Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

A Trip Through Time

Chapter 16: Search for Arnold

Previously

"Ah, glad to see you are finally awake, my boy..." The shadowy figure said, in a taunting voice that made Arnold nervous.

"Who are you?..."Arnold demanded.

The shadowy figure then let out a dark chuckle and soon came to the light. Arnold blinked when he saw an elderly man and Arnold gasped when he recognized him. It was from the look in his eye, he might be older, gray and wrinkly but he knew who this man is...

Since to him, it's only been a couple of months since he encountered him in his own day, but there is no mistake who this man is...

"Sheck..."Arnold whispered in horror as he realized his situation and frowned.

This is not good.

With Andy

The young, oblong haired boy panted heavily, feeling that he was far away enough from the school and from familiar eyes. He sat down in an alley and was totally lost. His younger father is missing and he couldn't go to the police about this since they would never believe this story and he can't go to his friends, since this is too crazy and dangerous.

He is so lost here, he wanted desperately to call his mom and dad to tell them about his problem, so they could help him out. They always help him out whenever he has a problem and they always helped him whenever he felt down.

Right now, Andy felt more down than he has ever in his life...He feels totally helpless right now.

"No! Snap out of it...Dad needs you, Andy...you got to help him out..."Andy said to himself...only to pause.

How?

Andy picked up his phone and dialed a number that he knew by heart. After a few moments of ringing, it picked up and revealed the voice of his father, the adult version anyway.

"Hello...Hillwood University, Professor Shortman speaking..."The adult voice said on the other end.

Andy wanted to tell him his problem, just like he always does. He wanted to ask for his father's help, to tell him the truth just so he can help him fix this mess that he is in but no sound came out of his mouth. How can he? If he tells his dad about his problem, he is endangering time, but if he doesn't tell him, his younger dad is still in great danger. Andy heard his father's voice on the other end, confused sounding.

"Hello?...Hello?..."Was heard again and Andy just hung up, before he sighed.

Andy picked up his phone again, dialed another number, it rang a few times and once it answered, he could hear the feminine voice of his mother on the other end.

"Hello, Shortman residence, who is this?..."Was heard, but Andy didn't say anything.

'Hello? Anyone there?..."

Andy just hung up as soon as he heard her voice. He tried to fight back the tears that threatened to form in his eyes. He is not going to cry right now, crying solves nothing and it wouldn't do anything to help his younger dad, who is God knows where. There is only one other person he could turn to, it's Kiara but he can't.

This is a new level of danger and he can't ask her to follow him into this, because he knows that she will follow him, regardless of the kind of danger she has to face herself.

He can't let that happen.

He felt so lost, he had been tasked with trying to help his time misplaced father and he couldn't even do that right, he gave him that cell phone just to know if he would need help and-

'Cellphone?...'Andy muttered as he looked at his phone and an idea formed in his wide head.

It could be the only way to find out just exactly where his younger dad is. He just hopes that he still has the phone on and that it didn't lose any power.

He activated his phone, pushed several buttons and tried to hope he had a good signal if he wants to try and see if he can tract the phone he had given his father...and that's if he still has it that is...

'Come on...come on...'Andy said as he waited and waited to see if he could get something.

After a few moments, he heard a "ping" noise and Andy's smile widened and he felt hopeful when he saw a location on the phone.

"Yes!...'Andy said as he read the location when his dad's phone is suppose to be.

According to this, it says that his younger dad is somewhere on Ivy Street, that was in the old part of the city, just a couple of blocks to where he is right now.

"There you are..."Andy said as he knew what he has to do.

It's risking, it's dangerous, heck, it's probably borderline stupid but when someone Andy Shortman cares about is in trouble, he doesn't care about actions or consequences, he does whatever he can to protect them from whoever is foolish enough to try and hurt them. The blonde haired boy got up and started heading in the direction of where the phone and hopefully his dad is as well.

"Don't worry dad, I'm coming to save you..."Andy thought as he started running in that direction.

Hoping with all of his might, that he is not too late.

At The Boarding House

The entire group of mixed time travelers and elders had searched the entire street, but couldn't find a single glance of Arnold.

'Oh, where on Earth could he be?..."Phil exclaimed in worry.

He is not the only one, Gertie was just as worried as he is, Gerald was worried for his best friend's safety, Phoebe, being a good person and friend, was also worried but the person who was the most hysterical on the inside was probably Helga. On the outside, she is composed, on the inside, she is an emotional wreck.

"Oh, my missing beloved Arnold, where are you? Please come back to me, I must know that you are well, Oh~..'Helga thought in worry.

Suddenly there was a hysterical knocking on the door and Helga almost gasped in hope, only to immediately resume her scowling ways.

"It's about time...Football Head, I ought to slug you for-...

Helga didn't even get to finish her empty threat, since the person who rushed inside was not Arnold, but a frantic Kiara, who looked like something awful has happened.

"Is Andy here?!..."Kiara shouted, looking worried.

"What? Andy's missing too?..."Phil exclaimed in horror.

Kiara herd this and look to the group and saw the absence of Arnold, and Kiara hated that her theory had been proven wrong.

"Oh man, I was afraid of this..."Kiara said in worry.

"Start over Kiara...what's wrong?...""Phil demanded, worried for the well being of his grandson and great-grandson.

"I don't know! Andy left school in a hurry during lunch time and knowing him, it's because something bad happened...which I believe has to do with the absence of Arnold...I thought he would have come here first but it seems he did something stupid again..." Kiara said as she felt sad, angry and worried over Andy's actions.

He is really impulsive, she has known that all of her life, but rushing off to go deal with whatever took Arnold without asking for her or anyone else's help...

"Iko must have discovered that Kimba was in danger and is probably tracking him down...'Gertie said as she appeared, now dressed in army camo, and with a bat in her hand.

"He's not the only one...come on everybody, the boys need us..."Gertie said as she made it clear she is going after them as well.

Everyone got the message, but before anyone could say anything, another voice got their attention.

'What's going on here?...'A young sounding, feminine voice said.

Everyone turned around and saw a little girl who looked no older than 5 with green eyes and a big pink bow in her hair. Next to her where two older kids who looked to be in middle schools and they looked worried.

"Megan!? Logan?! Lisa?!..."Kiara exclaimed, unable to believe this.

Just what are they doing here?!

Meanwhile

With Arnold

Arnold could not believe that he was staring at the same man who tried to destroy the neighborhood a few months ago just to build a fancy mall. Except now he is way older and looks like he was no longer living in luxury, given the old, tattered clothes he had on right now.

'Sheck!...'Arnold said upon recognizing him.

"Ah, so you have heard of me...how flattering...'Sheck said sarcastically before he took a step forward.

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance...Andrew Shortman..."Sheck said.

Arnold heard this and blinked, before he processed what Sheck just called him.

"Andrew?...'Arnold thought, luckily keeping his mouth shut for once as Sheck continued speaking.

"You look just like your father...right down to the same eyes and of course that weird head..sure, you might have look a little taller in the picture, but it's obvious that you are the son of the little weird headed boy who ruined me..." Sheck said with a deranged look on his face.

"He thinks I'm Andy, doesn't he?..."Arnold thought, finally understanding this whole thing.

It would make sense, since he and Andy do look a lot alike, maybe not enough to be mistaken as clones, but for someone as old and unstable as this version of Sheck clearly is at this point, maybe it was enough to confuse them.

It was then that Arnold realized that Sheck had intended to kidnap Andy...and Arnold wound up taking his place.

"What is going on here? Where am I and why did you take me from the Boarding House?...'Arnold demanded, deciding to keep his real identity concealed.

"If you must know, you are in the storage area of what once was my glorious headquarters...which has now been reduced to rubble...and as for why I took you from there, simple, I was on my way to your school to get you, but I saw you coming out of that accursed Boarding House...so lucky me..."Sheck said with a cruel laugh and Arnold was getting worried for his safety.

His and Andy's...

'What are you doing this for?...'Arnold asked.

"I am sure your parents told you about the day they ruined me...well, I decided that today, I will have my revenge and you will be my key to it...'Sheck said, causing Arnold got nervous.

Sure, he is a smart kid who tries to solve his problems with peaceful methods but this doesn't change the fact that he is in a real, dangerous situation. He is being held against his will by a madman who says he has revenge on the mind.

Yeah, this isn't looking too good for him...

"What are you going to do to me?...'Arnold asked, trying to think of any kind of escape plan, but right now, nothing.

"For the moment, nothing...I need you alive for the time being...you will be used to make your troublesome father, bratty mother and that kid with the weird stack of hair surrender to me, I want to watch them squirm, suffer, make them regret the day they got in the way of change, just like they did 25 years ago ...Today is the day I will make them regret ever going against Alphonse Perrier du von Scheck..."Sheck said in a mad voice.

Arnold heard all of this and couldn't believe what he is saying. Sheck is going to lure his future self, Gerald and his future wife here for whatever sick plan he has and he is using him as the bait and-

"Wait? Bratty mother? ..." Arnold thought as he registered what Sheck just said.

Sheck just said that his future wife was involved with Sheck's downfall...but the only ones who were there were him, Gerald and-

Suddenly Sheck started laughing madly again and Arnold frowned hard at him.

"You won't get away with this!...'Arnold shouted, trying to struggle free.

"Oh believe me, child...I just have..."Sheck said as walked away, no doubt to go with the next phase of his evil plan.

Arnold struggled to get free, but it's no use. The ropes are too tight and he is at the hands of a crazed, madman who seems to have become even crazier after 25 years.

As Arnold continued to struggle to break free but to no avail, he knew that what he thought is true...

Things are definitely not looking good right now...

-To be continued-

Next time on A Trip Through Time

Search for Arnold Part 2

REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:

Call Me Nettie: We shall see...we shall see...

Invader Johnny: Let's see how this turns out

:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)