Over in the bayou, Penny asked, "How are we going to find my daddy and the others?"
"Hmm," Billy muses. "Hopefully, they won't be too far." Arturo climbs up onto a tree stump to get a better view of the area. Spotting a light in the distance, the smallest Gang Green Gang member turns to his friends. "There es someone there. Maybe our amigos es nearby!" Penny said, "Let's go!" Eagerly pulling Billy and Grubber by the hand, Penny led the way towards the light from far away.
The group hurry toward the light excitedly as the fireflies and dragonfly buzz alongside them. Upon drawing near, the group gasp with elation. "The boat!" Penny exclaims. "Our friends must be inside!"
Upon drawing close, however, the group hear voices and stop in their tracks. The four gasped and hid behind the bushes to see Medusa, Snively, and the pet gators walking around. The four kept quiet and crouched still without making a sound. "M-M-M-Medusa," Snively shudders. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Oh, hush, you fool," Medusa snaps. "His magic may be our only hope for getting what we want and stopping those pesky meddlers once and for all. Now, come on!" She drags him into the bayou as the two alligators trudge behind. Once they've left, the group then begin quietly trailing after the retreating baddies.
As the crooks presently come to a small, dark building in the middle of the bayou, the group quickly duck behind a large fallen tree. They watch as Medusa knocks on the door, upon which a shifty looking figure greets them. He's a tall skinny man with green eyes, a thin black mustache and a little beard, wearing a tall silk hat adorned with a skull and crossbones, a green feather and a darker green band, a long black tailcoat, a green vest that shows his belly, black pants done up with a dark green cummerbund, shiny black shoes, and a string of crocodile teeth around his neck. In his right hand he holds a long black cane with a silver skull on top. From their hiding place, Billy shudders and buries his face in his hands.
"Good evening, my friends," the witch doctor says in a velvety-smooth voice as a large black bat flutters down and alights on his shoulder. "How may I help you?"
Medusa thought up a lie and said, "A little girl is lost to us and we need your help to aid us in our cause to find her. We love her so much."
A concerned look crosses the witch doctor's face. "Oh dear, that's terrible! Well, please don't worry, my good friends, I may have just the thing. Follow me, please." The two baddies then follow him inside, upon which the group hustle quietly up to the building and peek in the window; Penny gives Arturo a gentle boost up onto Billy's shoulder.
The group watch as the witch doctor converses with Medusa and Snively. A couple more bats flutter above him, which sends a chill down Billy's spine. "Oh gee, oh gee, oh gee, oh gee!" he shudders.
"Don't be afraid, Billy," Penny says consolingly as she gently rubs his broad shoulder. "We won't let the baddies get you, we promise."
"Thbbht, pthbbht." Grubber adds.
Arturo said, "Si, there's no reason to be scared."
Billy said, "Me, scared? I'm not scared. I'm way beyond the meaning of scared! Well, right now I'm somewhere along the lines of bed-wetting and near-death experiences! This is panic! This is worse than scared!"
"Please don't worry, friend," Penny says softly. "There's more of us than of them."
"Si, there es strength in numbers," Arturo adds with more than a bit of determination to his voice. "We will always be here for each other, and no villains or voodoo magic can stop us!"
"Pthbbht!" Grubber agrees.
A contented smile spreads across Billy's face. "Aww, thanks, you guys. You make me feel so much better." The group beam as Penny gives Billy a gentle hug. "You're quite welcome, friend." they reply happily.
As Grubber peeks toward the window, he silently razzes under his breath, "Phbbht, thbbbht, pthbbht, thbbht, thbbbht, thbhht..."("Mmn. I wonder what they're planning in there...")The witch doctor began to brew up some sort of potion by using bits of rat tails, newt eyes, turtle legs, and even a crocodile's tongue into a large pot. "This potion will surely allow you the power to get what you desire." he says slyly.
Medusa said, "Perfect, thank you so much.""You're quite welcome." the witch doctor grins glibly as he pours the potion into a fair sized flask. "It's an old family recipe, passed down from my great grandpappy." He motions toward a large portrait on the wall of a man who looks very similar to him.
From outside, Penny gives an audible gasp. "It's Doctor Facillier!"
"Facilli-who?" inquires a nonplussed Billy.
"He was a witch doctor who lived in the bayou many years ago." Penny relies. "My grandma and grandpa would always tell me stories about him; he was said to be very dangerous." The three Gang Green Gang members gulp audibly.
"Now, please be very careful with this potion," the witch doctor notes. "It can be very dangerous if not used correctly."
"Certainly, friend." Medusa replies. "Goodbye, and thank you again." Upon this, the baddies quickly leave. One of the bats begins fluttering around Snively's head, causing him to shudder and duck. "Oh, grow up, will you!" Medusa snarls.
From outside, the group exchange concerned looks. "Ay caramba," notes a concerned Arturo. "Whatever that stuff does, it certainly doesn't look good."
"Our friends and Daddy could be in grave danger," Penny says worriedly. "We'll have to hurry and find them quickly!"
"Don't worry, friends," June says consolingly. "We's-all will help ya find 'em."
"Bzzz, bzzz, bzzz, bzzz." Frankie adds. Looks of relief cross the group's faces. "Oh, thanks, you guys," Penny says happily. "This means so very much to us!" Jethro smiles warmly. "Y'all quite welcome, Hon'." Upon this, the group set off again.