Scooby was dozing in the large cage he had been locked in when he awoke to familiar sounds and smells. Daphne was coming! "Oh please don't hurt me sir, I've been a such good little girl just like you asked." came her voice "I never complained and stayed ever so still even in that dark and scary basement" Scooby was confused, the approaching scent belonged to Daphne and the voice belonged of Daphne, but that wasn't the Daphne he knew. Then he twigged it, this was her Hopeless, Helpless, Clueless, Heiress routine. "Please be kind to me sir, daddy will be so much more generous if he knows you have been kind to his little Daphne." The door was opened and Daphne was pushed inside followed by her captors, Mugsy and Rocky.
"Sit over there princess" said Rocky.
"Yes sir, oh there's a window, oh thank you, you are kind, this is so much nicer than that basement." said Daphne, she then began to blub slightly "Please can I speak to daddy or my friends? Can I see my precious Freddie please? I need to know he is safe. I'll be extra good then." Scooby covered his eyes and whined, he whined for Daphne's distress, her pain, her upset but above all for her appalling acting. As much as Great Danes hold any opinions on theatrical matters, Daphne's performance was, to Scooby, eye wateringly bad.
"Mugsy, tie-up our little princess so she stays put while we get things ready for her big video shoot. And Mugsy, make it look artistic as well, so it looks good on camera." said Rocky
"Geee errr OK Rocky" said Mugsy "Hmmm artistic..."
"Oh please don't tie me up, I showed I could behave when I was locked in that basement" pleaded Daphne
"Princess, what would you like? Mugsy to tie you up, or go visit your meat-head boyfriend?" growled Rocky
"OK, OK, you can tie me up but please not tight, just please don't hurt my precious Freddie-weddy" Freddie-weddy? Scooby was not sure if his stomach could take much more of this. Fortunately for Scooby's artistic sensibilities a large wad of cloth was tied over Daphne's mouth when Mugsy had finished ihis Daphne plus rope mixed-media art project. "Now be quiet and stay still" said Rocky. Daphne nodded her head and went all doe-eyed and tearful "mmm-mm, mmm-mm." Daphne sobbed unconvincingly for a while until she was sure that there was nobody listening then she quickly shook her gag free
"Don't worry Scooby, I was just acting" she whispered to him
"Ro ridding, ro reesey" said Scooby shaking his head
"Cheesy?" sniffed Daphne "I thought it was a fine performance myself."
Daphne was about to begin to free herself when the door opened. She quickly sneezed a few times
"I'm so sorry sir; it came off when I sneezed. I would have re-gagged myself if I could."
"Let me do it for you princess." said Rocky. The cloth was stuffed into her mouth and tied tightly in place Daphne gave him an angry stare when his back was turned.
"Don't worry; you won't be a lonely princess any more" said Mugsy "We've got your friend to keep you company. The other was a no-show just as we thought he would be." Daphne's stomach became a ball of ice as they carried in an unconscious Velma, dressed in her pyjamas and already tightly bound and gagged. She was dumped unceremoniously in the corner of the room then they left locking the door behind them. To make matters worse she was not wearing her glasses, escape would be much harder now, poor Velma they must have got her while she slept she thought. Daphne was gutted, her message had got through but the rescue had been a failure. Where was Shaggy? He wouldn't abandon them, he certainly wouldn't abandon Velma. Things did look grim for them at the moment we're down, but we're not out... yet she thought. Daphne scanned the room for anything that might help, there were some familiar looking bottles on top of Scooby's cage. Scooby was more confused than anything, something did not smell right.
Daphne struggled to free herself; finally she managed to remove her gag. "Don't know about artistic, but these ropes are painfully tight... Scooby, can you reach that liquid soap up there? I need to get free quickly. When we are out you must lead Velma to safety, no matter what just get her away from here." Scooby grabbed the soap with his tail and poured it over Daphne's wrists and elbows which enabled her to quickly free herself. Daphne then picked the lock on Scooby's cage, Scooby came out and sniffed and nuzzled Velma, something was definitely not right, he licked her face, this usually woke her up. Scooby recoiled, a look of disgust on his face.
"Ro Rukky" he whined
"Scooby! How could you?" scolded Daphne "Velma is our friend, she came to rescue us and now needs our help." She crept over to her sleeping friend "Velma, Velma wake up" she whispered shaking her gently, she didn't even stir. "Something's wrong with her Scooby she won't wake up." Daphne said in despair. Something wrong indeed, the scent from the clothes was Velma's but...
"Rot Relma" said Scooby "rorot Relma"
Daphne looked quizzically at Scooby as she began to untie her friend. "I don't understand; a robot Velma? Ohhh I hope they didn't hit her on the head." Daphne stopped to examined Velma for signs of a head wound; she didn't find a bump but... a USB port? "Now I understand, this is her robot decoy. She was making one for both of us. I knew they were lifelike but this is just plain creepy, it even breathes like Velma does when she's asleep. I'm sorry I scolded you Scooby, but I was so sure it was her" whispered Daphne scratching him behind his ears
"Reah rorot Relma ray roo reepy" agreed Scooby.
"Do you know where Fred is?" asked Daphne
"Rattic" he replied pointing his tail upwards.
"Good work Scooby, I'll lower you down then climb up and rescue Fred" Daphne opened the window as quietly as she could and looked down; it was about 15 feet to the ground. Scooby sniffed the incoming air and began to get excited "What's up boy?" whispered Daphne
"Raggy, Remla rearby" said Scooby
"What's that? You smell Shaggy and Velma?"
"Reah roming rat ray" indicated Scooby. Daphne looked in that direction, dawn was breaking but there was not much light yet. She thought she could see movement, but was unsure; Shaggy's green t-shirt would make it hard to see him, there was a figure in unfamiliar clothes near the top of the hill. Daphne stared intently at the figure until "Velma!" whispered Daphne; well that solves the mystery of the missing glasses she thought. Daphne waved from the window, a few seconds later Velma waved back, and then she saw Shaggy who also waved. Yes! Daphne shouted in the privacy of her head, never underestimate Mystery Inc. her spirits soared, it wasn't just Shaggy and Scooby who made a vigorous team.
Velma was exhausted by the climb, Shaggy looked exhausted, time to get in back-up she thought and called Daphne's father. A few minutes later a police helicopter was re-tasked from traffic duty and headed towards their location, a few squad cars also set off for the same direction. Velma got to the top and peaked in through a window. She was enraptured by what she saw, there next to an open fire, in a room lined with bookcases, was a Rest-o-matic 3000 armchair, the ultimate in comfortable sitting. She gazed at it longingly what wouldn't I give to sit in one of those right now she thought. While Velma was admiring the internal furnishing Daphne was putting her plan into action. She opened the window as wide as she could and eased herself out "Come on Scooby, I'm sure Shaggy and Velma have got some Scooby Snacks with them." Just as Scooby was about to climb on her shoulders the door opened and Mugsy and Rocky came in. Scooby leapt on Daphne's shoulders as they made a lunge for him, she started down the drainpipe but her soapy hands and Scooby's extra weight caused Daphne to loose her grip. They slid down to the ground and connected with Shaggy just as he got to the top. The trio then tumbled down the hill. Velma was about to go back down and help when two people emerged from the house and went to give chase after Daphne. Must lead them away from the others she thought. Before Velma realised what she was doing, she was running towards them shouting.