Arden and Basil continued to stare at this place where they have stopped. Arden stayed as quiet as a mouse, but Basil, he was not so quiet. He started shaking Arden's shoulders. As he did, Arden noticed something black and small on the ground covered in old newspapers and filth. She started to feel different...in a bad way.
"So, we should get going, if we are to find crystal," he said firmly taking his paws off her shoulders. He turned around and was about to walk, but Arden clenched his arm, so tight, Basil could not move at all because of the arm clenched, because it was so tight in Arden's hand.
"Don't you dare move," she said darkly. Arden stared at the detective with a look of anger, insanity, and craziness. Basil tried to pull his arm out of her hand as he looked at Arden's crazy frown, but it was not any good.
"Will you please let go of me?" he asked gently, trying to stay calm. Arden said nothing. She could not say anything to express why she would not let go and why she was acting the way she did.
"Will you please let go of me, I said!" said Basil again. Arden tightened her grip. Basil's arm was practically turning purple, because Arden's grip was not letting blood go into his arm.
"I know what you said! But there is something else you might want to see," she said. She pulled Basil's arm down as Arden kneeled down to show him. When she finally let go of Basil's arm, she started digging through the old newspapers and thing and found something on the ground. It looked like a black hat that thug would wear. She picked it up and examined it. She looked at upside-down, right-side up, left, right, outside and inside. Basil also looked at it. He started feeling curious at this strange artifact.
"Let me see that," he said. He took the hat away from Arden, sat down on his knees, and did the same thing, except when he did, he started to sniff it, and taste it. Arden looked disgusted.
"What…the…hell…are…you doing?" she asked him. Basil looked at her.
"Examining the evidence," he replied.
"That hat has been on the ground, covered in germs! Hell, you don't even know where that's been!!" complained Arden. Basil kept looking at Arden. He rose to his feet.
"This hat's been splashed in blood, worn by a green lizard, who has obviously been here, but that's not all! There's only one lizard I know who wears a black hat that was once drenched in blood. His name is Bill. There's only one thing I know about him, and it's this: He works for that sewer rat! Surely you know him," explained Basil. Arden was shocked and surprised.
"This is just like the Flaversham Case all over again...oh my God..." thought Arden.
"I know him! He was one of my father's best friends...but why would he be here?" she remarked. "He's probably on a mission for Ratigan. What d'you think?"
"That, I do not know…but…looking at these footprints, I say he's been here not too long ago," replied Basil pointing to footprints on the ground. Both he and Arden got down on the ground and both examined them.
"Basil, you're a wonder mouse!" she said. She hugged Basil so hard, Basil felt like he was getting squeezed to death. Basil rose back to his feet.
As Arden stared at the footprints, she could not help but twitch a bit. Something was making her twitch, but what was it? She turned around and saw nothing but Basil behind her and Toby a few steps away from them. Arden kept looking around, but there was nothing…until…
"BASIL, WATCH OUT!!" she yelped. She pushed Basil out of the way. By doing so, a very sharp pain in her back raised. Pushing Basil made them both tumble to the ground. Arden was soon right on top of Basil in a very uncomfortable fashion. She immediately got on her knees, so that Basil could get up. When Basil got on his knees, he saw something absolutely horrible. He gasped and stood up to examine what he saw. He got right behind Arden, not keeping his eyes off of this horrific sight.
"What are you looking at?" she asked in a stressful way. Basil stepped right behind her back, crouched down and stared at her back with a determined look on his face. He stared at Arden's back.
"...no..not again," thought Basil.
"Right, that's it," he said. Arden glanced at Basil. She looked confused at her friend.
"What're you talking about?" asked Arden. Basil looked at Arden. After staring for about ten seconds, he spoke up.
"Arden…you've been shot…again," said Basil. Arden's mouth dropped.
"What d'you mean...again?" asked Arden.