Chapter 22
After taking two sleeping pills, my eyes opened for the first time when I felt Scooby merrily licking my left cheek, while trampling my stomach with the same excitement. When I managed to get rid of him, I looked at the plane window and I saw Seattle´s Space Needle – then I understood that we were making a stopover. However, my body didn't show any motor reaction that could make me wake up and get up, so all I did was close my eyes again and sink into deep sleep.
Shaggy: Velma! Like, wake up, let's go! We´ll be here for just half an hour and we need supplies!
Shaggy shook my shoulders violently, and I opened my eyes with anger. The visible urgency in his and in the dog's bodily expressions made me understand that they needed supplies, not the plane. I signalled that they could go out without me, then I put my body in the fetal position to get back to sleep. Unfortunately, a few minutes after that, Daphne nudged me and said a couple of sentences that my REM sleep completely ignored. When she realized that I was not able to answer, she simply snatched my purse from my arms and took all my personal belongings out of it. Again, I opened my eyes with anger.
Velma: Jinkies, you have 296 luxury-brands purses, why the hell you need to use mine…?
Daphne: First, you're totally out of date: now I have 300. Second: I´ve brought only 5 purses in my baggage. Third: none of those 5 are big enough to carry $10.000 in wads of $100 bills…
For a moment, my brain struggled to formulate the question "why the hell you want to carry $10.000 inside a purse?". But when I realized I would have to listen to a long, boring answer about fashion, I just closed my eyes and returned to the arms of Morpheus. Some time later – honestly, I have no idea how much time exactly –, Fred woke me up "gently" in Fred Jones style: by pressing my seat´s recline button and returning it to an upright position for the takeoff. The inertia of the sudden movement almost broke my neck, so I opened my eyes with anger for the third time. Fred smiled awkwardly, then he signalled me to buckle up. Daphne returned my purse, said a couple of sentences again, and showed me some pairs of scarpins that answered my previous question about the purpose of carrying $10.000 inside a purse. I struggled to keep my eyes open until the beautiful designs of clouds in the deep blue sky lulled me back into a deep sleep for hours.
Shaggy: Velma! Velmaaaaaaa! Like, wake up! Zoinks, you're going to die if you sleep so much!
This time, I woke up feeling completely recovered, as if all the previous sleep had ended. The plane was all dark, except for the small lights in the aisle and the lights above the two seats where Shaggy and Scooby were. When Scooby saw me awake, he jumped Shaggy and came to greet me. I stretched my muscles and checked the clock: 4:40 am.
Velma: Jinkies, did I really sleep that much?
Shaggy: Like, I was already thinking you had died! You´ve lost the milkshakes Daphne brought us in Seattle… and the dinner… and the dessert served after dinner… and the peanuts and chips served after the dessert that was served after the dinner… and the cookies served after the peanuts and chips that was served after the dessert that was served after dinner… but don´t worry, Scoob and I ate yours, so no food was wasted…
Before I could answer, Shaggy quickly got up and ran to the available seat by my side. Unfortunately, Scooby joined him, but there was no free space and he literally climbed our bodies and tried to find a place for himself on our laps. Looking around, I saw Daphne asleep a few seats ahead, wrapped in a black overcoat, and Fred sleeping in a seat next to her. Then, I realized that Shaggy and Scooby were afraid of being alone in the dark.
Velma: By my calculations, we will arrive in Seoul around 6:30am…
Scooby cried and flattened his ears against his head, and Shaggy emitted a very similar moan of sadness.
Shaggy: Like, do you have any food? It's been four hours since we´ve run out of chips... like, I don't know if we can survive two more hours with an empty stomach…
I rolled my eyes and searched for some food inside Daphne's purse. Fortunately, she had a whole pack of cookies, and both them gobbled down everything before I could ask them to eat slowly, because that was the only food available for the next 2 hours. After the snack, Scooby returned to his seat and Shaggy remained by my side, playing some Mario game – he is the only adult I know who owns a Nintendo Switch. I realized that the game´s noise- and the annoying movement Shaggy was making with his legs while playing the game- would not let me read, so I decided to waste the remaining two hours of the flight checking my social networks. Marcie finally answered the message I sent her 3 days ago, and she sent me so many photos of her vacation that my poor Samsung had a hard time processing everything. The bad omen inside my chest made me type a long message to her, explaining our recent discoveries, but when I put the period on the last sentence, my reason made me erase everything and type: "I´m ok too, love you". My parents also answered the message I sent them before I left NY: my mother quoted Schopenhauer to prove that my little expression of affection was nothing more than a representation of love submitted to the will of the individual. And my father said "I love you", and forwarded an article about the neurobiology of emotions in stressful situations that even a person like me felt zero interest in reading. I took a deep breath and continued: "I´m talking serious! I'm in Seoul solving a dangerous case with Interpol. If I don't return in the next few days, make a public scandal. The media and the FBI are not reliable. Shaggy, Daphne and Fred are with me".
Fred: It sucks, doesn't it?
Fred's voice startled me. When I looked back, I noticed that he was on the seat right behind me.
Velma: Yes, it sucks to be your friend and deal with your presence… but having you as my captain is way worse…
Fred smiled at my teasing, but instead of answering, he just showed me his cell phone screen. It had a huge message, started right after Fred told his father that he was going to Seoul to solve a case. I couldn't read the entire message, but I noticed that Fred Sr. was criticizing his son's role during the operation. And he even dared to send news about the case´s flaws, articles vilifying the Blakes' financial life and a couple of fake news linking the Blakes with the Illuminatis.
Fred: I ALWAYS get this kind of shit… no matter what I do or what I say, it always has to be problematized, discussed, criticized, ridiculed...
Velma: Or underestimated by using some German philosophical theory as an argument? Yeah, that's it…
Fred: Damn, why does it have to be so complicated? Is it so hard to say "good luck, son", "be careful", or express any fucking kind of feeling about it?
Velma: I think it is, because I know a jerk who would rather lose a kidney than say a simple "I love you"…
Suddenly, Fred's anger disappeared, and his face showed that he had never thought he behaves in such way about his own feelings. Norville felt that one more boring Fred-and-me-argument was about to start, so he left his seat and joined Scooby. Before I could emphasize my point of view, Fred's defense mechanisms formed an automatic answer.
Fred: Bullshit. I know how to express my feelings, I´ve texted my dad… and I´ve even called him…
Velma: No, Fred, you know how to talk about beds and about the details of a dangerous case in Seoul, you don´t know how to show your love!
Fred: I´ve sent him the message, I´ve given up the fucking bed to her, what kind of stupid degrading thing else do you want me to do to make it clear?
Velma: What about saying 3 little words? Or, at least, do the kind of thing you expected your dad to do when you called him? Because your dad is totally sure that he shows his feelings for you by criticizing the way you lead the case… in the same way, my mom thinks she shows her love for me by making a philosophical analysis of my words… and it sucks! You know how it sucks! It's a love that tears apart instead of bringing together. Feelings are not weakness, Fred... neither are they philosophical theories, nor professional opinions... feelings are just feelings, they are meant to be felt and expressed!
I don't know how – or why- those words came out of my mouth, but somehow, they did. Then, the pilot announced the landing, and that was an excellent excuse for Fred to go back to his seat and interrupt that discussion. When I fastened my seat belt, the bad omen disturbed me again and I felt a deep sorrow form a lump in my throat. I couldn't explain why, nor could I find a German philosopher´s beautiful phrase to define it… so, I decided to follow my own advice and just feel it. And when I allowed myself to do that, my eyes got lost in the plane window and I understood the whole meaning of that feeling: we were flying over Silmido Island.
I had barely put my feet on Seoul Airport´s runway when Scooby and Shaggy jostled me roughly and passed me at high speed. When I saw the symbol of a restaurant called "Burguer Hunter", I understood why they were in such a hurry. Daphne was equally elated to discover a Fendi store at the airport, and prepared herself to buy a few more u̶s̶e̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶e̶n̶s̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶u̶g̶l̶y̶ stuff. Fred was gentle enough to bring all our hand baggage out of the plane, and he walked by my side in silence until we arrived at the airpot building. At the end of the arrivals hall, I saw three Asian men, two of them – the older ones- were elegantly dressed. The youngest and the smallest of them was dressing ordinary clothes and happily waved at us. When I got closer, I could read "Liang Flim Flam" on the Interpol credential he was wearing, and I realized that, amazingly, he was about four inches shorter than me – and much more handsome than his image on the video calls.
Flim Flam: How nice it is to meet you without having to stay up all night!
Velma: Nice to meet you too without waking up in the middle of the night!
All men greeted Fred and I, and Flim Flam introduced us the two older men: Wang, like Flim Flam, was a Chinese Interpol agent, and Li was a Chinese Intelligence Service agent. Then, Flim Flam introduced us to them, and told them how we were dealing with the case in New York. He was interrupted by Daphne, who suddenly appeared with some shopping bags and left a strong kiss on his cheek, while wrapping him in a tight hug. Flim Flam immediately blushed and got completely bewildered, and so did the two other men. I was amused to see Fred Jones' jealous face disapproving that display of affection.
Daphne: I can't believe we´re meeting in person after all these years, I´ve missed you!
Flim Flam: And this is Daphne Blake, gentlemen... well, I think she doesn´t need to be introduced, right? As you can see, she's incredible…
Fred's face got worse while his s̶t̶u̶p̶i̶d̶ ̶f̶i̶l̶t̶h̶y̶ mind thought about all the connotations that the expression "incredible" could mean in that situation.
Fred: She's our lawyer and she's the one who has started the case. She is also George Blake´s daughter…
The irritation in Fred's speech was evident, but Flim Flam didn't seem to care. However, Daphne was uncomfortable with the compliment - or with the fact that the compliment made Fred feel uncomfortable- so she quickly (and desperately) tried to change the subject.
Daphne: Oh, did you find Gi-Hun? Did you discover anything else?
Flim Flam: No. In fact, now we have more questions than answers, because when his flight landed here in Seoul, he was not aboard… and we can´t explain how he´s simply disappeared, since the flight had no stopovers. …
Daphne: So our Gi-Hun is a South Korean DB Cooper?
Flim Flam: No, he's way worse! People saw DB Cooper jumping out of the plane... as for Gi-Hun, we have no idea how he disappeared before the flight landed, the flight reports confirm he was aboard, but we couldn´t find him on any camera records…
Velma: Well, it fits the case´s standards of weirdness, doesn´t it? This is just one more absurd among many others we have found during the investigation…
Flim Flam: Yes, and let me mention one more absurd: these gentlemen joined me because they´ve received an envelope with a bunch of photos of people who disappeared in Seoul. And inside the envelopes, there was a sheet of paper saying…
Velma: "Cachalot Operation, June 21, 10 pm"?
Flim Flam: Exactly! How do you know?
Fred: Because we´ve found this...
Fred removed the piece of plastic from his backpack and handed it to Flim Flam, who carefully unwrapped the contents.
Velma: The second place Gi-Hun visited in New York had a secret passage. We followed the bleach trail he left, and we found this piece of plastic in a place very similar to that secret corridor at Liberty…
Fred: We believe Gi-Hun is recruiting agents around the world to stop the "Squid Game"… his own daughter has confirmed it…
Velma: And the name of the operation suggests it, because cachalots devour giant squids...
Flim Flam: So there will probably be other agents?
Fred: We really hope so. We need all the help we can get…
Flim Flam: Good, because those two agents are going to help us here in Seoul…
Flim Flam waved at two Asian men who seemed to be our age, and they came towards us. Flim Flam shook hands with them, then they greeted us.
Flim Flam: I want you to meet Seoul Police Officers Park and Yong. They are investigating all the disappearances I reported, and they will help us in this case…
Shaggy: Like, it's nice to know that we'll have agents with normal human heights helping us... because you, Flim Flam, can barely help Snow White with your fellow dwarfs…
Shaggy and Scooby caused a smile in Flim Flam´s lips and they greeted each other with joy – and Flim Flam answered the teasing by saying something about Shaggy's mother. Seoul police officers suggested us to continue the conversation at the hotel, in a private and safe location, and we agreed. While I walked towards the exit door, I felt I was being watched, and when I looked around, I noticed a distinguished couple looking directly at me. Both were young, but they looked a little older than us. The man was tall, athletic, with brown hair and blue eyes. The woman was equally athletic, she had a blond, short, curly hair and she was endowed with such a rare beauty that I couldn´t stop looking at her. When I stared at them for a while, they stopped looking at me and dispersed among the crowd.
Fred: You really need to learn how to look at a pretty woman without making it completely clear that you're looking at her... if you want some lessons, we can schedule an appointment... noob…
Velma: And you need to learn how to stop being a nosy asshole! Mind your own business, Jones, you were looking at her too!
Fred: But not in that ridiculous way... noob…
Apparently, Shaggy heard our conversation, because he walked past us laughing (at me?) – and that pissed me off even more.
Velma: I'm sure you were looking too, Norville, you hypocrite!
Daphne: Looking what?
Daphne looked at us innocently, and I realized that her question was true. The large overcoat was no longer on her body, and it was turned into a crumpled pile of fabric inside one of her shopping bags. All that dressed her good shape was a short black tube dress that highlighted her white skin, the delicate features of her face and the bright red of her hair. So, I took advantage of the state of deep silence that Fred entered while admiring that beautiful sight, and had my revenge.
Velma: Nothing! Just two disgusting men being two disgusting men… they were admiring a pretty girl who walked past us... and by "admiring", I mean: staring at her like two dogs!
Unfortunately, Shaggy was far away from us to hear my teasing, and Fred was too far away from reality to hear what I said. But Daphne heard. And she was with me.
Daphne: Shame on you two! Grown-up boys who still don´t know how to respect a girl!
Daphne walked towards the others. She didn't realize the contemplative trance her black dress had caused on Fred, so she got a little offended by his attitude. I followed her for a while and walked past Fred smiling victoriously. When I was close enough, I gave him a small slap on the right cheek to make him stop looking at Daphne.
Velma: Hey, wake up, they're already in the taxi aisle, let's go!… noob!
When we arrived at the hotel, Fred took our baggage out of the taxis while talking with the Chinese and the Korean agents. Shaggy was looking forward to receiving his room card, because it was a passport to the place where breakfast was being served. But when he left the car, Scooby-doo bit the bottom of his shirt and stopped him from getting into the hotel.
Shaggy: Hey, Scoob, c´mon! We can´t play now, we have a huge breakfast table waiting for us! Let´s go!
But Scooby didn´t obey him. Instead, he bit a larger part of Shaggy´s shirt and forced him to return to the place he left the taxi. Shaggy got angry and managed to release himself, but the dog bit him again and again. When Scooby couldn´t keep Shaggy anymore, he started barking desperately. Shaggy understood the dog was trying to "say" something, so he opened his dog language app, but before he could read the "meaning" of those barks, Fred scolded him.
Fred: C´mon, Rogers, for God´s sake, not in front of Interpol! We are qualified agents, close this damn app right now!
Shaggy was a bit embarrassed, but he didn´t really close the app. Daphne and I looked at each other and we followed Fred to the Hotel hall. Scooby continued to bark, and he made many desperate things to stop us, but we just ignored him. When I looked back, Shaggy´s face was, at the same time, scared and hesitant, but he followed us right after I scolded him. When he walked past me, he showed his cellphone screen and I could read the message: "Beware, Raggy, hooman trap and bad hoomans!". I just rolled my eyes to show my impatience with that damn app again, and he closed it without saying a word about "Scooby´s message". Scooby-Doo remained barking outside the hotel, so Daphne had to make a cookie trail to make him come to the hall. I handled the checking in details, but the moment the attendant handed us 4 room cards, Fred intervened.
Fred: Four rooms? No way! Let's get a quadruple suite, we need to stay together, it's safer...
Velma: What? I can´t share a room with you!
Daphne: I don´t want to share a room with two boys, Freddie!
Shaggy: Like, I can´t, and I don´t want to share a minibar with you all, so let´s get 4 rooms for God´s sake! They put only a can of potatoes inside those fucking fridges, and I know our friendship will be strained if any of you ask me a single chip!
Fred was convinced when Shaggy showed a little bit of how hysterically unpleasant he gets when he has to share his food with us, but the attendant informed there were no quadruple suites available. The best she could do was putting us in double rooms. Furthermore, she mentioned that the dog would count as one person, and would share a double room with his owner. So, we split into pairs - Daphne and I, Shaggy and Scooby, Fred and Flim Flam - and everyone walked to the rooms. Well, in fact, everyone but Scooby and Shaggy, who rushed to the breakfast buffet and didn't return until the local chef asked Shaggy to leave.
I was drying my hair when I heard a knock on the door. Daphne opened the door for Scooby and the boys, and took her baggage out of the beds and chairs so they could sit. Before I could stop him, Scooby put his front paws inside my dirty bath water and drank it. Annoyed, I opened the drain and took him out of the bathtub – and I got way more annoyed when I noticed the paw prints he left on our bedroom's white carpet. Shaggy's first action was to check if we had eaten the fine chocolates that the maids had left on our folded bed sheets, and when he noticed I had eaten both (because Daphne is always on a diet and I needed some thryptophan to put serotonin inside my struggling brain), he opened our minibar to get some items. Flim Flam turned his notebook on and Fred sat down next to him – I don't know if he did that because he was really interested about the content of the computer, or just because he didn´t want Daphne to sit next to Flim Flam.
Flim Flam: Gang, I think I´ve found out something about the "secret key" that was used to make the money transfers… they were all done by SWIFT…
We approached Flim Flam to listen to him – except Shaggy, who remained close to the minibar, and Scooby, who returned to the bathroom to check if the bathtub had water again.
Daphne: SWIFT…? You mean the global banking system?
Flim Flam: Exactly… a system that the bank from one country uses to make financial transactions to other bank in another country…
Daphne: So that secret key is a SWIFT key?
Flim Flam: Not exactly… actually, this "key" is neither a code, nor a password, it is malware… and it was designed to send fake SWIFT messages to banks and, after, hide the messages that were sent… this malware has sent SWIFT messages to Applegate and received the funds, then the record was deleted before the confirmation messages and…
Daphne: Can you speak my language, please?
Shaggy: Like, someone has made a virus that sent fake bank messages charging millions from Applegate Bank, and Applegate paid everything, thinking that the messages were real. After, the virus erased the message history, so that no one could find out the messages were fake… so, the only history that remained was Applegate´s tranfers to a "secret place"…
Shaggy's explanation would have been brilliant if it hadn't been done with his open mouth munching on Pringles. The only thing more annoying than watching him munching was Scooby-Doo rolling inside the damp bathtub, trying to make the most of the remaining water there.
Daphne: So, that´s why no one in the intelligence department was able to find information about this "code"…
Flim Flam: Exactly…
Fred: Do you have any information about the person who´s made the malware?
Flim Flam: Uhhh… I have none… but I have some suspicions… Hwang In-ho was an excellent programmer, he could have done the code… and also the VIPS… they have enough knowledge, skills and money to develop something like that…
Daphne: Well, at least now we have a proof that Blake Bank and Applegate Bank are innocent, and the media will finally leave Dad alone...
Flim Flam: Unfortunately, it's not that simple, Daph... like I´ve said, the malware has erased all evidences, and I´m not sure if our cyber department will be able to recover it... so, although we know about the malware and all the things it has done, we still can´t prove the scam...
Flim Flam was interrupted by the sound of his cell phone ringing, and he left us to answer the call. The frustration on Daphne's face was evident, and Fred tried to comfort her.
Fred: Hey, Daph… stay calm… soon, this nightmare will end…
Fred was more careful with his words this time, and he didn't mention that "we will arrest an international mob". When he finished, he looked at me, expecting some positive feedback for the different (and more empathetic) way he behaved. I approved with a smile, and Fred shyly put an arm around Daphne's shoulders and hugged her. She didn't hug him back, she just looked at him with a shy smile.
Daphne: Yes, Freddie… I believe so… I have faith in Gi-Hun and in all of us, but… solving the mystery won´t reverse all the public damage that this media scandal has caused! When we find out the truth and prove it, surely, the media won´t publicly apologize… neither it will ask America to stop thinking bad things about Blake Bank, nor people will trust our company again… and the fake news will continue…the Blakes' reputation is tarnished forever…
"Well, the Blakes´ reputation was not that good before the scandal…", was the first thought that popped up in my mind and I squelched while providing some emotional support for Daphne. "And the Blakes can pay means to improve their reputation", was the second thought that occurred to me. "Just stop taking the homes of the ones who can´t pay the mortgage, quit real estate speculation and donate amounts as exorbitant as the bank interest rates you charge", was the third thought. Then I hugged Daphne to ward off any other thought that would tempt me to criticize George Blake instead of supporting him.
Fred: No! We will reverse it, Daph, I PROMISE! At the end of the case, we will prove that the media and the FBI were involved with the VIPS... and people will understand, everyone is fed up with this lying, manipulative media…
"If you mobilize all female journalists you've slept with, we'll be able to do a massive campaign for the Blakes", was another poisonous thought that occurred to me. Fortunately, Flim Flam approached us and his words took all that wickedness from my mind.
Flim Flam: Gang, we have to go… some officers are waiting for us at the police department to discuss the next steps we will take in this case… let´s go…
The phrase "let's go" - the phrase Shaggy says when he takes Scooby out for a walk – made Scooby-Doo jump out of the bathtub and bark happily, while running around the room and jumping on all of us. That made him leave wet paw prints in the carpet and on our clothes, so I glared at Norville and he quickly put the leash on Scooby and took him out of the room. Daphne rolled her eyes and asked for a few extra minutes to change her clothes. While she was dressing in the bathroom, her cell phone vibrated several times and Alan Mayberry's face appeared on the screen. We looked at each other and Fred declined the call.
Velma: Come on, Daphne, we need to go now!
Seoul Police Department looked like a modern shopping mall. The only one who didn´t appreciate the place was Scooby-Doo, who started barking and biting Shaggy´s shirt again. On the moment the screen of his cell phone showed the message "Bad hoomans, Raggy, don´t go!", I took Shaggy´s cell phone off his hands and turned it off, so he didn´t have time to complain about "what Scooby was saying". Then, Fred pulled him by his arm and carried him – and the dog, who was still biting Shaggy´s shirt – to the department´s hall. Agent Park and Agent Yong welcomed us and introduced us to their captain, then we followed them to a small meeting room. I realized the department was strangely empty - just like Liberty´s building-, and I couldn´t find a logical explanation for it, since Seul has more habitants than NY. There, the agents informed us that some victims were identified and their families were notified – including Cho Sang-woo's mother. He also said that nothing was found in the city´s subways, they could not find information about the cards´ phone number and no disappearances had been reported in Seoul up to that date. At the end of their brief speech, the captain of the Seoul Police thanked us for solving the case. I noticed that Flim Flam and the others were confused, but they didn't say anything. Only Fred Jones was bothered enough to protest.
Fred: You´re saying the fucking case is solved just because few people were identified and your incompetent team couldn't find any other clue? What about the other 12,000 people who disappeared in the last 33 years? Don´t tell me we came to Seoul just to listen to this bullshit!
The words were rude, but when they came out of Fred's mouth with Fred's angry intonation, they sounded a hundred times more rude.
Velma: Fred! Watch your mouth!
Fred: Oh, that wasn´t a nice way? So let me be clear, Velma, maybe they will understand me now: THIS CASE IS NOT SOLVED! We came here to solve a mystery that exists in this city since 1988, and we will only leave when we arrest all the VIPs!
Obviously, Fred's blunt way of expounding his opinion didn't get a good reaction from them. Agents Yong and Park rudely responded to Fred Jones, and our captain responded way more rudely, until the discussion came to blows and Daphne and I had to hold Fred and stop the fight. Then, Scooby barked and growled at the officers to protect Fred, and when Seoul police captain said some harsh words about the dog, Daphne and I had to hold Shaggy and convince him to not punch his dog´s critics. The Chinese agents agreed with Fred, but they calmed everyone down and led the situation to a more friendly dialogue.
Flim Flam: All right, gentlemen, I have to tell you the opinion of an Interpol agent... we have enough clues about the identity of the ones to blame, so I think we should join our efforts to arrest them…
Fred was still nervous and had a very serious expression on his face. When Flim Flam finished speaking, Fred´s cell phone vibrated and I noticed that an unknown number sent him a message that said "don´t mention Gi-hun or Cachalot Operation". After reading, Fred was confused, but when he looked at the Chinese agents, he understood who had sent him the message.
Yong: Efforts are being made, agent Flim Flam… we are patrolling the subways, and we are analyzing the clues about the missing people… but we still don´t know who is "responsible"… could you share the information you have with us? Do you have any suggestion?
Yong's speech made Scooby grumble for a while, until the sound turned into a very loud growl and he barked non-stop. Shaggy tried to make him shut up, but he didn´t succeed, so he had to leave the room taking Scooby by the leash, and agent Li followed him. Fred was lost in his cellphone screen, reading and typing, and I noticed that he was searching for something online.
Flim Flam: I could make a list of suggestions, Mr. Yong, starting with phone number on the cards… I don't remember hearing you say you´ve contacted the telephone company to get the name of the person responsible for this number…
Yong: You're completely wrong, agent... the number was registered in the name of Oh Il-nam, an important Korean billionaire who has recently passed away... and the address registered leads to an abandoned building…
Flim Flam: Well, Oh Il-Nam is the owner of Liberty… see? We have a name! How can you say you don´t have information?
Park: As you know, he is dead, so the information we have is useless…
Flim Flam: But surely he was responsible for the disappearances before… and even the financial transactions that incriminated George Blake and Steven Applegate! You have to investigate it!
Yong: What financial transactions, agent? We have no information about it… has Interpol made any discovery recently?
Flim Flam hesitated to answer, however, his long silence was even more compromising than an answer. Agent Park continued.
Park: Any other great suggestion, Agent Flim Flam? Something that we haven't done yet? Because the impression I have is that you think we are poor helpless citizens that need the help of American superheroes and Chinese secret spies to solve our own problems…
Fred got up with the intention of intimidating agent Park, but Flim Flam grabbed the Korean agent by the collar first, with an impressive agility. Agent Wang immediately pulled Flim Flam and made him release agent Park. Then I decided to take control of the situation.
Velma: Actually, Agent Park, we're not here to judge your work, we're here to help you solve this case… and I have to remind that this case doesn't belong exclusively to you South Korean citizens… Liberty company has committed financial frauds in New York, we have fatal victims from different countries, two American bankers are being unfairly defamed… and those responsible for the crimes – who call themselves "VIPs" – are Americans and Europeans…
Flim Flam: Plus, this case was started by NYPD and Interpol, so we will solve it with or without your help because we have information that…
Fred: …THAT THE FBI IS IN CONTROL RIGHT NOW, AND SURELY THEY WILL PROVIDE MORE CLUES!
Fred practically screamed, but we understood that his intention was to not let Flim Flam talk about Gi-Hun´s operation. The Korean agents looked at each other and there followed a long awkward silence in which none of us knew exactly how to continue that conversation. Fortunately, our captain found the proper words.
Fred: Well, we have nothing else to say, agents. We came here to listen to you and follow your orders. If that's all you had for us, then we've done our duty. Thank you for your time.
Fred´s words confused us, however, his confident way inspired us to trust his plan. I noticed that the Korean agents were angry because we didn´t share the details about our findings.
Park: Yes, that's all. We appreciate your help, anyway. We will contact you as soon as we have news about this case.
All men shook hands - Fred Jones reluctantly did it - and we left the department with more questions than answers. Agent Li was waiting for us outside.
Velma: Jinkies, what the hell was that? I thought they wanted our help!
Daphne: I felt that they just don´t want to act… I doubt they have investigated the subway and the phone number…
Fred: They neither want to act, nor to investigate, Daph, they just want to know what we´ve found out, that's why we were called here... they´re fake agents…and I´m not even sure if this is really a police station…
Fred asked agent Wang to show his cellphone screen. When he typed the name of agents Park and Yong in the search box, no results were found.
Wang: This is a list of all members of South Korean police. Although Park and Yong are very common last names here, there are no registered agents with their names. I just can´t understand how they´ve tracked us… our actions are confidential and our digital security is very good…
Flim Flam: They haven´t tracked us, Agent Wang, I´ve tracked them… I´ve just found out about the malware, I think it has infected my computer and all my data was leaked…
Wang: You´re right, agent Flim Flam, I think they really wanted to be sure if we know about the malware… it´s a huge evidence against the VIPs…
Daphne: Jeepers, and Scooby growled at them in the same way he growled at Alan a few days ago... I think Shaggy was right, Scooby was really trying to tell us that something was wrong!
I was about to say "By the way, where's Shaggy and Scooby?", when a violent hit on my back knocked me over. After failing to jump on my arms, Scooby started jumping on everyone - and almost knocked all them over - until he managed to climb into Fred's arms. Fred tried to calm him down and put him back on the ground. Then, Shaggy ran to us, hugged me tightly and hid his face in my shoulders. Both them were scared, and Scooby was shaking a lot. Daphne felt sorry for the dog and offered him some cookies to calm him down.
Shaggy: LIKE, I'M SCARED TOO, DAPHNE, CAN´T YOU SEE? DON'T YOU FEEL SORRY FOR ME?
Shaggy's scolding made us all laugh, and when Daphne handed him the cookies, Scooby-doo bit the box and ran away with it.
Shaggy: Scooby-doo, you ungrateful wretch, how can you do this with me? I hope that couple catch you and take you to the animal shelter!
Fred: That couple? Who are they, Shaggy?
Shaggy: Like, that couple we saw at the airport, and Velma was admiring the pretty blonde woman!
Fred: Admiring, like, staring at her like a dog?
Daphne: Velma! You were supposed to teach them to not behave like that!
I blushed violently - for Shaggy's comment and Daphne's scolding – while Fred and Shaggy laughed. Then I tried to change the subject to forget that situation.
Velma: Where were they, Shaggy?
Shaggy: Like, the right question is: where weren't they! Since I left the police station with Scoob, they've been following us... we went to the ice cream parlor and they were there... we passed by the burguer shop, and they were there too… then, they followed us around the block…
Fred: Now it´s our time to follow them. Let´s get them, gang, I bet they´re fake agents too!
Fred's order made me freeze. Anxiety and fear didn´t let me take any kind of action. Fortunalety, Fred noticed that I was not ok – and noticed Daphne's fragility –, so he asked Shaggy, Scooby, Flim Flam and Wang to go with him, while agent Li would stay with Daphne and me. The boys were out for almost 1 hour, and during that time, Daphne rejected several calls from Alan Mayberry. When I finally saw Flim Flam running in our direction, Daphne's phone rang and an unknown number appeared on the screen. She looked at me asking suggestions about what she should do, but I was distracted, trying to figure out what Flim Flam was telling me. Then, Daphne answered the call, but shortly after, it was ended and the caller didn´t say a word.
Flim Flam: Velma, stop that Uber immediately!
Unfortunately, Flim Flam's order was too late, and all I could do was watch the car passing in high speed, and the couple we saw at the airport was inside it. A clumsy reflex made me photograph the license plate.
Velma: Jinkies, what happened?
Flim Flam: We saw them watching Scooby and Shaggy near Mc Donald´s, but when I tried to contact them, they ran away...
Daphne: A strange number has just called me… maybe it´s their number…
Daphne innocently showed us the call, and Flim Flam almost passed out when he saw the number on the screen. I approached to look at the cell phone, and I felt the same thing when I saw the number 86504006, the same number printed on the business cards.
Flim Flam: Daph, unfortunately, it wasn´t that couple... it was the VIPs...
Flim Flam: Well, the information I have is: the victims have made the call, the number has never called a victim´s number, right?
I just nodded in agreement with what he said. Daphne couldn't show any reaction.
Flim Flam: Great. So we can consider that Daphne is a special case, and she will not be a victim! Right?
Neither I nor Daphne agreed. We were too scared for that.
Flim Flam: And we can also consider that we were close to fake agents who may have taken Daphne's number and…
Daphne: Flim Flam, stop trying to calm me down, I know they´ve called to track my number!
Flim Flam: Well, but we can consider they´ve done that because…
Daphne: Because I'm George Blake's daughter and they can kidnap me to blackmail my father into doing whatever they want to cover their crimes... stop trying to be nice, Flim Flam, I know I´m in trouble!
Flim Flam: You're not, Daph... we can consider that you are...
Daphne: FLIM FLAM!
Flim Flam: Ok, you're in trouble...
Daphne: Jeepers, how could I be so stupid? I can´t believe it!
Velma: It wasn't your fault, Daph, it was my fault! I should have recognized the number before you answered the call…
Flim Flam: It was my fault, I´ve distracted you both…
Li: It was nobody's fault, it happened very quickly, nobody had enough time to think. We're in the middle of a battle and such things happen.
Daphne: What do I do now? Throw the cell phone away?
Flim Flam: Daph, I think even a banker's daughter can agree with me that discarding an iPhone 13 in perfect conditions is an absurd…
Li: I think we should keep it… maybe we can get information about who´s called, where is the caller, things like that…
Velma: But what about the risk of the VIPs tracking us?
Li: I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if they´ve sent fake agents to meet us, I think they already know exactly where we are… but I believe they don't want to track us, they just want to steal the information we have and invalidate it.
When Li said "they know where we are", my stomach ached just as quickly as my heart pounded, and I felt panic overwhelm my senses.
Daphne: What if we contact the real police?
Li: I think it would be dangerous too… what if we meet fake agents again? What if all Seul police is working for the VIPs, just like the FBI? We don´t know if we really can trust them…
Flim Flam: Well, based on what we´ve found out, I think we can´t… Seul police doesn´t seem to care about all the disappearances reported in the last years… they don´t make much efforts to solve this case… I think they´re not with us…
Daphne: Jeepers, we're alone! Everyone is with the VIPS! We don't even know who to trust... maybe these people on the streets are spies too!
Daphne had a crying voice and she was trying hard to control her fear.
Flim Flam: Calm down, Daphne, we are not alone… we also have our infiltrators, and enough people are aware of this case, don´t worry…
Velma: And we have the boys… and each other… and Scooby… and we're really good at what we do… we will win once more, don´t worry!
That motivational message was also for myself, since I was visibly more nervous than Daphne. Shaggy, Scooby, Wang and Fred suddenly arrived, and a deep silence stopped our conversation. Fred asked repeatedly what was going on, but none of us had the courage to tell. When our Ubers arrived, Flim Flam asked Daphne and me to go with Agent Li in one car, while he and Agent Wang went in the other car with Fred. Scooby and Shaggy had to go in a pet-friendly car– a car that had enough candy to please the pet's owner.
After the incident, Daphne treated her cell phone as if it were infected with the Ebola virus. In the hotel, she removed it from her purse with her fingertips and handed it to Agent Li. Daphne and I went to our room with the intention of getting some rest, but Li followed us and we understood that he wanted to discuss the next steps. A few minutes after, I heard a scratch on the door and opened it for Scooby and Shaggy. Of course, Norville checked the minibar before saying "hi", and Scooby checked the bathtub; Norville ate the remaining food saying: "don't worry, girls, the maids will put more food for you later". And Scooby bit the faucet annoyingly, until he managed to turn it on a little. Li was concentrated making some tests with Daphne's cell phone connected to his computer. Then Flim Flam and Wang arrived.
Flim Flam: Beijing Central told us the couple is talking to Sang-woo's mother right now. Let´s go, we need to find them immediately!
When he heard "let's go" again, Scooby gave up destroying the faucet and came towards us, barking with joy and trying to bite his leash. I was close to the door when it was opened violently and slammed against the wall. Fred Jones entered the room completely out of his mind.
Fred: DAMN, DAPHNE! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ANSWERED THAT CALL!
Velma: DAMN YOU, FRED! YOU´VE ALMOST HIT ME WITH THAT DOOR!
Fred´s attitude provoked outrage in all of us. Daphne had tears in her eyes and she tried to say something, but her voice didn´t come out of her lips. Daphne´s sorrow – and my ugly disapproval face – made Fred stutter and hesitate a little bit, however, his emotions made him continue acting like that.
Fred: DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT THE HUGE TROUBLE YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF INTO? CAN YOU FATHOM HOW DANGEROUS IT IS…
Daphne: Freddie… I… didn't… see… the number!
Fred: OF COURSE YOU DIDN'T! SINCE YESTERDAY, YOU'VE BEEN DISTRACTED BY THINGS THAT HAPPENED TEN YEARS AGO! NOW YOU'RE NOT SAFE… ANYWHERE! AND WHAT CAN I DO? WHAT SHOULD I DO? HOW WILL WE PROTECT YOU IF THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS ARE EVERYWHERE?
Shaggy: Hey, relax, Fred! Like, lower your voice, man, it's not Daphne's fault! We were chasing that couple, everyone was acting on impulse!
Velma: Or rather, reacting! We´ve just had a meeting with fake agents, then we´ve found out spies were watching us… it's too much adrenaline and fear to deal with…
Fred: I AM NOT SAYING IT´S HER FAULT, THE PROBLEM IS THAT SHE IS IN DANGER AND…
Shaggy: Like, right now, you're acting on impulse too, don´t freak out, man! We will solve this soon!
Shaggy and I waited the Chinese agents to express their opinions, but we realized they didn't want to get involved in our discussion. Our intervention made Fred stutter way more, but his deep emotions kept making him continue.
Fred: PEOPLE WHO GOT INVOLVED WITH THIS FUCKING TELEPHONE NUMBER DISAPPEARED AND DIED, CAN´T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT HER LIFE IS IN DANGER AND…
Shaggy: DAMN, ALL OUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER, FRED, FUCK, CAN´T YOU SEE IT? Like, the truth is, they're leading us into a trap and everyone here is scared as hell because we know exactly what can happen to us!
Shaggy managed to make Fred shut up, but he was still visibly out of control. For a moment, I felt sorry for him for being so desperate, dealing with his feelings in the way he was taught to do it, and trying to show how he cared… in the worst way possible. Then I remembered we all could be fatal victims, and I felt a lot of anger, because he was only worried with Daphne. Fred kept his fierce glare at Daphne, waiting for her to say something or make some eye contact, but instead, she just burst into tears. Fred got in panic when he saw her tears, but he didn't know how to deal with the anger and the guilt he was feeling. The embarrassment of the Chinese agents was evident, until Flim Flam dared to intervene.
Flim Flam: Hey, we have failed too, we´ve trusted fake agents, and we could have died if we hadn´t left that place quickly. So why don't we forget our recent failures and continue the investigation? We need to get that couple and find out who they are, and why they´re watching us…
Fred: Good idea. But Daphne will stay here! And Li, Scooby, Shaggy and Wang will watch her while we´re out!
Shaggy, Velma and Daphne: WHAT?
Daphne: FREDDIE! YOU´RE NOT MY GUARDIAN! I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!
Velma: In fact, you don´t have the right to boss her around!
Shaggy: Man, like, you're OUR captain! You can't just lead Interpol and decide which agent go and which agent stay!
The Chinese agents nodded, yet they didn't dare to get involved again.
Fred: I really can´t! If I had any kind of authority or importance in this team, Daphne would have obeyed and she would never have answered that fucking phone!
Fred lowered his tone, but raised the arrogance and the rudeness. However, this time, Daphne didn't cry. She got up and angrily ripped the cell phone off the cable that connected it to Li's computer, then she threw it against the wall a few centimeters away from Fred. The device was smashed into pieces and caused a small dent in the room´s wallpaper. After, she approached the captain and glared menacingly at him.
Daphne: Don't worry, Freddie, I won't be distracted with that stupid past again! EVER! And you don't need to watch me, nor bother solving this mystery, my father can pay for it, you know! You know damn well the Blakes don't need your help, so stop acting as if this case depended on you! Stop pretending you care about me and my family, you just want to be the international hero!
Fred: Think what you want, Daphne! Interpol has discovered this case due to NYPD´s work… Blake family would be ruined right now if we hadn´t started…
Daphne: No Blake cares about what you do, Fred, my dad can hire a whole police station if he wants! I AM the only one who cares! I´ve started this case because I was stupid enough to think that we could repeat our past, but every day you prove me that I was totally wrong...
This time, it was Daphne who raised the arrogance. Unfortunately, Fred's surprised look and our deep embarrassment weren't enough to make her stop. When she recovered the breath that the tears took from her, she opened the door and told us to leave.
Daphne: THIS CASE HAS ENDED RIGHT NOW! It has ended for you and it has endend for the NYPD! From now on, Blake family´s lawyers will deal with everything, and Interpol will investigate their own clues. As for us, we will return to NY tomorrow, and until we´re stuck on the same plane, I don't want to look at you, Fred Jones! Now, get the hell out of my room!
Clearly, the order was exclusively for Fred, but Daphne was so out of her mind that we all obeyed her – but Fred, who remained in the room looking at Daphne with his lost eyes, hoping she would regret what she had said. Annoyed by the captain's presence, Daphne started to push him, but she couldn't move him out. Fred grabbed her wrists, trying to calm her down and asking her to talk in private, but she struggled to get rid of his hands and pushed him harder. At that moment, Scooby was more rational and understandable than Fred, he returned to the room, bit the bottom of the captain's shirt and pulled him out, making clear that he should leave. When Fred finally left, Daphne slammed the door and he stared at the closed door for a while. The Chinese agents looked at each other, then I signalled that we should go - and let Daphne and Fred solve their own problems.
Flim Flam: Uhhh… sorry for the inappropriate question, but… what the hell was that?
Shaggy: Briefly? Like, Fred is pissed because he's falling into someone else's trap instead of someone else is falling into his trap. And Daphne is pissed because Fred didn´t fall into her trap. Then someone messed with Daphne, and Fred got pissed because no one can mess with Daphne, but Fred doesn't mess with Daphne, so Daphne gets pissed because someone who is not Fred messed with her and...
Velma: Enough, Shaggy, I think they´ve already understood... well, gentlemen, that was a little demonstration of how wonderful it is to live with Fred and Daphne...
Flim Flam: And is it always like this?
Shaggy: Like, all the fucking time...
Velma: Day after day, month after month, for years… an endless, repetitive hell…
Flim Flam: But… what really happens between them?
Shaggy: Like, I think the real problem is: what doesn't happen between them... they are two people who love each other very much, but they don't know how to handle with it very well because they live in different worlds, and they are constantly afraid of facing the insignificant differences they have…
Velma: …instead of taking advantage of the fact that they complete each other in every aspect of their lives…
Shaggy: Like, mix all this shit with the fact that they are two extremely privileged people who get everything easily… so, they freak out when something doesn't go exactly in the way they want it to... as you might have noticed some minutes ago…
Velma: The truth is: a date, a wine, a room and a night would solve everything, but somehow they prefer to keep torturing our poor souls with all those pent-up feelings…
Shaggy: …and that sex drive… like, for years!
Shaggy´s words made us all blush, and when he realized what he had said, he blushed too.
Shaggy: Zoinks! Sorry, gang… like, I thought I could speak my mind… hehe…
Thankfully, his short comment made us laugh. Much to our surprise, Fred was right behind us, and Daphne was behind Fred, some steps away from us. By the expression on their faces, I assumed they had heard what we said about them. Then, another embarrassing moment started and made us blush until agent Wang´s invervention.
Wang: I believe you've had a very long day, so I think you all should stay here, protect Mrs. Blake and rest a little bit… Agents Li and Flim Flam will go to the location with me and check the information. We´ll let you know as soon as we have news.
Shaggy and I looked at each other, and the tiredness on our faces didn't let us refuse that suggestion. Scooby ran towards Shaggy´s room and desperately scratched the door until Shaggy let him in. Fred followed the agents for a while, but Daphne grabbed his wrist and made him stop before he could ask the agents to join the mission. I heard Daphne saying "we need to talk" right before I closed my door. Then I sighed, threw myself down on my bed and allowed my mind to forget about the case for a few hours.
Daphne: Velma! Wake up, it's dinner time…
Apparently, I woke up in the same position I slept. My face was more wrinkled than my clothes – and it had more wrinkles than my favorite pleated skirt. Unlike me, Daphne was well-dressed and had a beautiful hairstyle, but despite her good look, she seemed emotionally destroyed. I asked for a minute to get up and get ready, but I didn't have enough time for it: the doorbell announced the boys were there. Fred opened the door, but Norville didn´t let him get in.
Shaggy: For God's sake, can we have dinner please? Like, soon the restaurant will close and we won´t have enough time to eat!
Velma: Dinner has started ten minutes ago, Norville…
Shaggy: Yeah, and I´ve lost ten minutes of an all-you-can-eat buffet! Now I'm standing here, wasting one more minute discussing with you… damn, c´mon, I should be munching my third steak right now! Will I have to drag you all?
Shaggy´s bad mood was interrupted by Scooby biting the bottom of my dress and pulling me out of the room, while Daphne followed me making gestures to keep Scooby´s mouth away from her posh clothes. Fortunately, the only voice that was heard on our way to dinner was Shaggy´s, when he had an argument with the ones who told him that Scooby should be fed outside the restaurant. When we arrived, Norville got lost in the Buffet, and I had to play the ridiculous role of sitting between Daphne and Fred at the table. The Chinese agents were already waiting for us there, and they looked really tired.
Flim Flam: Hey gang, I'm glad you're here to hear that we've found out absolutely nothing new for our case!
Fred: No information about that strange couple?
Flim Flam: No… Sang-woo's mother said that they´ve just asked for directions to an address in Euljiro...
Fred: And she didn't say anything else? Not even about Gi-Hun or her son?
Flim Flam: Unfortunately not. She is devastated by her son's death, and the little boy is devastated by his sister's death. The only thing she told us is that she hasn't seen Gi-Hun for days …
Norville sat down with an exorbitant amount of food on his plate, and we discussed useless things watching all that food disappear in a few minutes. Suddenly, a waiter appeared with several bottles of different drinks and placed them on our table.
Shaggy: Like, I´ve asked the drinks, gang, let's drink and relax a little bit!
Norville's explanation sounded like a permission to open the bottles, and we had our favorite drinks – except Daphne, who doesn't drink. The alcohol made us more cheerful and friendly, and although the food was quite different, it was tasty. Before ten o'clock, we all wanted to get back to our rooms, so we had to drag Shaggy out of the restaurant and put up with his childish protests for leaving the buffet twenty minutes before its official closing. Fortunately, some pieces of watermelon distracted Shaggy, and he returned to his room spitting out the seeds on us – and having fun with that shit. I was exhausted when I arrived at my room, but Daphne wanted to talk about what had happened a few hours ago. Thankfully, I fell asleep during the time she took to change her clothes and get ready to sleep.
Daphne: Velma? Can you hear it?
Daphne's voice sounded distant, and my body, my breathing, and my eyelids were too heavy to react. I felt myself light and sleepy, and my mind was struggling to come out of an unconscious state. However, Daphne was right, I could hear some noise. The sound of something scratching the door. Then, a howl. A growl. Several barks, and that noise against the door seemed louder, stronger. Suddenly, I heard lots of screams, but my mind was totally blank and I couldn't tell if the sound was coming from inside or outside my head. After, an explosion happened next to me, and showed me the mess was really out of my imagination. The fright made my eyes open, the room was dimly lit and I saw three red blurs enter through the door. My brain tried to tell my arm to get my glasses on, but I fell asleep before I could even think about completing that task. I heard more screams by my side, and even being sleepy, my brain recognized Daphne's voice. With a huge effort, I turned my face towards the sound and I saw two red blurs dragging Daphne out while she screamed and struggled. I couldn't do anything, or think about anything, or feel anything… I could barely keep my eyes open. Suddenly, I felt a cold rubber glove hold my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw the image of a white square with a black background staring at me and checking my pupils. My arms and legs were too numb to push him away, and my eyes closed immediately, sending me back to a deep trance. My consciousness only returned when I felt cold licks on my cheek. At the moment I could finally open my eyes and sit up on bed, Scooby-Doo cried and desperately walked back and forth. When I put my glasses on, my heart skipped a beat: the bedroom door had been broken and Daphne's bed was empty. There were red footprints all over the carpet, and a small blood trail towards the door. Immediately, I got up and carefully walked around the crime scene. Obviously, Scooby didn't take the same care, and he jumped, barked and cried a lot. When I reached the hallway, the small blood trail turned into several puddles of blood, and they were surrounding a male body with black hair that was a few meters away of our door. There were red drops and splatters everywhere. And there was a brown business card on the top of the victim's lifeless face, with the same geometric shapes that had haunted me during the night.
Thanks for reading! And thanks for your time!
As I´ve said before, things become darker from now on. Next chapter will be a bit bloody, but still OK for being rated [T]. But after chapter 23, this story will be rated [M].
As I writer, I don´t like graphic descriptions of violence, so I have to say that only necessary things will be described. However, it´s Squid Game, and our gang will have some hard times ahead.