The Case Solved

"Anne, are you all right?" Flip asked.

"Yes, Flip, Hikari & I are fine," Anne answered. "now will somebody please free us?"

Tom crept over to the heavily sleeping guard who was supposed to be on duty instead of resting his eyes and silently grabbed the key ring from the guard's belt.

Tom unlocked the cell, "We don't have very much time before the guard arouses, I'm going to get you girls out of there!" he exclaimed.

The princess heard more footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Hurry," Princess Hikari shouted at Tom. "the main Wicked Witness is coming down the stairs!"

Tom quickly unlocked the cell's door and went inside.

"Don't worry," Tom told the princess. "I'll have you both out of there in a matter of minutes."

Everyone was surprised to see Tom wielding a pocket knive when he cut Anne & Princess Hikari free.

The main Wicked Witness hit Stanley with his eye beams and put Stanley in a trance.

"Now, attack your fellow detectives!" the Wicked Witness Leader commanded Stanley.

"Yes, Master," Stanley said. "I hear and obey."

Stanley then attacked Henry.

"Stanley, you idiot, what are you doing? It's me, Henry! Come to your senses!" Henry shouted.

Anne & Princess Hikari raced out of their cell with the ropes they were tied up with.

Princess Hikari handed her rope off to Anne and raced off to grab a nearby bucket that was filled to the brim with water.

Anne tied Stanley's hands behind his back.

"Stanley Steven Chan," Anne scolded. "how could you attack your own kith & kin like that?"

Alan then recognized the glazed look in Stanley's eyes.

"He can't even hear us, Cheetah Cub," Alan called out to Anne. "for poor Stanley is in a trance!"

Princess Hikari then and there ran over with the bucket of water.

"Not for long, Alan," Princess Hikari shouted. "watch this!"

The princess dumped the entire bucket of water all over Stanley who immediately snapped out of his trance.

"Huh, what," Stanley asked. "what the heck is going on?"

"You were in a trance, Stanley." Butch answered.

Stanley was a bit confused, "I was? How did I get in the trance?" he asked.

They soon heard a crash, then, the sound of a machine failing.

"By means of this robot." Stephanie answered Stanley.

"And, I've got a hunch," Alan said in agreement with Stephanie. "that with a bit of tinkering & rewiring, we will be able to control the very person who had controlled my brother with his or her own machine."

"In English please, Alan." Merilee said.

"To put it simply, Merilee," Stephanie said. "we will turn the master into the slave."

"Oh," Merilee said. "now I get it!"

Once Stephanie & Alan both finished tinkering with the robot back at the palace, the Chans and the Sundance Kids put their plan into immediate action.

"Now my slave," Anne said to the robot. "hypnotize the one you are working for and bring him or her right to us."

"Yes, Master," the robot said. "I hear and obey."

The robot came back a few moments later with a spellbound Yuki in its grasp.

"Just as we figured it!" Tom exclaimed.

"It's the imperial adviser," Merilee exclaimed. "Yuki!"

"How does it feel to be a slave instead of a master, Mister?" Stanley asked Yuki.

Everyone had to laugh.

Emperor Hikaru & Empress Ayaka were as pleased as punch to have their daughter back safe and sound.

On the way back to the Worldwide Talent Agency, Butch contacted Mr. Socrates.

"Well, Mr. Socrates, our mission is over," Butch said. "we are returning home with the Chans."

"All's well that ends well, Butch," Mr. Socrates said. "all's well that ends well."