Chapter 8: A secret cave through the cliff

Later after dinner, the gang made their way out of the Bloody Stake restaurant.

"So I guess we're heading home now, gang." Fred says as they made their way to the Mystery Machine.

"Yeah." Velma nodded.

Just as Shaggy was about to say something, a gust of wind blew a newspaper page ring into his face.

"Zoinks!" He remarked as he took the page off his face and looked at it.

"Where did that page came from, Shag?" Daphne asked when she turned and saw the paper in his hands.

"Like, the wind blew it over into my face." Shaggy said as he started reading the page before noticing something that caught his eye. "Hey, like, here's something interesting."

"What is it, Shag?" Fred asked as they leaned over Shaggy, who is reading the article.

"Like, this is the front page for the Business section of the paper from this past Tuesday, and check out the headline!" Shaggy says as he showed the page to everyone.

Everyone leaned over and read the headline. It read:

"MASSIVE LAYOFFS AT LADDERTON OIL COMPANY

Massive layoffs among latest strings of mishaps involving troubled company"

"Jeepers!" Daphne exclaimed. "That's Rung's company!"

"Jinkies!" Velma said after scanning a few articles. "The company is currently in the midst of a series of environmental lawsuits filed against it following a massive oil spill off the coast of Crystal Cove Harbor and has filed for bankruptcy protection just last month!"

"So Rung's family is actually in financial trouble." Shaggy said.

"How is it that Mom and Dad didn't bother to check that out before setting me up with him?" Daphne wondered, feeling bitter about having to listen to her parents demands to pursue him against her heart's wishes.

"Wait a minute!" Fred said as he snapping his fingers. "Financial trouble and the doorknob-shaped diamond!"

"Oh yeah!" Velma said when she realized what Fred was thinking about. "That missing crystal doorknob is said to be worth millions and can sure save that troubled company from bankruptcy!"

At that moment, Shaggy thought of something and his mind instantly travelled back to the time they were being chased by the ghost truck.

SHAGGY'S FLASH VISION

Standing on the nearby sidewalk along the coastal highway, Shaggy watches the Mystery Machine getting chased by the ghost truck.

Pausing his flash vision, he then walked over to the ghost truck and closely examined the shadowed figure seated in the cab.

Comparing the head shape of the figure with that of Rung, he found that they were a match.

"Like, there's something suspicious about Rung." He thought to himself.

END OF FLASH VISION

"Like, Velma, do you have your laptop with you?" Shaggy asked.

"Yes, I do." Velma replied. "It's in the back. Why?"

"Do you think you can search through the names of those that has applied for and received a high-class drivers license for driving tractor trailers in the past year?" Shaggy asked.

"I can try." Velma replied before getting to her laptop and started typing.

It didn't take long for her to narrow down the list of people living in Crystal Cove that are licensed to drive tractor-trailers.

The gang looked through the narrowed list before they found one that confirmed Shaggy's suspicions.

"Rung Ladderton is on the list!" Fred exclaimed.

"Jinkies!" Velma said. "Maybe he was, indeed, pulling this ghost truck stunt on the highway."

"And maybe he was doing it to search for the crystal doorknob to save his company from bankruptcy!" Daphne added.

There was some silence as the gang thought about the details that has just emerged.

"Like, now we've got to find the missing doorknobs." Shaggy said. "And also figure out how did that ghost truck appeared in front of us after chasing us from behind!"

At that moment, another thought struck his mind as soon as he made the last remark.

SHAGGY'S FLASH VISION

Watching the ghost truck chasing the Mystery Machine down the highway, Shaggy fast forwarded to the part where Scooby saw the truck disappear after they made a turn around a curve.

Pausing his flash vision, Shaggy zoomed in to the area as he remembered noticing a concealed, flat ground area between the cliff and the highway, right before the curve.

He then zoomed out to view the whole section of the highway to view the area where the ghost truck appeared in front of them.

Tracing from the area, he worked his way in the direction of the highway towards the northern suburbs until he saw another area with one flat ground area between a curve in the highway and the cliff.

Hypothesizing on the possible tunnel shortcut the truck took, Shaggy nodded understandingly as he figured out the piece of the puzzle.

END OF FLASH VISION

"Say, and maybe the key is at where we had lost the ghost truck initially before it suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of us!" Shaggy added.

Soon, the Mystery Machine approached the area Shaggy was describing, right before the first curve.

"Alright, here we are, gang." Shaggy says as he shifted the Mystery Machine to park after parking on the flat area in front of the cliff.

"Okay, Shaggy." Fred replied from the back as he watched Velma doing her research on her laptop, hence the reason why Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne were seated in the front row with Shaggy behind the wheel.

The gang got off the Mystery Machine with their flashlights on and looked around as they walked towards the cliff.

At the cliff, Shaggy knocked the rocks and they can almost immediately tell that the rocks contains a secret passageway.

"There's got to be a secret passageway behind those rocks, Shag." Daphne said.

"Yeah." Shaggy nodded. "Now we've got to find the switch and open the rocks up."

"Or maybe the sensor." Velma pointed out as she gestured at what appeared to be a sensor device on the ground.

Fred walked onto the sensor and leaped, hoping to activate it.

However, nothing happened.

"I guess it doesn't work." He said. "Unless it is only activated when there's a vehicle on it, like those that activate the traffic signals at certain intersections."

"Then, let's give it a try with the Mystery Machine." Velma said as Daphne got on behind the wheel.

The Mystery Machine drove onto the sensor and seconds later, the place started shaking as the cliff opened up.

"You're right, Shaggy." Daphne said as they made their way into the cave behind the opened doors. "There is a secret passageway through the cliff!"

"Yeah, and I'll bet that there's something hiding in there!" Shaggy said. "Come on!"

Soon, the gang walked into the cave and looked around.

"Jinkies! This place is beautiful!" Velma remarked. "It's almost like those Crystal Cove Caves near downtown."

"Indeed." Fred agreed.

"Wow, I guess this will be a good place for us to be away from the stresses from our parents, Shag." Daphne smiled as she turned to Shaggy and Scooby.

"Reah! Re good place rindeed." Scooby agreed.

"Like, it's going to be just me, you, Scooby and..." Shaggy was about to finish his sentence when he trailed off as he saw something before adding, "...like, thousands of doorknobs?"

Raising their eyebrows from his last remark, the gang turned and looked towards where Shaggy was looking.

Right in front of them were large piles of doorknobs, along with some equipment.

Looks like the doorknobs has finally been discovered. What will happen next?

Stay tuned, and please read and review!