you cry? Well, he thought he was being clever by fleeing. He ran to a new house thousands of miles away, but a dirty little rat, sorry pig can only hide for so long. Well the wolf hunted down and then snuffed out that pig too. He huffed and he puffed and he blew that pig right down into the water with a BANG. SPLASH. That piggie is also gone." Devon drew a red cross through Ethan's photo.

"You sick, sick bastard," Ethan uttered angrily. He wasn't dead but that sickest of ambushes had taken place and claimed the life of a good friend.

There was a slight pause and Shaggy voiced aloud that perhaps the worst was over. Ethan sadly shook his head. "That was just the warm up act," he replied darkly to the absolute horror of the gang.

"God how much worse can it get?" Velma muttered. She didn't have long to wait for an answer.

"So friends, with those three little piggies TERMINATED, I guess the only hope left is Coolsville's 'Greatest Defenders'. The question is what did become of the Famous fuckin' Five?"

He thrust a smiling photo of the gang at the camera and Daphne thought she might actually pass out at this point. "I don't think I can watch any more," she cried, her hand clasped tightly in Fred's who also looked violently ill.

"Those so called heroes actually abandoned you all a while ago. They sought fame and fortune on their globe trotting adventures all the while their precious Coolsville burned and they didn't give a damn."

"That's a lie!" Fred yelled furiously as the broadcast sent shockwaves rippling through every member of the gang.

"Sure they eventually returned but when it's far too late. You lost. And where are they now? Well let me tell you, the Comedian and the Mascot saw their precious property go boom boom. Then there's the fearless Leader and the Beauty who have had quite the terrifying adventure in a foreign land. And he's hurt but not down for the count just yet...but his time will come. It will come for all of them. When the Leader falls, they all will fall, for good this time. So, if you're keeping count that only leaves one. The Brains. Now Brains is the biggest mystery of all. So little is known of her life that even her merry little team are mostly still in the dark. But a closed book cannot remain closed forever, if you push hard enough in the right places, the truth will out eventually and what a glorious truth that has been hidden until now."

Velma felt like a spotlight had suddenly been shone on her, from the second Devon said 'brains' she felt the coldest shiver of sweat trickle down her spine, all of her previous drunken anger towards Ethan evaporated in an instant as fear took root in every part of her body and she knew all eyes in the room were now on her.

Without even thinking, Shaggy had quietly moved and sat down beside her, and she gratefully allowed him to wrap his strong arms around her in support, she steeled herself the best she could as Devon continued to call her out specifically.

"See Brains," he continued jovially, "she's the real star of the operation despite what the headlines may say and it's only right that we pay her the respect she deserves. Your moment in the spotlight has arrived sweetheart! I've fucked with the Comedian and the Mascot and came close to eliminating the Leader and the Beauty but now it's your turn and I found what you've been so desperate to protect! She's such a sweet thing, it would be a shame to hurt her hey? I'll be in touch." The screen went fuzzy blackness.

"Oh god no," Shaggy whispered in horror as he felt Velma's entire body go rigid at once. "Not Maddy..."

"Maddy?!" Daphne questioned immediately in alarm, having been absolutely shaken by Devon's stark change of focus. "Velma who's Maddy? What was he talking about?!"

"Velma?!" Fred demanded panicked but their friend had gone white in the face, almost unable to speak as she struggled to come to terms with what had just happened.

"It's her sister," Shaggy confirmed quietly to the shock of everyone else while Velma remained mute. "That bastard's got her sister!"

"Sister?!" chorused Daphne, Fred and Ethan in shock.

"Velma, you've never even mentioned having a sister!" Daphne said, her heart racing as she realised the magnitude of what was happening.

"Velma, please say something!" Fred urged desperately as she continued to stare blankly at nothing at all, still wrapped in Shaggy's arms. "Shaggy?!"

"She has a younger sister," Shaggy confirmed to their immediate despair as they all understood the dire implications of this revelation. "She never told us because she's sick, she only told me a few days ago."

"But if we didn't even know, how did Devon know?!" Daphne fretted.

"Because he can do anything," Ethan raged. "Like he said, he just kept digging, I'm so sorry Velma."

Velma still had said nothing, terrifying the gang but she got to her feet. And immediately fainted in Shaggy's arms. Shaggy quickly carried her to the bed while the rest of Mystery Inc. hovered anxiously.

"Just give her space," Shaggy snapped shooing them away irritably while still holding Velma's hand.

"Ethan, what are we going to do?" Daphne asked despairingly. "I can't believe he's targeted Velma like this. She doesn't deserve it! Why would he do that?!"

"I think he must be desperate," Ethan confided, though he himself had been absolutely rocked to the core by Devon switching tact like that and targeting Velma so cruelly.

"No," Fred said, an unsettling feeling beginning to formulate in his stomach as he theorised something much darker. "He hasn't just targeted Velma, he's targeted everyone. Think about it! He couldn't target Shaggy's parents because they're dead so he struck the warehouse instead. 'Killing' Ethan is targeting you," he pointed out to Daphne. "He killed Will and Stella because they helped us so much. He's gone after all of us. Velma is the only one of us with living relatives, he's just using her as his final play as there's no-one else."

"But that's not strictly true, is it Freddy?" Daphne said pointedly, worry creasing every inch of her face now. "Your parents aren't dead."

Fred laughed bitterly. "Well, if he managed to track down my mom, then he's officially the best detective in the world. I have no idea where she is, she hasn't been in touch for years."

Daphne continued to stare sympathetically at Fred, it was obvious his mother's absence still stung deeply, but she agreed Devon was unlikely to have targeted Fred's mom if she was still completely AWOL. "What about your dad though, Freddy?" she pressed quietly.

Fred's expression was grim. "My father? Why would Devon think I even care about my father?"

Fred's father had been in prison for almost ten years at this point and though Fred professed not to care about him, Daphne knew they had struck up correspondence again since Fred got himself 'straight.' He was also due to be released in the coming months.

"Fred, you need to check," Daphne urged, "if he's truly gone after everyone, even been in prison might not have protected your father."

Fred nodded, realising she was right, a knot built in his stomach as he called the prison services, as soon as he heard their incredulous tone about him only just being in contact, he knew Daphne's worries were justified. The warden explained they had desperately tried to contact Fred several times over the last few days and Fred clenched the cellphone hard as he waited to be told what had happened. His face whitened as he heard the details and he hung up numbly, thanking them while facing the expectant but worried looks of his friends.

"He was attacked on the exercise yard," Fred told them, his throat dry. "He's, he's alive but he's in a bad way in hospital. They've tried to contact me a few times."

Ethan held his hands to his head, feeling the world starting to crumble around him. Devon had really ramped things up now, the war in the town, the ambush, killing Will and Stella and now targeting each and every member of the gang. They surely couldn't endure much more, they were now at breaking point and he didn't know how he could keep them together, there was also the small matter of them hating his guts right now.

"Relma's awake," Scooby suddenly advised as Shaggy had temporarily left her side to listen to Fred.

"Velma!" Shaggy said, rushing towards her but she sat up very abruptly, fire in her eyes now. "Madelyn," she stated calmly, "We have to save Madelyn."

She jumped up with purpose and Shaggy grabbed her arm urgently.

"Wait! What are you doing?! We don't even have any idea where she is. What are you going to do?!"

"I don't know Shaggy!" Velma said angrily but tearful now. "But he has MY sister, she doesn't deserve this. I won't fail her."

"Velma I know you're emotional but Shaggy's right, we need to take time to plan..."

"PLAN!?" Velma screeched, becoming absolutely hysterical now. "This isn't one of our cases, Maddy might not have 'time!' We have to go right NOW!"

Daphne was broken by Velma's panic, but tried to make her see sense. "Velma, I'm so sorry but the boys are right," she said, grabbing her friends arms firmly. "We have nothing to go on. Nothing at all. He could be anywhere. I hate to say it but until he contacts us again, we can't do anything."

Velma had lost all her fight and tears filled her eyes as she considered what Daphne had said. "But she's my sister," she sobbed, and Daphne's arms were around her in an instant.

"I know, I'm sorry, we'll get her back. I promise we'll get her back."

She ignored the sceptical looks the boys were shooting her, as she cradled Velma gently. She couldn't promise that, she knew she couldn't but Velma needed to hear that. Aside from Velma, the devastating revelation had hit Daphne the hardest, feeling enormous guilt for her twisted uncle abducting Velma's sister. A vulnerable sister she tried to protect that much, they had only learned of her existence in this very moment.

Ethan looked thoughtful as he considered Daphne's words to Velma. We have nothing to go on. Nothing at all. It was the literal truth, what if it went further than that? Without even thinking he blurted out loud a thought that suddenly crashed into his mind.

"How do we even know it's true?" he uttered to icy looks all around him.

Velma stopped crying to stare daggers at Ethan. "EXCUSE ME?! You think I'm lying about having a sister?!"

"No, of course not," Ethan quickly clarified. "But how do we know that Devon even has Ma..." he looked helplessly at Velma as he realised shamefully he had already forgotten her name.

"Madelyn," Shaggy supplied abruptly.

"Madelyn. At no point did Devon say her name, he certainly didn't show her. How do we know he isn't bluffing?!"

"Honestly Ethan, you have some nerve," Shaggy retorted angrily. "First you hurt your own friends and lie about it, and now you're trying to downplay Velma's very real trauma! I can't believe I ever liked you!"

Ethan ignored Shaggy's outburst, to appeal to Fred and Daphne, normally, Velma would be the first to call out any holes in a conspiracy but she was too much emotionally charged to try and make sense of anything right now. Fred didn't look as dismissive as he did a few seconds ago. "Come on guys," he pleaded, "you know what I'm saying makes sense, I can see it in your faces."

"Rewind the clip," Daphne demanded and Ethan quickly obliged, replaying the important bit again. "I found what you've been so desperate to protect. She's such a sweet thing, it would be a shame to hurt her hey?"

There was no doubt that Devon was implicitly referring to Madelyn but hadn't mentioned her by name. Daphne realised Ethan was right, he hadn't shown one single shred of proof.

"Velms," she said gently, "Ethan might be right, how do we KNOW he has Madelyn at all?"

Now that Daphne had been convinced, Velma allowed her brain to put away the hysterical side of her that was fully focussed on nothing but Madelyn, to consider the rational side of what Ethan was suggesting. Could it be true? Was she safe after all?

Almost giddily, she ran to retrieve her cellphone. "You're absolutely right gang!" she said happily. "She's probably sat at home right now and we can have a good laugh about this," she smiled at them, while putting the phone to her ear.

They smiled back encouragingly, willing Ethan's theory to be right but all while still fearing the worst. Velma's bright smile faltered as the phone continued to ring out until finally it hit voicemail.

"It doesn't mean anything," she quickly said, to hide her disappointment and mounting fear again. "There could be any reason why she isn't answering the phone."

Fred, Shaggy and Daphne nodded in support. "Where does Madelyn live?" Fred asked.

"With my father, just outside of Coolsville." Velma replied. "I'm going to try him too."

After a couple of minutes trying, Velma's carefully building optimism had crashed again. "No answer either," she said desolately before resolution crossed her face. "Only one way to find out for sure. I CANNOT just sit here and wait for that creep to make the next move."

"Velma," Fred cautioned, "If you're thinking of going to your father's house, that's a risky move. What if it's a trap? He could have been intending that all along."

"I have to know Fred!" Velma exclaimed, biting her lip to stop the tears from falling again. "It's my family!"

"I understand, I do but we have to be careful and avoid knee jerk reactions," Fred reasoned, Velma looked incredulous at the very thought so Ethan jumped in quickly.

"Fred's right, it would be too dangerous for you guys but Velma's right too. She has a right to know, which is why myself and Justin will go check out the house."

"WHAT?!" Velma spluttered. "You can't stop me from going!"

"That's exactly what I'm doing," Ethan said firmly. "It's not safe. If the house is being watched or there's someone there, they WILL be looking out for you all. It's far too dangerous and I won't allow any of you to go." Velma looked furiously indignant so Ethan presented his careful reasoning. "While you guys are huge targets, Justin and I will be able to move around reasonably unchallenged and with much less suspicion. As far as Devon is concerned, I'm dead remember? We can go and check it out and hopefully Madelyn and your father are just fine."

Everyone realised what Ethan was suggesting made the most sense and eventually Velma accepted this with great reluctance too.

"Okay," she relented, "but you call me the second you find out anything, I mean it Ethan!" she said as she stalked over to the desk to grab a piece of paper. She quickly scrawled the address down and handed it gruffly to Ethan. "Here."

Ethan solemnly accepted the paper, before nodding to the gang as he and Justin prepared to go.

"Please be careful," Daphne urged him and Ethan smiled sadly.

"Aren't I always?"

Then he and Justin were gone, leaving just the gang alone and struggling to come to terms with the events of the last hour.

The alcohol and animosity towards Ethan was long forgotten, as everyone did their best to try and comfort Velma while allaying their own fears.

Seeing Devon on that screen had shaken every one of them, even with all the devastation he had caused, perhaps no one had truly believed he was actually alive and behind all this tragedy after all. The last time any of them had actually seen him was on that night. And boy how he had changed. Daphne had never believed he could have been so damaged from the fire, looking at those burns it was a miracle he had even survived. He looked so full of hatred and unhinged that she feared any humanity he might have had was long gone. The war he had waged over Coolsville while they were away was terrible enough but the bombing of the warehouse resulting in such catastrophic levels of death and pain was beyond sadistic, it was inhumane, he was too far gone now, it pained her to think it and she didn't dare voice it aloud but she wondered how they could possibly win now. They had defeat after deadly defeat and just when she thought things were looking up with Ethan defying death once again (albeit in tumultuous circumstances) they had lost Stella and now had to come to terms with the horrifying possibility Devon had once again taken someone's loved one. She hoped with all of her heart that Ethan was correct but those failed phone calls had crushed her optimism severely. All they could do was wait.

The wait for Ethan to make contact was torturous and disconcerting for everyone but especially poor Velma as they sat in nervous anticipation of Ethan contacting them. Shaggy had done all he could to try and cheer up Velma but understandably nothing was working. Nobody really wanted to talk, they hadn't even come to terms with losing Stella and Will yet, and now had this to contend with. Daphne and Fred were physically and mentally exhausted from their terrifying encounters in Hong Kong and were curled up quietly on the bed together. Scooby was also desolately curled up, realising the seriousness of the situation, the atmosphere was fraught and tense.

Over an hour and a half since Ethan and Justin had left for Velma's fathers house, her cellphone finally rang. Daphne and Fred shot up immediately as Velma jumped to answer and placed it on speaker.

"Ethan!" she said breathlessly. "Ethan, is she there? Is she OK?"

They all heard the little sigh before Ethan replied and Velma felt her heart rate drop in that instant. Shaggy clutched her free hand and Daphne and Fred clung to each other sorrowfully, their hearts aching for Velma.

"Ethan!?"

"I'm so sorry Velma," he said morosely, crashing everyone's hopes in an instant but shattering Velma's heart into a million pieces. "When we got here, there's no sign of anybody here or watching the place...but...I'm sorry but the place is ransacked, the front door was hanging open when we got here. There's no sign of your father or your sister. I didn't want to believe it but I think we have to accept it now, he's got your sister and probably your father too. We'll come back now. God I'm so sorry Velma, I really thought he might just have been bluffing."

"Thank you Ethan," Velma replied stiffly and ended the phone call. In an instant, the whole gang were around her, and she gratefully accepted the group hug. Daphne looked absolutely stricken as she choked back tears. "Velma, I'm so sorry, this is my fault!"

"This isn't a time for blame," Velma managed maturely, "it's not your fault, don't be silly. How could he do this Daph? She's just an innocent girl!" Velma's face was streaked with tears while they all continued to hug. "He's always been evil but when did he become such a MONSTER?"

"He won't win," Fred suddenly vowed darkly. "For Madelyn's sake and for the memory of our friends, we CANNOT let him win."

There were fierce nods of agreement but they all knew the stark truth, the odds were firmly stacked against them now, how could they possibly even consider a victory? In that moment, they were all at the darkest moment they had ever faced, without even a glimmer of light, where could they go from here?

To be continued.