Chapter 7

Ten minuites lates, Velma, Rufus and Scooby stood outside the elevator door, on the very top floor of the hotel. The mechanics were trying to force the doors open safely, but judging by their incompetence, Blaskov had hired cheap rather than professional.

"I don't like these things, you know guys." Rufus said "I had an accident in one once, when the cable snapped."

Velma's eyes widened. "Were you all right afterwards?"

"Well, I thought I was." he replied "But once I took off my hat, I discovered that I had fractured my skull."

"Okay..." Velma said awkwardly "All better now though?"

"Oh yeah, takes more than that to finish the Rufster off." he announced proudly, patting himself on the chest. Unfortunately, this exposed the flowers, stuffed awkwardly into his pocket. Blaskov eyed them suspiciously. "'Vhere did you get 'vose?" he asked.

Rufus smoothed himself over as fast as he could, looking seriously guilty. "They're my lucky mascots, man!" he said. "I carry them everywhere, dude!"

"Lucky flo'vers." Blaskov repeated skeptically.

"Yeah...I take them places, and they give me luck an-"

"I am 'vell aware 'ov 'vhat lucky mascots are." Blaskov muttered. "I just hope 'vey 'vill pay off today, yes?"

Scooby shook his head incredulously, glaring at Rufus, who tried to smile at him, but gave up when he saw the look on Scoob's face. Cautiously, he pushed his stolen property a little further into his pocket.

"Oi! Grab 'old of the other door, innit 'Arry! I think we're gettin' in!" one of the engineers by the door said.

The second engineer rushed to the elevator door and heaved, mirroring his friend. Suddenly, they gave way and opened, revealing the dark, gloomy elevator shaft. However, the noise described by Daphne and Fred was gone. Cautiously, Velma approached the egde and looked down, but she could not see very far.

"Hmm...gone quiet, Dinkles..." Rufus said, pointing out the obvious. "I shall know more about it when I've been down there."

Velma spun round, alarmed. "Down there? Don't even think about it! The elevator might turn on! You could get crushed! Electrocuted! No way, Rufus."

"What's life without a little risk?" Rufus exclaimed. "Tell you what. If I come out alive, you owe me fifty dollars. If not, buy yourself a nice present with the money you would have owed me. Deal?"

Luckily, the engineer came to Velma's rescue. "She's right, it's outta the question, you ain't going in there. It's mite dangerous, buddy."

Quite what happened then, nobody was really sure about. One minute they had been squabbling with each other, and the next there was a tremendous bang and they were all thrown to the floor. All Velma heard was something climb out of the elevator shaft, and sprint away down the corridor.

"Jinkies...everyone all right? Scoob?"

"Ryeah."

"Rufus?"

"Check"

"Mr. Blaskov?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine."

You two engineer blokes?

"We're both all right, yep."

Velma straightened up. "What was that?" she exclaimed.

"Hey!" Rufus said. "My shell!"

"I'm sorry?" Velma asked.

"My revolver shell! That bang...that was my gun! This monster has got my gun!" Rufus stammered. "I'm gunna drop that punk, dude! Which way did he go?"

"You aren't chasing an armed enemy." Velma replied wearily. "But that shell is my third and final clue. I know who it is."

"Who?"

"You'll see, Rufus. We need to lay a trap."

"Something Saw inspired?"

"Um...not quite...something a bit less gruesome." She turned to the engineers. "How long until you've got them out?" she asked.

"Yeah, gunna be 'bout thirty minutes. You may as well do the trap now, innit." The engineer replied.

"Okay..." Velma said, "No Fred, no Daphne, No Shaggy...what the hell. I'm in charge. Scooby Doo and Rufus. Let's get this done."

/

A short while later, everything was ready. Rufus would draw the Awthorn Monkey's attention, and make it chase him. When it did, he would lead it to the basement, where Velma and Scooby now sat, waiting. Then, they would pour grease, acquired from the kitchen, all over the floor just before the creature showed up. It was foolproof. Like the hundreds of other traps that had gone wrong over the years.

"Rufus?" Velma whispered through her phone.

"Yo, dude." he replied.

"How are you getting on?"

"Ehh."

"I'm sorry?"

"Not bad. No sign yet, but it shouldn't be long. I'm walking along, smashing myself against the wall at regular intervals. Should attract attention soon enough."

"Yeah...Blaskov asked us to be quiet, remember?"

"Ehh."

"Stop doing that!"

"Look, let's save the batteries, V. I'll call you when I'm being chased. Out." he hung up.

Velma sighed and spoke softly to Scooby. "I'm afraid that Rufus hasn't really made up for Shaggy not being here, has he Scoob?"

"Ro!" Scooby replied.

"Don't worry. After this, I promise you, Rufus will never come to a Mystery ever again. If Fred even suggests it, he'll be getting a mean kick."

"Ryeah."

"Anyway...we should be listening out for the warning. Let's get to the bottom of this once and for all."

Another five minutes passed uneventfully. Velma glanced miserably at her watch, knowing this could take all night, if at all. She just hoped that the bad guy wouldn't just shoot Rufus rather than chase him.

/

Rufus prowled around the hotel making as much noise as he could, hoping to attract the Awthorn Monkey's attention. He sighed and punched the wall again. A young, very short and rich looking man passed by him.
"Don't do that." he said. "That wall leads to my room."

Rufus stopped in his tracks and turned to face the guy. "Hey, punk, I really don't have time for your big mouth, okay?" he said, gently shoving the man in the chest.

"Did you just touch me?" the man asked threateningly. "Do you know who my daddy is?"

"No, but don't worry, man. I don't know who my father is either! HA!"

The man glared at him. "He's a top class lawyer, and you'll have a notice in the post to be in court for that. Hippie ass bi-"

He never finished his sentence. Rufus kicked open the door to his bedroom with brute force, and lifted the small, over confident man clear off the floor and threw him into his room.

"Rude little boys get sent to their room! Byeeeee!" and ignoring the screaming protests of the shell shocked guest, he pressed on. Surely, surely the monster would turn up soon...

Note: Nah, I got nothing new to say.